COLIC AND INFLAMMATION OF THE INTESl'INtS. 26S 



spasm of the muscular coat of any part of the intestines ; whilst the 

 other is inflammation of the serous or of the muscular and mucous coats. 



535. Seat of Colic. 



When Colic occurs within an hour or so after a full meal, its usual 

 seat is in the small intestines ; but at other times it generally arises from 

 impaction of food in the large intestines. 



The spasm, which is due to nervous influence, causes sudden contrac- 

 tion of the muscular coat, which necessarily arrests the usual vermi- 

 cular motion of the part. The spasm causes great pain, which is however 

 only temporary. 



In horses which die of colic, not complicated with inflammation of the 

 intestines, the parts affected by the spasm will feel thickened and con- 

 tracted to about a third or fourth of their original size, and they will 

 also appear whiter than natural. Colic, however, of itself rarely causes 

 death. When a fatal result occurs, we generally find that enteritis or 

 inflammation of the muscular and mucous membrane has supervened on 

 the original disease. 



536. Signs of Colic. 



The early sign of colic is pain, evidently in the region of the intestines, 

 as indicated by the horse looking arLxiously round to his flanks. As the 

 pain increases, the patient will scrape with his fore-feet, kick at his belly, 

 walk round his box, or throw himself down and get up again frequently, 

 or roll over, or kick. The nature of the disease is further recognised 

 by the fit soon passing away, — for it is only a spasm. It soon however 

 returns. 



There is an absence of fever in this affection, and the pulse is oniv 

 quickened during the spasm, but not oppressed. On the contraiy, it is 

 contracted and often hardly perceptible, though perhaps there may not 

 be more than fifty beats in the minute. During the remission of the 

 spasm the pulse is strong. The mouth continues moist, and the mucous 

 membrane of the eye is not affected. During the attack the horse will 

 sometimes pass hard angular dung pellets. This peculiarity of hardness 

 and shape is due to the spasmodic contractions of portions of the guts. 



The belly is tense, and sometimes perceptibly swollen, and very tender 

 on pressure. In some cases it is much distended by the generation of 

 gases arising from undigested or improper food. This peculiar condition 

 is known as Flatulent colic. It is most common in farm horses. 



From pain and knocking about, the patient generally sweats much, 

 but dries as soon as the spasm has passed away. F'rom the violence 

 with Avhich the horse knocks about, there is some liability to rupture of 

 the diaphragm, especially in the ilatulent attack, or if the stomach is 

 distended with food. 



If the disease is not soon relieved, the pulse will become very frequent, 

 and contracted to a thread. After about six hours there is ground for 

 apprehension. In protracted cases the result is doubtful. 



