ENTERITIS. 223 



Violent purginfr, and attended with much inflammation and 

 fever, will occur from other causes. Green feed will frequently 

 purge. A horse worked hard upon green feed will sometimes 

 scour. The remedy is change of diet, or less labor. Young 

 horses will often be strongly purged, without any apparent cause. 

 Astringents should be used with much caution here. It is pro 

 bably an elibrt of nature to get rid of something that oiiends 

 A lew doses of gruel will assist in effecting this purpose, and the 

 purging will cease without astringent medicine. 



Many horses that are not taell-riljbed home — having too great 

 space between the last rib and the hip-bone — are subject to 

 purging if more than usual exertion is required Irom them. They 

 are recognized by the term of icaslnj horses. They are often free 

 and fleet, but destitute of continuance. They should have rather 

 more than the usual allowance of grain, with beans, when a-l 

 work. A cordial ball, with catechu and opium, will often be 

 serviceable either before or after a journey.* 



* Note by Mr. Spootier. — When this disease occurs, as it is usually in the 

 most violent form, and is more frequently fatal than otherwise, bleeding is call 

 ed for most assuredly ; but we sliould endeavor previously to bring warmth 

 to the skin and extremities, and also to raise the pulse. Two ounces of 

 spn-it of nitrous ether, in which a drachm of opium has been infused, may 

 be administered in a pint and a half of linseed-oil. This will enable us to 

 take a much larger quantity of blood than we sliould otherwise be enabled 

 to abstract. It is of great importance to bleed largely in the first instance, 

 but of very doubtful benefit to repeat the blood-letting. Warm fomenta- 

 tions to the abdomen are of much importance, and should be continued 

 almost without remission, whilst the pain continues ; thus applied, the heat 

 of hot water "will be more efficacious than any external stimulants. The 

 oil may be repeated in doses of one pint until the bowels are opened, and 

 the last dose should contain a scruple of powdered opium. Copious draughts 

 of linseed gruel should also be given, and injections of the same frequently 

 thrown up. 



Inflammation of the peritoneum seldom occurs as an independent disease. 

 When it does, it usually follows castration, or some injury external to tlie 

 bowels. The treatment should resemble that previously described. It 

 sometimes exists in unison with pleurisy, and also with the inflammation of 

 the bowels {enteritis) ju^t described. 



Infl;immation of the mucous coat of the intestines is also a very danger 

 ous disease. It may be produced by cold, or by over-exertion, particularly 

 in liot weather, or, more frequently than either, by an overdose of physic, or 

 an ordinary or weak dose while the metnbrane is either in a state of irrita- 

 tion, or liable to become so from sympathy with some other important part, 

 such as the lungs, more particulaidy their lining or mucous membrane. 



Bleeding in this disease is seldom of service, the weak and almost imper- 

 ceptible state of the pulse forbiilding it. Our en.leavors must be devoted 

 to bringing warmth to the skin and extremities, and gradually stopping the 

 irritation of the bowels and sheathing its internal mucous membrane. We 

 may venture on powdered chalk with small doses of opiunt administered in 

 thick wheat flour gruel. 



