CHRONIC IXDIGESTION. 617 



Stomach from impaired muscular or nervous power, in condi- 

 tions of undue irritability and in imperfect control over the 

 passage of ingesta, we find occasional causes of gastric indiges- 

 tion of a subacute or chronic type. 



Symptoms. — These vary much both as to number and in- 

 tensity, and are exhibited in direct relation to the length of 

 time the disturbance may have existed, and the severity of the 

 attack ; at times the animal affected may only show capricious 

 appetite, with a morbid desire for unnatural materials — he will 

 lick the walls, eat earth, or foul matter of almost any sort. 

 There may be troublesome acid eructations, unnatural thirst, 

 mouth sour-smelling and pasty, skin dry and hard to the 

 touch, bowels irregular, and fffices coated with mucus ; in ad- 

 vanced or severe cases colicky pains. The pulse is usually 

 not much affected in the ordinary cases, nor yet the respira- 

 tions. 



The horse, if put to work, will show an amount of weakness 

 not commensurate with the work done ; he is disposed to sweat 

 with httle exertion, and will most probably be dull and spirit- 

 less both in and out of the stable ; while, if not reheved, he will 

 gradually loose flesh, and exhibit a lax state of the entire 

 muscular system. Should he still continue to feed moderately 

 well, the food taken does not seem to be assimilated or produc- 

 tive of healthful results, but rather the opposite ; there is a 

 tendency to develop a further condition of irregularity of func- 

 tion in the intestinal portion of the canal. It is in such instances 

 where the appetite continues, and the function of digestion 

 remains impaired, that abdominal pain is most likely to be a 

 prominent feature. Many of these cases are marked by a non- 

 continuance or an alteration of the symptoms shown, and by 

 intermissions in their severity. 



Treatment. — In the milder forms of chronic gastric derange- 

 ment it is often only necessary for the restoration of healthy 

 function that some little attention be paid to the food-supply ; 

 this is particularly the case in young animals. With adult 

 animals suffering from dyspepsia, where there is no engorge- 

 ment of the stomach, it is always needful to make a careful 

 examination, with a view to discover, if possible, the cause of 

 the derangement. 



It may proceed from such simple matters as peculiarities of 



