Treatment. Gastrotomy should not be performed unless the operator is possessed of very precise information. In such case the rumen and reticulum should be emptied and the foreign body sought for and removed.
When the symptoms strongly point to the presence of a foreign body exploratory gastrotomy may be performed, but the operator will do well to employ the operation only as a last resort.
Many complications, like septic peritonitis, hepatitis, and splenitis, are practically hopeless; but others show a tendency to recovery. This is the case when abscesses form in the thoracic or abdominal wall, or beneath the pleura or pericardium. The entire difficulty consists in diagnosis, for when once this is clearly defined intervention is fully justified. As, however, the surgical measures vary in every case, the exact course to be adopted must be left to the initiative of the surgeon.
TUMOURS OF THE GASTRIC COMPARTMENTS.
Papillomata result from hypertrophy of normal papillæ; they resemble those of the pharynx and œsophagus. The growth may attain the size of a fist. It often resembles a cauliflower in appearance. When very large, such growths may cause obstruction. A very striking illustration of a papilloma of the mucous membrane is given on p. 180 of Möller and Dollar’s “Regional Surgery.”
Sarcoma has been noted by Paule, Kitt, and Schütz as forming in the subserous tissue of the omasum, and later bulging out as a wounded swelling of irregular size.
Actinomycosis of the abomasum has been reported by Professor Axe.
CHAPTER VI.
ENTERITIS.
Enteritis consists in inflammation of the intestine, or, more precisely, in inflammation of the intestinal mucous membrane. All the constituent portions of the intestinal tube may be affected (duodenum, jejeunum, ileum, colon, cæcum); but clinical distinctions and localisation of inflammation in the various parts are very difficult in the domesticated animals, and at present it is impossible to describe with any accuracy the differences between duodenitis, enteritis of the jejeunum and ileum, colitis or typhlitis. Without doubt certain symptoms suggest that some regions are more affected than others; but clinically we are only able to distinguish between acute and chronic enteritis. Acute enteritis may assume different forms, according to its intensity, rapidity of development, and lesions, so that it is possible to distinguish between such conditions as simple acute enteritis and hæmorrhagic enteritis.
Chronic enteritis, an abstraction founded on our knowledge of such specific forms of enteritis as are due to tuberculosis, distomatosis, helminthiasis, etc., usually assumes the diarrhœic form.