DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 153 



horse should not get much food until the secretion of the gastric juice is 

 stimulated by giving a small amount of food. Another common cause 

 is a change of food. "Wheat, even a small amount, will produce it. 

 Clover hay, when the animal is not accustomed to it, is also a common 

 cause. Acute indigestion may terminate in rupture of the stomach, 

 especially in old horses or any that are fed upon poor food. It may not 

 be complete, but just some of the coats are ruptured. Eupture of tbe 

 diaphragm is not uncommon from pressure, and the animal throwing 

 himself about. 



Symptoms. — We will take a case as we often see it on the farm : The 

 farmer intends to take a journey of fifteen to twenty miles, and the night 

 before he feeds the horse more than usual, gives another large feed in the 

 morning, and starts off. The horse is quite lively, but after going a few 

 miles he becomes dull, sweats, and sweats freely ; is stopped, and shows 

 signs of abdominal pain ; attempts to lie down, turns the head to the 

 side, and if examined, perhaps, slightly swollen in the flank ; gets some 

 better, and is driven again ; again shows symptoms, and perhaps has a 

 slight diarrhoea ; becomes sluggish, but finally reaches his destination, is 

 put in the stable, and soon shows violent symptoms ; lies down and tries 

 to balance himself upon the back, then gets up, turns around, lies down, 

 looks at the flank, the eyes staring, and in many cases the bowels are 

 tympanitic. But I think the stomach may be dilated, even ruptured, 

 without distention of the bowels ; the pulse fifty or sixty beats per 

 minute, and eructations of gas, which is a good sign ; and regurgitation 

 of food, which passes through the nose of the horse and the 

 mouth of the ox, the eructations are extremely sour, the symp- 

 toms become more and more severe; by and by he seems relieved 

 to some* extent; the mouth is clammy; the pulse almost impercep- 

 tible, perhaps a slight diarrhoea ; the rectum bulged out, and death 

 ends the scene ; and this may all take place in from twelve to six- 

 teen hours. Boiled food is also liable to produce this. In other 

 cases the symptoms are not so plain ; perhaps the horse paws ; the pulse 

 forty or forty-five; gases are generated; he appears uneasy, etc., which 

 may develop into the symptoms just given. Some say that regurgitation 

 is symptomatic of rupture, but I think that rupture generally takes place 

 after regurgitation. 



Treatment must be energetic and persevering, but when gastroenteritis 

 sets in death is the result. There may be rupture of the bowels, as well 

 as rupture of the stomach. There are various remedies recommended, 

 but I give turpentine two ounces, laudanum two ounces, and linseed oil 

 one pint. You may use nitrous or sulphuric ether instead of the turpen- 

 tine, and give injections of soap and water, and even add a little turpen- 

 tine. If there is great pain use hypodermic injections, two, three, four 

 or five grains of the acetate of morphia, and repeat, giving one-half the 

 dose in a half hour or an hour if the pain remains, or you may use the 

 muriate of morphia. As well as this, give six or eight drachms of aloes, 

 and I think it is good practice, to give two or three drachms of the carbo- 

 nate of soda or ammonia in cold water gruel, or in the form of a ball. 

 Use judicious counter-irritation to the bowels, rubbing them well, and 

 use blankets wrung out of hot water placed over the abdomen, and cover 

 up as well as you can, and when relief is obtained to a certain extent, 

 then do not push medicines too far. Instead of using laudanum, you 

 may use belladonna, and it is perhaps preferable in some cases. The 

 horse should be kept so as to prevent him from throwing himself about, 

 for there is danger of rupture. There is benefit in puncturing in all cases 



