306 ENTERITIS DIARRHEA. 



ENTERITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OF THE COATS OF THE 

 INTESTINES. For the same reasons which are given in regard 

 to red-water, I present Mr. Youatt's account of this malady. 

 He says : 



" By this term is understood inflammation of most, if not 

 all, of the coats of the intestines. * * Its early symptoms 

 are not to be distinguished from those of colic : possibly it is 

 simple colic which then exists ; but the disease does not yield 

 to common remedies. The symptoms continue they become 

 more aggravated the animal stamps the ground with his 

 feet he scratches it he attempts to strike his belly with 

 his hind-legs he bends his knees as if he would lie down, 

 but he dreads the pain resulting from the consentaneous 

 action of the muscles of the belly, and their pressure on the 

 contents of the belly ; he looks round at his sides : at length 

 he comes suddenly down he rolls on his back : he main- 

 tains this position for some seconds, and then he suddenly 

 starts and scrambles up again. The muzzle, the horns, and 

 the feet are cold. The pulse is quick but small the bowels 

 are usually confined obstinately so the strength of the 

 animal rapidly wastes away. Sometimes there is a determina- 

 tion of blood to the head ; the animal is heedless of all around 

 it, the' pupil is widely dilated and to this delirium occasion- 

 ally supervenes. * * * 



" The causes belong almost exclusively to the food or the 

 locality. Enteritis is produced by stimulating and acrimoni- 

 ous nutriment by an excess of that which is healthful by 

 the injudicious administration of purgatives, by exposure to 

 cold, and, more particularly, by the mingled influence of cold 

 and wet. 



" The treatment is sufficiently plain bleeding according 

 to the age and condition of the animal, and the urgency of the 

 symptoms purgatives perseveringly administered until the 

 bowels are opened, and the purging being afterwards kept up ; 

 the Epsom salts being employed to produce the first effect, 

 and sulphur the second. The food to consist of mashes or 

 gruel. No tonic to be allowed until the febrile stage is passed, 

 or until violent diarrhea, difficult to check, has succeeded 

 to the constipation." 



DIARRHEA. This disease is often more properly a nervous 

 than a febrile one in the former case, a morbid increase of 

 the peristaltic motion of the bowels in the latter, an inflam- 

 mation of the mucous coat of the smaller intestines. But for 



