62 TREATMENT OF DISEASES 



' Somo cases of galled back, and shoulders, are due to negligence 

 and abuse, yet many animals, owing to a peculiarity of constitution, 

 will " chafe," as the saying is, in those parts which come in contact 

 with the collar and saddle, and neither human foresight nor mechan- 

 ical means can prevent the same. 



OVER-DISTENSION OF THE STOMACH. 



Oct. 19th, 1862. This evening a bay gelding aged 7 years, the 

 property of Mr. Burgess, of North Chicago, was brought to Mr. 

 Patrick's stable under the following circumstances : 



I was informed by the owner that the animal had in the early part 

 of the morning broken loose from his stall, and immediately com- 

 menced a desperate attack on a bag of oats, which happened to be 

 within reach; the horse is known as a ravenous feeder, and the pro- 

 bability is, that he did not spare the oats, but took a pretty large 

 dose, so as to over-distend his stomach. The services of the animal 

 being required a few hours afterwards, he was hitched up ; he soon, 

 however, showed symptoms of distress, attempted to lay down, and 

 and finally got into a profuse perspiration. Shortly after this, my 

 attention was called to him. 



I found the patient in great distress; his head pendulous; breath- 

 ing much embarrassed; pulse very rapid; body bedewed with a 

 chilly perspiration ; legs and ears cold ; continual eructations of gas 

 by the mouth, from the stomach ; and at the same time efforts to 

 vomit, Nvhich brought away nothing more than salival secretion, 

 which, however, was quite profuse ; the patient rolled and tumbled 

 about considerably, and would occasionally stand up for a few sec- 

 onds at a time. 



j Treatment. — It appeared that the indications, in view of relief, 

 were to arouse the action of the stomach, and at the same time 

 arrest fermentation. I was under the impression that the contents 

 of the gorged stomach could only be got rid of in the ordinary way, 

 viz., by digestion. I am aware that it is often customary to give 

 drastic cathartics in view of getting rid of the contents of the stom- 

 ach, yet I would not advise the reader to do this, for the horse may 

 die before the medicine operates. 



The following drench was administered : 



Fluid Extract of Ginger 1 oimce. 



" « " Goldenseal 2 " 



Carbonate of Soda 2 drachms. 



Water 4 ounces. 



After the exhibition of the above, I threw into the rectum a couple 

 of quarts of soap-suds, to which was added a handful of salt; in 

 the course of about an hour the animal appeared somewhat relieved, 

 and I repeated the dose, also the enema. The patient very soon 

 afterwards passed a large quantity of excrement, and bo rapidly 

 improved that I left him, and did not see him again until the next 

 morning, when he appeared to have entirely recovered. With tho 



