240 DISEASES OF THE INTESTINES. 



groom or carter may trace to them, hidebound, and cough, and loss of appetite, anc 

 gripes, and megrims, and a variety of other ailments. Of the origin, or mode of pro- 

 pagation of these parasitical animals, \ve can say little; neither writers on medicine, 

 nor even on natural history, have given us any satisfactory account of the matter. 



Tke long white worm (lumbricus feres} much resembles the common earth-worm, 

 and, being from six to ten inches in length, inhabits the small intestines. It is a for- 

 midable looking animal ; and if there are many of them, they may consume more than 

 can be spared of the nutritive part of the food, or the mucus of the bowels. A tight 

 skin, and rough coat, and tucked-up belly, are sometimes connected with their pre- 

 sence. They are then, however, voided in large quantities. A dose of physic will 

 sometimes bring away almost incredible quantities of them. Calomel is frequently 

 given as a vermifuge. The seldomer this drug is administered to the horse the better. 

 It is the principal ingredient, in some quack medicines, for the expulsion of worms in 

 the human subject, and thence, perhaps, it came to be used for the horse ; but in him 

 we believe it to be inert as a vermifuge, or only useful as quickening the operation of 

 the aloes. When the horse can be spared, a strong dose of physic is an excellent 

 vermifuge, so far as the long round worm is concerned ; but a better medicine, and 

 not interfering with either the feeding or work of the horse, is emetic tartar, with 

 ginger, made into a ball with linseed meal and treacle, and given every morning, 

 half an hour before the horse is fed. 



A smaller, darker-coloured worm, called the needle-worm, or ascaris, inhabits the 

 large intestines. Hundreds of them sometimes descend into the lectum, and immense 

 quantities have been found in the coecum. These are a more serious nuisance than 

 the former, for they cause a very troublesome irritation about the fundament, which 

 sometimes sadly annoys the horse. Their existence can generally be discovered 

 by a small portion of mucus, which, hardening, is found adhering to the anus. 

 Physic will sometimes bring away great numbers of these worms ; but when there ig 

 much irritation about the tail, and much of this mucus, indicating that they have 

 descended into the rectum, an injection of linseed oil, or of aloes dissolved in warm 

 water, will be a more effectual remedy. 



The tape-worm is seldom found in the horse. 



HERNIA, OR RUPTURE. 



A portion of the intestine protrudes out of the cavity of the belly, either through 

 some natural or artificial opening. In some cases it may be returned, but, from me 

 impossibility of applying a truss or bandage, it soon escapes again. At other times, 

 the opening is so narrow, that the gut, gradually distended by faeces, or thickened by 

 inflammation, cannot be returned, and strangulated hernia is then said to exist. The 

 seat of hernia is either in the scrotum of the perfect horse, or the groin of the gelding. 

 The causes are violent struggling when under operations, over-exertion, kicks, or acci- 

 dents. The assistance of a veterinary surgeon is here indispensable.* 



* The following case of operation for hernia will be acceptable to the owner of horses as 

 well as to the veterinary surgeon. It occurred in the practice of Professor Simonds, of the 

 Royal Veterinary Colllege. We borrow his account of it from " The Veterinarian." 



" The patient was an aged black cart-mare, that had been lent by the owner to a neighbour 

 for a day or two. I cannot speak positively as to the cause of the injury which she received, 

 but I believe that it resulted from her falling in the shafts of a cart laden with manure. She 

 was brought to my infirmary on the next day, October 18, 1837. 



" The most extensive rupture I had ever seen presented itself on the left side. The sa 

 formed by the skin, which was not broken, nor even the hair rubbed off, extended as far for 

 wards as the cartilages of the false ribs, and backwards to the udder. A perpendicular line 

 ."irawn from the superior to the inferior part of the tumour measured more than twelve inches. 

 It appeared, from its immense size and weight, as if by far the larger part of the colon had 

 protruded. 



To my surprise, there was comparatively little constitutional disturbance. The pulse was 

 45, arv* full, with no other indication of fever, and no expression of pain on pressing the 

 tumour. 



" She was bled until the pulse was considerably lowered. A cathartic was given, and Irw 

 sac ordered to be kept constantly wet with cold water, and to be supported by a wide band 

 ge. She was placed on a restricted and mash diet. 



" On the next day, being honoured with a visit by Messrs. Morton, Spopner, and Youatt, 

 I had the pleasure and advantage of submitting 'he case to their examination, and obtaining 

 heir opinion They urged me to attempt to return the protruding viscera, and secure them bv 



