278 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



Symptoms. — A correct diagnosis of this lesion during life is seldom 

 possible, even to the most experienced practitioners, as many of the 

 symptoms resulting from the accident are common to rupture of other 

 important parts of the alimentary canal. Although vomition is often a 

 leading symptom, it is too frequently absent to be regarded as a reliable 

 indication of the disease. Experts are not in agreement as to whether 

 rupture of the stomach precedes or follows the act of vomition. While 

 some are of opinion that vomition does not occur while the viscus is intact, 

 others hold that a stomach, rent and permitting its contents to escape into 

 the abdomen, would not be capable of exercising that forcible contraction 

 which precedes the ejection of its contents in an upward direction. When 

 rupture of the stomach occurs as a sequel to engorgement, there are the 

 usual manifestations of acute abdominal pain, such as pawing and stamp- 

 ing, getting up and lying down, rolling, looking round at the Hank, &c. 

 (fig. 99). These are soon followed by less active symptoms, when the 

 patient stands with haggard and anxious countenance; the breathing 

 becomes shallow, the extremities cold, the visible mucous membrane 

 blanched, and the pulse fluttering and feeble. There is now a general 

 appearance of impending dissolution, which those familiar with animals 

 may recognize readily if not describe. The temperature, which may have 

 run up quickly, now falls, and with it comes a trembling, tottering gait, 

 sighing, and perhaps sweating. In this stage of the disease the animal 

 soon collapses, but remains on his feet till he falls dead, or dies after a 

 few convulsive struggles. 



COLIC OR GRIPES 



There are two kinds of colic, distinguished as spasmodic colic and 

 flatulent colic, both of which are characterized by symptoms of abdominal 

 pain. Spasmodic colic results from morbid contraction or spasm of the 

 muscular structure of the bowel, while flatulent colic arises out of the 

 opposite condition, by an over-distension — or outward stretching — of the 

 gut with gases evolved from the fermenting or decomposing food. 

 Although the symptoms are pretty familiar to horsemen, very vague 

 notions are usually held as to the seat of pain. Stablemen are wont 

 to declare the horse's water is wrong, and they therefore attach undue 

 importance to the act of urination, and in this mistaken view administer 

 agents altogether unsuited to the requirements of the case. 



Causes. — The disease has for its origin a variety of causes. Indigestion 

 is accountable for more cases than any other cause, and, as we have already 

 seen, assumes a variety of forms. 



