162 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF 



laxative, and if you are not able to check it in this way, give a scruple of 

 powdered opium, half drachm to one drachm rhubarb, half drachm to 

 two drachms of prepared chalk, and attend to the condition of the 

 mother ; and use judicious counter-irritation, by rubbing and stimulating 

 the belly with mustard or camphorated liniment. 



Dysentery, or Flux. — This is an affection of the mucous membrane, 

 especially of' the large intestines, and there is a great tendency to ulcera- 

 tion, and when it takes place there is more or less hemorrhage. 



Causes. — It may proceed from a severe attack of diarrhoea, or froai 

 grazing upon wet. marshy lands, or feeding upon grasses grown upon 

 such lands ; using impure water, etc. In cattle it is generally associated 

 with tubercular disease Horses do not often have it, except from some 

 well marked cause. 



Symptoms. — The evacuations are tinged with blood, and have an ex- 

 tremely fetid odour, which differs from an ' ordinary case of diarrhcea ; 

 the feces are often mixed with shreds of mucous membrane ; the appetite 

 impaired or entirely gone ; the pulse perhaps fifty per minute, and weak ; 

 there are colicky or griping pains, which, after ulceration, are not so 

 severe ; the rectum is also usually in an irritable state. 



Treatment is not satisfactory in many cases, but give a slight laxative 

 — castor oil and linseed oil and laudanum, and then small doses of chalk 

 and opium once or twice a day, and demulcent drinks, as hay or linseed 

 tea, flour, gruel, etc., which will support the system and soothe the 

 irritation of the bowels ; or, you may try catechu, and after the dis- 

 charge is arrested, then give tonics — iron will do very well — acetate of 

 lead, one to two scruples, once or twice a day, has been recommended by 

 some in controlling the disease. If the animal becomes very weak, sup- 

 port him by stimulants. In cattle the treatment is similar, but is not 

 satisfactory, because it is generally associated with tubercular disease. 

 There is one thing recommended by some having considerable experience ; 

 it is opium, one drachm ; chalk, one ounce ; calomel, ten grains. 



Rupture, or Hernia, is the protrusion of an organ, or part of an 

 organ, from its natural cavity. I will direct your attention to abdominal 

 hernia, which is a protrusion of some of the intestines out of the abdom- 

 inal cavity, either through a natural or an artificial opening. It gets 

 distinctive names from the parts through which they protrude. If they 

 protrude through the inguinal canal, it is inguinal hernia. If it extends 

 down into the scrotum, is scrotal hernia ; if through the umbilicus, it is 

 umbilical hernia ; if through an artificial opening, it is called ventral 

 hernia ; if the diaphragm, it is diaphragmatic hernia, etc. Again, if 

 you are able to return the parts easily, without any violent means, it is 

 called reducible ; if it cannot be so returned, it is called irreducible, and 

 if it becomes constricted at the neck and interferes with the circulation, 

 it is called strangulated. Scrotal hernia is more liable to occur in a 

 stallion, and any part of the intestines may pass through, but it is gen- 

 erally the small. 



Causes. — In many cases it is congenital ; violent exertion may produce 

 it. Inguinal may become scrotal in a stallion, from covering mares, 

 leaping, running, or any violent exertion, and sometimes when thrown 

 for an operation, by struggling. I will first speak of inguinal hernia, 

 which may be easily overlooked, and so long as it does not become 

 strangulated you may not be able to detect it at all. When it becomes 

 strangulated the symptoms are just the same as colic, but are more pro- 

 longed ; the pulse becomes quick ; he sits upon the haunches, rolls and 



