COLIC. 655 



other trifling functional impairment existed, and tliat this only 

 culminated in disturbance sufficient to induce expression of 

 abdominal pain by some, fortuitous circumstance which is 

 usually accredited with the production of this disorder. 



The evident symptoms of colic, whether we regard these in- 

 dividually or in the aggregate, are all more or less clearly in- 

 dicative of abdominal pain. The horse suddenly commences 

 pawing, is restless, stamps, and strikes at his belly with his hind 

 feet ; looks anxiously at his sides, attempts to bite himself ; he 

 puts his nose to the ground, advances his hind feet under the 

 body, and after one or more ineffectual attempts at last lies or 

 drops down. When down he may turn on his side, or roll 

 from side to side ; or when near a wall or in a stall may balance 

 himself on his back, the support enabling him to do this with- 

 out an effort. After remaining in this position for some time, 

 or having tossed restlessly from side to side, the pain abating 

 he will remain quiet or start to his feet, shake the straw from 

 his body, and probably attempt to eat. 



The relief, however, may be short-lived, and with an anxious 

 turn of the head to his flanks, he again becomes restless ; paw- 

 ing is renewed ; he wanders round the box if loose, or suddenly 

 draws himself together ; he crouches, or quietly or suddenly 

 drops to the ground. Rarely, save during the paroxysms of 

 pain, do we find in uncomplicated colic that either the pulse 

 is disturbed or the temperature elevated. 



These recurring paroxysms may continue for some time, 

 gradually becoming less severe and having a longer interval 

 between them, until the pain and restlessness entirely dis- 

 appear and the horse resumes his normal condition ; or the 

 intervening periods of quietude are of shorter duration and 

 the evidence of pain more decided, gradually becoming con- 

 tinuous, with an altered state of the pulse and hurried respira- 

 tions, the brain becoming sympathetically affected ; excessive 

 excitement or jjartial stupor is apt to ensue, and death from 

 pam and exhaustion with varying complications will^ordinarily 

 be the termination of unrelieved colic. 



Although these are the usually observed symptoms of 

 ordinary colic, we shall, on more carefully regarding animals 

 suffering from this disorder, observe that there is a wonderful 

 variety, not only in the intensity and prominence of several of 



