FLATULEXT COLIC. 79 



something to eat, and may for a little time apj^ear as if much 

 easier. But the paroxysm is presently renewed, and he behaves 

 as before, the pain evidently becoming more severe. Very soon 

 after the commencement of the attack, swelling of the abdomen 

 or belly will be noticed ; this is caused by the gas or wind which 

 is collecting in the bowels, and the presence of which is the 

 cause of the suffering. The belly will be found tight, and will 

 give a hollow sound if thumped or rubbed by the hand. The 

 feel and sound thus presented are very different from the healthy 

 softness of the bellv, and its less hollow sound. The swellinir 

 increases ; sometimes the swelling will be so great that it would 

 seem as if the hide w^ere stretched to its utmost capacity. The 

 horse sweats freely, and groans with pain. His breathing be- 

 comes difficult, and belching finally commences. He ceases to lie 

 down, as if fearing his ability to rise again. His pulse, which 

 was but little disturbed, becomes quick and rapid. The funda- 

 ment (and, if a mare, the bearing) protrudes or pouches out ; the 

 tail is more raised, the gait becomes staggering, often to one 

 side, and finally, the horse falls, to rise no more — generally dies 

 in thirty seconds or less. 



Such is the ordinary course of a fatal case of flatulent colic. 

 But it is not necessarily a fatal disease. Milder cases sometimes 

 get well without any treatment; and the worst cases, taken 

 early, will very seldom, if ever, prove fatal under proper treat- 

 ment. 



When a case commences to get better, the symptoms before 

 described gradually commence to disappear. Particularly will 

 the swelling of the abdomen commence to go down. The par- 

 oxysms or spells of pain become less severe, and longer between 

 them. The horse commences to feed, and, in a short time, be- 

 comes quite comfortable. The disappearance of the disease is 

 often as sudden as its attack. 



Causes, etc. — The cause of colic is the formation of a lar^'e 

 quantity of gas in the stomach or bowels, which, distending or 

 swelling them beyond their natural size, and interfering with 



