SIMPLE INDIGESTION. • 383 



and sometimes diarrhoea being present ; the animal shows a 

 most depraved appetite, and often eats with an apparent relisli 

 the most filthy substances. They are particularly fond of 

 lime and salt, and will lick a wall for hours to get the lime 

 contained in the mortar. The pulse is weak, and the liver 

 may be more or less involved, in which case there is well- 

 marked yellowness of all the visible mucous membranes. 



Treatment. — In all probability there exists over-acidity 

 of the stomach ; and the practitioner may be certain that 

 such is the case when the animal is observed to show a 

 craving for alkaline substances, such as lime, salt, etc. Give 

 a liberal supply of salt, and administer a mild aloetic laxa- 

 tive, especially in cases where the liver is involved. Hy- 

 drarg. subchlorid. 3i. may be added to the aloes. Soda, 

 combined with gentian, may also be given with benefit. 

 When signs of improvement become manifest, tonics are to 

 be administered, as quinia sulph., gentiana, the various pre- 

 parations of iron, etc. If the animal appears to be very 

 weak or debilitated, stimulants, as ale, beer, wine, whisky, 

 etc., should be given. Dress the teeth if necessary, change 

 the food, groom the horse well, and give regular exer- 

 cise, etc. 



ACUTE INDIGESTION. 



Acute indigestion, or, as some call it, ' gorged stomach,' 

 is a very common as well as very fatal disease. It is 

 probable that two-thirds of the heavy horses, more par- 

 ticularly the stallions, dying in the United States and 

 Canada, die of acute indigestion. The light breeds of 

 horses do not suffer so frequently as the heavy horses. 

 Often considerable distension is observed, which may be 

 due to the presence of large Cjuantities of food, or may 

 be caused" by gas in the stomach and intestines — the 

 gases formed being sulphuretted hydrogen, carburetted 



