INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 207 



CALCULI, OR STONE IN THE INTESTINES. 



We have mentioned these as a cause of colic in horses that are subject to 

 frequent attacks of it. Sftme indigestible substance lodges in the crecun 

 or colon : earthy or half-digested vegetable matter gradually accumulates 

 around this, and a ball weighing many pounds is sometimes formed. This 

 will naturally produce colic, or obstruct the passage of the gut, or, by its 

 pressure, produce inflammation; but as there are few or no symptoms by 

 which the presence of these stones is clearly indicated, and few, or rather 

 no certain means by which they may be removed, we will pass at once tc 

 an occasional consequence of colic. 



INTUSUSCEPTION OF THE INTESTINES. 



The spasmodic action of the ileum, long continued, may be succeeded by 

 an inverted action from the coecum towards the stomach, more powerful than 

 the natural action ; and the contracted portion of the intestine is thus forced 

 into a portion above it that retains its natural calibre ; and the irritation 

 caused by this increases the action, until more is forced in, and an obstruc- 

 tion is formed which no power can overcome. Even the natural motion of 

 the bowels will be sufficient to produce intususception, when the contrac- 

 tion of a portion jf the ileum is very great. There are no symptoms to 

 indicate the presence of this, except continued or increasing pain ; or, if 

 there were, all our means of relief would here fail. 



ENTANGLEMENT OF THE BOWELS. 



This is another and more singular consequence of colic. Although the 

 ileum is enveloped in the mesentery, and its motion, to a considerable 

 degree, confined, yet under the spasm of colic, and during the violence with 

 which the animal rolls and throws himself about, portions of the ileum 

 become so entangled as to be often twisted into nooses and knots, drawn 

 together with a degree of tightness scarcely credible. Nothing but the 

 e.xtreme and lengthened torture of the animal can lead us to suspect that 

 this has taken place ; and even then, could we ascertain its existence with 

 certainty, there would be no cure. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 



There are two varieties of this malady. The first is inflammation of th« 

 external coats of tiie stomach, accompanied by considerable fever and cos- 

 tivenoss; the second is that of the internal or mucous coat, usually the con- 

 sequence of an over-dose of physic, and accompanied by violent purging. 

 We will here speak of the first of these affections. It has been divided 

 into inflammation of the peritoneal coal, and that of the nmscular ; but the 

 causes, symptoms, and treatment of both are so much alike, that it would 

 be raising unnecessary difficulties to endeavour to distinguish between 

 them. Inflammation of the external coats of the stomach, whether 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 

 symptoms 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 be observed; the mouth will be hot and the 

 nose red. The horse will soon express the most dreadful pain by pawing, 



