DISEASES AND ACCIDENTS OF THE ALIMENTARY CANAL. 427 



Causes. — Wounds in the abdominal cavity, exposure to cold storms, 

 kicks in the belly, etc. 



How to know it. — The pulse is quick — from sixty to seventy-tive, and 

 is hard and wiry ; the horse lies down very easy, but gets up quick ; loss 

 of appetite. When the inflammation does not kill, effusion of water 

 takes place into the belly, giving the horse the appearance of dropsy by 

 the large abdomen. There is great pain upon pressure on the abdomen. 



Post mortem examination reveals extensive discoloration of the bowels 

 and surrounding tissue. A great quantity of bloody matter is floating in 

 the cavity. The inflamed poition of the intestines is very much swollen. 



What to do. — Give No. 56 as soon as the nature of the disease is recog- 

 nized. Give No. 52 occasionally to allay the pain, and apply No. 57 to 

 the belly. Give No. 30. continuously for several doses, till the pulse is 

 improved. In case the abdomen fills with water, it may be tapped by 

 passing in the trocar and cannula — the smallest size — through the centre 

 of the bell}^ and through the hard, fibrous band running down the center. 

 It is c'AW^d. paracentesis abdomenis, and should be performed by experts 



only. 



XVIII. CalcuU. 



Intestinal calculi are not very common, although they are occasionally 

 let with. It is very probable, that if all the cases of death from bowel 

 troubles were examined post tnortem, calculi would be quite often found, 

 aa that is the only way their presence can be determined. 



Causes. — These stones are formed of calcareous material laid on in 

 layers, and are usually found enveloping a nucleus of some kind — a 

 piece of a nail, or a pebble, or a wad of hair, etc. They sometimes attain 

 to enormous sizes and weight, and are usually round or oval. These 

 stones are most common in sections of the country where hard well water 

 is used for drinking, especially in lime districts. 



Dust balls are common in horses that are fed on mill-sweepings ; the 

 dust accumulates around oat hulls or chaff from other grain. As many 

 as a dozen have been found in one horse after death. 



Calculi are seldom or never passed in a natural way, but make sacks in 

 the bowel, and lie there till by accident they are dislodged and roll out into 

 the passage, and form an obstruction, cause a stoppage, inflammation 

 and death. 



How to know it. — In addition to the symptoms of enteritis, the patient 

 will frequently sit on his haunches like a dog. This is not a characteristic 

 symptom, but in cases where calculi have been found, it was a prominent 

 symptom. 



What to do. — Nothing more can be done than to treat the symptoms, 

 which are those of enteritis. Back raking is advisab^B, but it is not 



