CHRONIC GASTRITIS. 627 



in this crude state, there is induced irritation with its attendant 

 phenomena of restricted or widely spread disturbance. 



Treatment. — This can only be satisfactory when the agencies 

 in its production are sujfficiently well made out ; where these 

 are inappreciable our chief reliance must be upon the regula- 

 tion of the dietary, a careful watching of symptoms and of 

 complications as they arise, and an endeavour to combat these, 

 and thereby to obviate unfavourable results which appear 

 imminent. Whatever medical treatment wo may pursue, it is 

 essential to recollect that rest to the organ is frequently of 

 greater importance than the reception of medicaments ; also 

 that there is probably no organ in the bod}^ which in this 

 respect we can so accommodate as the stomach — the quality 

 of the food can be changed and the quantity lessened. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



RUPTURE OF THE STOMACH. 



Definition. — Rupture of varying character and extent of the 

 walls of the stomach. 



History. — At one time regarded as a rather rare lesion, it is 

 now recognised as of rather common and increasmg occurrence, 

 particularly amongst certain classes of horses acted upon by 

 special influences. 



Causation. — The more numerous and potent influences in 

 operation to produce this lesion are those connected with 

 errors in dieting and work. Thus it is that it is encountered 

 chiefly amongst draught animals of the heavier breeds, those 

 most subject to irregularities and errors connected with the 

 food-supply and the apportioning of their work. It is most 

 likely to occur when the quantity of food taken into the 

 stomach is great, and when the organ having lost its power of 

 acting on the contained material, this remains largel}^ un- 

 changed, but subject to the action of chemical laws which, in 

 their development, result in the elimination of gases and 

 consequent increased distension of the viscus. I have observed 

 that the occurrence of this lesion is more frequent in horses 

 which have been fed on bruised than on whole grains, and in 



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