CORRESPONDENCE. 
275 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
FISTULA AFTER ENTEROTOMY. 
Editor Review : 
In the July number of Review, H. F. James reports a case 
of fistula of the colon as a sequel of enterotomy. If I understand 
Mr. James rightly I think he does not hold the operation in very 
high esteem. I too have had bad results, but only in a very small 
majority of cases. I think there is no operation that has saved 
the lives of so many horses, nor one that may give the veterinary 
surgeon so much credit as enterotomy properly done. 
I could not give the number of cases punctured, but for the 
time I have been in practice and the amount done I have punctured 
a great many horses, both from the side and from the rectum, 
and have never had cause to regret making the operation. 1 have 
had trouble in but four operations, in two cases a simple abscess. 
The first a sorrel pacing horse seven years old, used as a road 
horse. One week from the time of puncturing I found him exhibit¬ 
ing colicy pains ; on examination I found the site of puncture some¬ 
what swollen but no fluctuation. I wfts able to introduce a fine 
probe into the original wound and found deep seated pus; made a 
large opening which gave immediate relief; wound healed ; had no 
further trouble. 
Second case, a gray mare seven years old, used for livery. 
Abscess showed three days after puncture. This abscess was 
superficial and after being freely opened made rapid recovery. 
Third case, a large gray mare eight years old, used in a coal 
cart. Within six months had three severe attacks of acute indi¬ 
gestion, the last attack followed by impaction. In the first attack 
she was punctured three times, the second four times, the third 
attack, four times during the night and again at nine o’clock the 
following morning; each time on the right side. Bowels did not 
move until the fourth day, after that the mare improved rapidly, 
until the evening of the sixth day, when she took a chill. When 
I saw her she was dull, limbs cold, pulse accelerated, temperature 
106^, found large superficial abscess about the centre of space 
