THE ARMY HORSE. 71 



Treatment. — To control the pain give large doses of pow- 

 dered opium, laudanum, or cannabis indica. 



The following prescription is recommended: Opium, pow- 

 dered, 2 drams; calomel, ^ dram. ^Nlake into a ball; give at 

 once, and repeat in one or two hours if necessary. Blankets 

 wrung out in hot water and applied to the abdomen are some- 

 times of benefit, but to obtain good results they must be kept 

 hot for several hours. 



CHRONIC INDIGESTION. 



Chronic indigestion is a chronic catarrh of the stomach and 

 bowels, the causes of which are: Irregularity in feeding and 

 watering; feeding when the animal is in an exhausted condi- 

 tion; imperfect mastication and incomplete salivation of food 

 due to irregularities of the grinding surfaces of the molar 

 teeth ; and food of a poor quality, deficient in nutriment. 



The presence of worms is a frequent cause of this disease. 



Sijinptoms. — Appetite diminished or capricious and de- 

 praved, frequent gaping, constipation; periodic colics are fre- 

 quently observed, the coat is rough and staring, and the skin is 

 tightly adherent to the body, the condition known as " hide- 

 bound." The animal has an unthrifty appearance generally. 



Treatment. — Give small quantities of good, nutritious, and 

 well-salted food three times daily. 



The water should be pure and given regularly. 



Regular exercise and good grooming will hasten recovery, by 

 stimulating the skin as well as other parts of the body. 



If the appetite is diminished, give as a tonic: Gentian 2 

 ounces, iron sulphate 1 ounce, nux vomica 1^ ounces, nitrate 

 potash H ounces. Mix. Make twelve powders. Give one 

 powder twice a day. 



Bicarbonate of soda is a very useful medicine to counteract 

 the acidity (sourness) of the stomach. Dose, 1 dram, twice 

 a day ; the doses may be continued for several days. 



If intestinal worms are the exciting cause, they nnist be re- 

 moved, and until this has been accomplished the aniuial will 

 retain its unthrifty condition although it may brighten up 

 temporarily. 



The following prescription is recommended : Spirits turpen- 

 tine 2 ounces, oil linseed 4 ounces. Give before feeding and 

 repeat once a day for four days; then follow up witli 1 pint 

 of linseed oil. 



