G46 INTESTINAL SYMPTOMS AND FUNCTIONAL DISORDERS. 



care, however, must be exercised in watching the animal, as 

 there seems in these a tendency for this functional disturbance 

 to induce serious changes in the vascular structures of the 

 feet. When these cases remain unalleviated by the change of 

 dietary and careful managment, or where from the first, as in 

 feeding too liberally upon potatoes, either raw or cooked, a 

 more troublesome and difficult state of matters is presented 

 for our consideration, further treatment is requisite. In these 

 conditions, should the horse still continue to feed a little, 

 while general prostration and abdominal pain are not marked 

 features, it is better simply to depend on a carefully disposed 

 dietary for a little time than at once to have recourse to medi- 

 cinal agents. 



The patient ought not to be disturbed ; no cold Avater, but 

 bland fluids, as wheaten-flour gruel or linseed-tea, be allowed 

 for drink, with a little good hay and a few steamed oats with 

 bran ; the surface-temperature of the body being at the same 

 time attended to. 



Where abdominal pain is shown, either continuously or 

 only accompanying the evacuations, it will generally be advis- 

 able to exhibit some soothing and antispasmodic medicine ; for 

 which purpose I have found a draught composed of from two 

 to four lluid ounces of spirits of nitrous a}ther, one drachm of 

 powdered camphor, and one or two fluid ounces of tincture of 

 opium administered in a quart of wheaten-flour or starch gruel, 

 and repeated, if needful, in one or two hours, serve the purpose 

 well. 



When the prostration is considerable, and the dejections 

 watery and irritating, accompanied with pain, it is better to 

 add to this draught from four to eight drachms of prepared 

 chalk and two or three raw eggs well whipped up, wliile in 

 place of one half of the opium tincture I have found that 

 an equal quantity of chlorodyne has seemed to act better; 

 and where obtainable, and expense is not a matter of con- 

 sideration, from one-third to one-half of a bottle of port 

 wine is a good adjunct. When abdominal pain is persistent, 

 the application for some hours continuously of woollen rugs 

 wrung from hot water, and, on their removal, smart friction 

 with compound soaj) liniment, and afterwards clothing the 

 animal, is deservintr of a trial. 



