CANINE PRACTICE, WITH NOTES ON CASES. 
239 
salts, castor oil, and pills, and the animal was continnally strain¬ 
ing' and passing a little iniicons and blood. The case was diag¬ 
nosed hastily as one suffering from too much physic ; animal 
was left with me, and was watched carefully. Tenesmus very 
frequent, and the passing of blood and mucous ; the belly tucked 
up, appetite voracious, thirst normal, nose cold and moist, tem¬ 
perature normal, eyes bright, conjunctiva slightly yellowish. 
Treatment consisted in the administration of tinct. opii, gtts 4, 
every two hours, together with a rectal suppository containing 
a quarter of a grain of morphia, diet limited to raw meat morn¬ 
ing and night. This treatment continued for a week, and, 
with no improvement in the condition, an examination was 
made of the rectum, with the forefinger, and nothing could be 
felt. In making this examination the abdomen was compressed 
with the other hand and a large hard tumor was felt, extendino- 
anteriorly from the pelvis forward. In pressing the tumor back 
against the pelvis, with the finger in the rectum, no^ feces 
could be felt. This time intestinal obstruction being made out, 
a glycerine suppository was introduced into the rectum, and in 
an hour the rectum and lower bowel were filled with an enema of 
hot soapy water, given with a fountain syringe holding a quart; 
at the same time massage of the bowels was performed ; this 
was done every hour for eight hours, introducing a glycerine 
suppository every half hour as far forward as possible. At the 
ninth injection a mass of fecal matter was passed, measuring ii 
inches long, 6 inches in circumference, and 3^4 inches in di¬ 
ameter. Mass consisted of fecal matter and a great deal of bone, 
more or less comminuted. The after treatment consisted in 
daily enemas of hot soapy water and olive oil, and daily exer¬ 
cise, with diet of meat free from bone once a day. The animal 
improved very rapidly, and a month later and at the present 
time is as fine a specimen of his breed as is in the city. This 
case to me was interesting and instructive, and, while the result 
was happy, it taught me a lessQii that I shall never forget— 
namely, “ not to take too much for granted from the history, and 
from the general appearance of the patient.” 
