CONSTIPATIOX. 633' 



Avith, or they may spring from, errors in dietary, combined with 

 the adverse operation of other extrinsic influences. 



Amongst certain horses under a particular regimen there is 

 observed a distinct tendency to a torpid state of the bowels 

 unconnected with other visceral derangement, and which is 

 removed by an alteration in the food-supply: 



These are usually young, ill-cared-for animals, kept and 

 pastured upon bulky, innutritions, rather dry and ligneous 

 food, and Avhere this restriction to, and large consumption of, 

 such coarse and innutritions food has been carried on for some 

 time, the effect being a weakened and atonic state of the 

 bowels in particular, and of the system generally. 



A continuance of this dietary is exceedingly apt to be attended 

 Avith retention and unnatural dryness of the contained mate- 

 rial, Avhich is not passed on, partly from its mechanical char- 

 acters, and partly from an inactive and paralyzed state of the 

 canal itself These two conditions, the occlusion of the tube 

 with ligneous matter, and the atonic or paralyzed state of the 

 muscular fibres, continue to act reciprocally upon each other. 

 When not relieved early and judiciously, this retention and 

 unnatural dryness of the ingesta is liable to terminate in such 

 serious results as extensive congestion, or inflammatory action; 

 or the animal may sink from exhaustion, hastened possibly by 

 blood-contamination from intestinal absorption. 



Symptoms. — The indications of this functional disturbance, 

 unconnected with any particular organic disease, are at first 

 verj^ slight ; there may be neither pain nor uneasiness, simply 

 general lassitude and trifling inappetency. In many of the 

 animals treated as we have indicated there is a full and rather 

 distended state of the abdomen — they are what is known as 

 pot-bellied — rarely the opposite condition exists. As the con- 

 stipation has not as a rule developed itself suddenly, but has 

 been of gradual though steady progress, the condition as to 

 flesh is usually the reverse of plethora ; the hair may be un- 

 naturally long, the skin dry, Avith a disposition to cedema of the 

 extremities, and a general appearance of Aveakness. Watched 

 carefully for a length of time, the animals Avill be observed to void 

 fpeces Avith some difliculty and more or less tenesmus ; in some 

 the difficulty and straining attendant on the act, together with 

 the conscested state of the mucous membrane of the rectum. 



