DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 71 



pra\e(l and c-apiici(»us appetite is ct)uim()U in hor.ses that liave a stone 

 foiiuin«iC ill tilt' stomachs. Tlierc is a ilisposition to eat the wood- 

 work of tlie stable, eaitli, antl, in fact, ahnost any substance within 

 their reaeh. This symptom must not, howe\ei', be consideied as 

 j)atho^nomonic, since it is obser\ed whi'n calculi are not present. 

 Occasional colics may lesult from these "stomach stones," and when 

 the latter hnlire at the outlet of the stomach they may j^ive rise to 

 symptoms id" en*;oi«;ed stomach, already ilescribeil. There is. of 

 course, no treatment that will prove effective. Remedies to move the 

 bowels, to relieve pain, and to cond)at infhunmation shoidd be ^iven. 



Intestinal concntions {calculi or f^tatus in the intcfs fines). — These 

 concretions are usually found in the lar^e bowels, though they are 

 occasionally seen in the small intestines. They are of various sizes, 

 Avei«ichin^ from 1 ounce to :.*."> pounds; they may be sing:le or multiple, 

 and differ in composition and appearance, some being soft (com- 

 posed mostly of animal or veijetable matter), while others are porous, 

 or honeycombed (consisting of animal and mineral matter), and 

 others are entirely hard and stonelike. The hair balls, so common 

 to the stomach and intestines of cattle, are very rare in horses. 

 Intestinal calculi form around some foreign body, as a rule — a nail 

 or piec€ of wood — whose shape they may assume to a certain extent. 

 Layei-s are arranged concentrically around such nucleus until the 

 sizes above spoken of are attained. These stones are also often 

 found in millers' horses, as well also as in horses in limestone dis- 

 tricts, where the water is hard. When the calculi attain a sufficient 

 size and become lodged oi- blocked in some part of the intestines, 

 they cause obstruction, inflammation of the bowels, colicky symp- 

 toms, and death. There are no certain signs or symi)toms that re- 

 veal them. Kecurring colics of the type of impaction colic, but 

 more severe, may lead one to sus{)ect the existence of this condition. 

 PLxamination through the rectum may reveal the calculus. 



The symjitoms will be those of obstruction of the bowels. ITpon 

 post-mortem examinations the.se .stones will be di.scoveivd mostly in 

 the large bowels; the inte^itines will be inflamed or gangrenous about 

 the point of obstruction. Sometimes calculi have been ex|)elled by 

 the action of a physic, or they may be removed by the hand when 

 found to occupy the rectum. 



As in concretions of the stomach, but little can be done in the way 

 of treatment more than to ovei'come spasm (if any exi.st^s), and to 

 give physics with the hope of dislodging the .stone or stones and 

 carrying them on and outward. 



I ntuMsiixciption, or irn'of/inofion. — This is the slipping of a portion 

 of the intestine into another portion immediately adjoining, like a 

 partially turned glove finger. This may occur at any part of the 

 bowels, but is most frequent in the small guts. The invaginated por- 



