220 INFLAMMATION OF THE HOWELS ENTERITIS. 



animal that this operation should be attempted. Much of the 

 danger would be avoided by using a very small trochar, and by 

 withdrawing it as soon as the gas has escaped. The wound in 

 the intestines will then probably close, from the mnate elasticity 

 of the parts. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 



There are two varieties of this malady. The first is inflam- 

 mation of the external coats of the intestines, accompanied by 

 considerable fever, and usually costiveness. The second is that 

 of the internal or mucous coat, and almost invariably connect- 

 ed with purging. 



ENTERITIS. 



The muscular coat is that which is oftenest aflected. Inflamma- 

 tion of the external coats of the stomach, wehther the peritoneal or 

 muscular, or both, is a very frequent and fatal disease. It speedily 

 runs its course, and it is of great consequence that its early symp- 

 toms should be known. If the horse has been carefully observed, 

 restlessness and fever will have been seen to precede the attack. 

 In many cases a direct shivering fit will occur : the mouth will 

 be hot, and the nose red. The animal Avill soon express the most 

 dreadful pain by pawing, striking at his belly, looking wildly at 

 his flanks, groaning, and rolling. The pulse wall be quickened 

 and small ; the ears and legs cold ; the belly tender, and some 

 times hot ; tb'" breathing quickened ; the bowels costive ; and the 

 animal becomnig rapidly and fearfully weak. 



The reader will probably here recur to the sketch given in page 

 216, of the distinction between spasmodic colic and inflammation 

 of the bowels, or enteritis. 



The causes of this disease are, first of all and most frequently 

 sudden exposure to cold. If a horse that has been highly fed 

 carefully groom.ed, and kept in a warm stable, is heated with ex- 

 ercise, and has been during some hours without food, and in this 

 state of exhaustion is sufi^ered to drink freely of cold water, or is 

 drenched with rain, or have his legs and belly washed with cold 

 water, an attack of inflammation of the bowels will often follow 

 An over-fed horse, subjected to severe and long-continued exertion, 

 if his lungs M^ere previously weak, will probably be attacked by 

 inflammation of them ; but if the lungs were sound, the bowels 

 will on the following day be the seat of disease. Stones in the 

 nitestines are an occasional cause of inflammation, and colic neg- 

 lected or wrongly treated will terminate in it. 



The horse paws and stamps as in colic, but without the inter- 

 vals of ease that occur in that disease. The pulse also is far 



