500 THE HORSE. 
or etuel ; or if the poison has recently been given wilfully, of large quan- 
tities of white of egg. 
STOMACH STAGGERS. 
THE EXACT NATURE of this disease has never been clearly made out, and 
it is now so rare, that there is little chance of its being satisfactorily 
explained. The symptoms would chiefly lead one to suppose the brain to 
be implicated ; but there is so close a sympathy between that organ and 
the stomach, that we can easily account in that way for the cerebral mani- 
festations. A theory has been propounded, that it is seated in the par 
vagum, or pneumogastric nerve; and as all the parts with which that 
nerve is connected are affected, there is some ground for the hypothesis ; 
but it is not supported by the demonstration of anatomy, simply, perhaps, 
because of the difficulty in the way of prosecuting the pathology of the 
nerves. The first onset of the disease is marked by great heaviness of 
the eyes, soon going on to drowsiness; the head dropping into the manger, 
even while feeding is in progress. It generally makes its appearance after 
a long fast; and it is supposed by some writers to be owing to the demands 
made by the stomach on the brain, when in an exhausted condition for 
want of its usual supplies. This theory is supported by the fact that, in 
the present day, when every horsemaster knows the danger of working his 
horses without feeding them at intervals of five, or at most six hours, the 
stomach staggers are almost unknown. Even when the disease shows 
itself at grass, it is almost always manifested directly after the horse is 
first turned out, when he gorges himself with the much-coveted food, 
which has long been withheld, and his brain is affected in a manner 
similar to that which follows a long fast from every kind of food. Ina 
short time, if the affection of the brain is not relieved, that organ becomes 
still more severely implicated, and convulsions or paralysis put an end to 
the attack. During the course of the disease, the breathing is affected, 
and there is generally an almost total cessation of the secretions of bile and 
urine, which may either be the cause or the effect of the condition of the 
brain. With this state of unvertainty as to the essence of the disease, it is 
somewhat empirical to lay down any rules for its treatment; and, as I 
before remarked, it is now so rare, that they are scarcely necessary. If 
care be taken to feed the horse properly, he will never suffer from stomach 
staggers in the stable; and at grass, the attack is seldom observed until he 
is beyond the reach of any remedies. Still, it may be as well to observe, 
that the usual plan of proceeding has been to take away blood, so as to 
relieve the brain, and to stimulate the stomach to get rid of its load, by the 
use of warm aperients, such as the following :— 
Take of Barbadoes Aloes ...... . . .4t06 drachms. 
Tincture of Ginger. . . . 8 drachms, 
Dissolve the aloes in a pint of hot water, then add the tincture, and when nearly 
cool give as a drench. 
DYSPEPSIA. 
EVERY DOMESTIC ANIMAL suffers in health if he is constantly fed on the 
same articles, and man himself, perhaps, more than they do. Partridges 
are relished by him early in September, but toujours perdrix would disgust 
the most inveterate lover of that article of food. Dogs are too often made 
to suffer from being fed on the same meal, flavoured. with similar flesh or 
broth, from one month to another. It is well known that cattle and sheep 
