OF FARRIERY. 



229 



thore appears two distinct kinds ; the one 

 aifecting tiieir villous coat, or surface, and 

 producing purging ; the other attacking the 

 peritoneal coat, and accompanied usually with 

 obstinate costiveness. It is the latter that 

 forms the subject of our present considera- 

 tion ; the former will be treated of hereafter. 

 From an imperfect acquaintance with the 

 art, it has been common for farriers to mis- 

 take inflammation of the bowels for spasmodic 

 colic, and the error has commonly proved 

 fatal to the affected Horse ; for the " comfort- 

 able things, '' and heating drenches, given on 

 such occasions, always increased the inflam- 

 mation, and frequently produced gangrene. 

 A careful distinction should therefore be 

 made between the two, which may be readily 

 done, by attending to the characteristic marks 

 of each, as particularly detailed in spasmodic 

 colic. 



The Symptoms. — It usually commences by 

 a shivering fit ; to which succeeds heat of 

 skin, restlessness, loss of appetite ; the mouth 

 being particularly hot and dry, and the inner 

 membranes of the eyelids, and the linings of 

 the nostrils, rather redder than natural. As 

 the inflammation advances, the pain increases, 

 so as to force the Horse to lie down, and get 

 up again frequently ; but, as the pain is less 

 acute, he very seldom rolls on his back as in 

 gripes. Sometimes, however, he kicks at his 

 belly, or stamps with his feet ; and in all 

 cases he scrapes his litter or stall with his 

 hoofs, and looks wistfully round toward his 

 sides. The pulse is frequent; sometimes as 

 quick as seventy, hard and wirey ; but in this 

 disease, which may easily be distinguished 

 from the gripes or colic, in which case the 

 pulse is scarcely ever affected ; and even the 

 breathing: in inflammation of the intestines is 



not usually so laborious as we at first may 

 expect, in consequence of the painfulness the 

 belly is labouring under. In this, like most 

 other inflammatory cases, the extremities are 

 cold, while the surface of the body is often 

 hct, but scarcely or never with any natural 

 perspiration. The bowels are usually con- 

 fined, and if any evacuation takes place, it is 

 in hard, dry matter, and rather inclined to 

 black. The urine likewise is made sparingly, 

 and of a high colour; and a strong character 

 of the complaint is a very early and excessive 

 debility. 



The causes are various ; but they are 

 generally dependent on the application of 

 cold ; as washing when hot, or plunging into 

 a river. The drinking of cold water has like- 

 wise produced it, though more frequently this 

 occasions spasmodic gripes. A long retention 

 of the faeces may bring it on, as likewise her- 

 nia, or intus-susception, which is occasioned 

 by one part of a gut becoming invaginated 

 within another ; it may also be produced by 

 metastasis, or the triinslation of the inflamma- 

 tory diathesis of anotlier part, or of general 

 fever, or by the communication by continuity 

 of the inflammation from other parts, as I 

 have often witnessed. Another, and not un- 

 frequent cause, arises from flatulent colic, 

 either neglected, or improperly treated, which 

 I have many times seen degenerate into in- 

 flammation of the bowels under such circum- 

 stances. Calcular concretions have also 

 brought it on. 



For the Treatment. — Like most of the other 

 inflammations of important organs, this re- 

 quires a very energetic and early application 

 of the remedial means ; and \a hich it may be 

 remarked, must be here still more particularly 

 prompt than in most other cases, as an in- 

 3 M 



