544 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



SO that the colon of a horse fourteen hands high, may- 

 be said to be nearly eight yards and a half long ; and 

 from it, along the rectum or straight gut to the anus, 

 where the excrements are discharged, is not above 

 half a yard ; so that it is plain that clysters operat'e 

 mostly in the colon, though generally they are given 

 in too small quantities ; for of what use are two quarts 

 of liquor in a gut of nine yards long, and four or five 

 inches in diameter in a natural state ? but when in a 

 colic, it is so distended with flatulencies that its 

 diameter exceeds seven or eight inches, as Mr. Clark 

 observed in those who have died of that distemper. 



Large metal syringes are frequently used for the 

 purpose of giving clysters ; but of all the instruments 

 ever invented, Mr. Clark thinks these are the most 

 improper for horses. 



The shortness and smallness of their ivory pipes are 

 not only a material objection, as has been observed, 

 but they are apt to tear and wound the gut ; for if a 

 horse should prove restless, either from pain, as in 

 cases of the gripes, or from viciousness, the syringe 

 and pipe being quite inflexible in the struggle to throw 

 up the injection, the gut may be wounded, by which a 

 discharge of blood and other bad consequences may 

 follow. 



But although there were not the least chance 

 of either hurting the horse, or wounding the gut, yet 

 the force with which they throw up the liquor always 

 causes a surprise, and of course a resistance, attended 

 with a vigorous effort to throw it back ; which in- 

 deed frequently happens before the pipe of the syringe 

 is withdrawn. 



The instrument which Mr. Clark prefers for the 

 purpose of giving clysters, is a simple bag, or ox- 

 bladder, which will hold tv.^o or three quarts, tied tc 



