DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
487 
anatomy presents nothing, or almost nothing, characteristic. 
These animals cannot die without a cause. The symptoms 
are constant. They are that of coma, and coma is a symptom 
of lesions of the brain. Then we must look in the brain for the 
lesions. These are the primary lesions. 
According to the percentages given our losses are still too 
great. I would earnestly ask the profession to make post¬ 
mortem examinations on the animals we lose, that we may 
ao-ree on the cause of death. Until then treatment of whatever 
o 
mode is to a certain extent empirical. 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
By L. A. and E. Meriluat, 
of the McKillip Veterinary College , Chicago , III. 
ABDOMINAL SURGERY. 
Abdominal Operations ( Concluded from page 446). 
5. Enterostomy. —This is an operation by which an artificial 
opening is made into the intestine so as to communicate with 
the external surface of the abdomen. The indications for such 
procedures are either for the treatment of surgical diseases of 
the intestinal tract, or physiological experimentation. An arti¬ 
ficial opening may be made into the alimentary tract to intro¬ 
duce food into the intestine and relieve part of it of its physio¬ 
logical function, or for the passage of fsecal matter when the 
posterior part of the intestine is obstructed. When food is intro¬ 
duced in this manner it should be artificially digested (pepton¬ 
ized). This would not be a practical procedure in herbivora, 
but in carnivora or omnivora this method of administering food 
may be used to a good advantage. The formation of an arti¬ 
ficial anus is not followed with very favorable results in large 
domestic animals, but in small animals temporary relief is often 
obtained in this way. Physiological experiments are often made 
by forming an intestinal fistula for the study of digestion. The 
indication for enterostomy may be enumerated as follows, viz. : 
(a) For temporary relief. 
(b) For temporary drainage. 
(c) For permanent drainage. 
(d) For curative measure. 
(e) To ward off impending death. 
