DIARRHCEA OF THE YOUNG. 645 



become possessed of an acrid character and fcetid odour, and 

 their discharge is accompanied with more or less constitutional 

 disturbance and abdominal pain. In some the abdominal 

 pain is acute and in paroxysms ; in others it is of a quieter but 

 more continuous character, the foal remaining nearly con- 

 stantly in the recumbent position, head laid flat on the ground, 

 or occasionally tiu-ned anxiously to the abdomen. With a 

 continuance of the pain and diarrhoL'a little or no milk is 

 taken, and the foal rapidly exhibits much exhaustion with 

 muscular atrophy. With a continuance of the flux there is 

 usually tenesmus, and an irritated or excoriated condition of 

 the anus and contiguous skin. Death may result without the 

 intervention of inflammatory action. In some, where the 

 symptoms have from the beginning been severe, and where 

 the termination has been fatal, I have observed consecutive 

 pneumonia and a form of purulent ophthalmia. 



Prognosis and Treatment. — The prognosis in the greater 

 number of cases of diarrhoea, unless such as occur in the very 

 young, and that which is induced by eating large quantities of 

 potatoes, is usually favourable. The number of cases which 

 demand medical treatment, properly so called, is small: a 

 properly regulated dietary being sufiicient to ensure restoration 

 to health. 



In the diarrhoea of adult horses, a just estimate of those 

 causes which seem to be in operation for its production is 

 absolutely needful in framing measures for its treatment. 

 When proceeding from the action of agencies which are with- 

 out the animal, as fatigue and undue exposure, or from the 

 reception into the alimentary canal of materials which, by 

 their mechanical or other properties, produce irritation, with 

 undue secretion and muscular activity, the first indication is 

 that the animal be withdrawn from the influence of the offend- 

 ing agencies. While, unless the intestinal action is excessive, 

 and the pain and general disturbance considerable, it is unad- 

 visable at once by medicinal agents to make an attempt to 

 arrest the discharge. 



When the excessively lax condition of the bowels is attribut- 

 able to the inordinate action of medicinal agents administered 

 with the view of inducing only a moderate action, a similar 

 practice of non-interference is at first to be recommended; 



