296 REPORT ON THE DISEASES OF FARM HORSES. 



pain is evinced by pressure on the parieties. As the pulse 

 becomes more indistinct, listlessness comes on, he looks at his 

 flanks, sighs frequently, lies down for a short time until power 

 fails him from severe prostration, when he endeavours by vain 

 convulsive movements and attempts to rise, until death closes 

 the scene. 



If poisonous ingredients have been taken or administered, 

 we may expect to have violent pains, with diarrhoea and strain- 

 ing, and other symptoms which arise according to the nature of 

 the poison present — states which call for special treatment, 

 antidotes, &c. 



Favourable cases of enteritis are signified by the cessation 

 of pain, return of natural cheerfulness of countenance, regularity 

 of pulse and bowels, the exuvia) being of usual colour and 

 quantity, proper moisture of skin, desire for food, &c, &c, which 

 may be looked for towards the third or fourth day ; but in fatal 

 cases, according to the severity of the attack, death may not 

 take place under a week, while in others it will not exceed 24 

 hours. 



P. M. Appearances. — The whole of the coats of the intestines 

 are considerably thickened from the amount of exudation within 

 their substance, and from their peculiarly dark colour, extending 

 over a large extent of surface, form characteristic signs of the 

 disease. The mucous coat, from its nature, favours this condition, 

 but all are involved, the peritoneum being the first to show the 

 nature of the disease, which extends to the stomach almost in 

 every instance — in fact, diseases which attack the intestines in a 

 violent manner invariably includes that organ, and vice versa. 



In proportion as the disease has existed, complications must 

 be looked for, such as congestion or consolidation of one or both 

 lungs, together with pleuritic symptoms and sympathetic affec- 

 tions of the cerebral organs. 



Other causes, as strangulated hernia, or invagination of the 

 intestines (the former being a portion of intestine, which, having 

 passed out of the abdomen through some unnatural opening, &c, 

 become tightly closed within it, and the latter that condition in 

 which one portion of the gut slides within itself telescope fashion) 

 often cause fatal inflammation and gangrene ; but there is a 

 greater degree of violence attached to these cases, owing to the 

 amount of spasm which accompanies them. 



Treatment of Enteritis. — This must depend greatly upon the 

 cause. Accumulations of food, which, by long retention, have 

 caused constipation, to which have followed inflammation of the 

 intestines, must be met by a dose of purgative medicine. To 

 this must succeed enemata of soap, or oil, in tepid water, given 

 every fifteen minutes or so, linseed tea allowed ad libitum, and 



