CHRONIC INDIGESTION. 391 



appearance, instead of the sleek glossy coat of health. In 

 many cases the pulse is found to be slower and weaker than 

 natural, and the animal may be subject to slight attacks of 

 colic ; there may be a slight attack of diarrha'a, followed by 

 constipation, the faeces being either of a very dark or a very 

 light colour, the latter being a symptom of hepatic derange- 

 ment, in which case there may also be observed a more or 

 less well-marked yellowish tinge of all the visible mucous 

 membranes ; the appetite is usually very capricious, and 

 often depraved — one day the animal may feed ravenously 

 and on the following day refuse to touch any description of 

 food. Various substances, as dirt, lime, etc., when accessible, 

 are often eaten apparently with great relish. This form of 

 indigestion is in all probability due, in many cases, to an 

 insufficient supply of salt. 



Treatment. — The animal should be prepared for a dose of 

 cathartic medicine. An animal should always be prepared, 

 or serious consequences may follow. The preparation con- 

 sists of allowing nothing but bran mashes to eat for at 

 least twenty-four hours previous to the administration of 

 the medicine. If the liver is involved, an ordinary dose of 

 calomel may be given with the purgative, carminatives 

 should be given afterwards — soda, ginger, etc., being ser- 

 viceable. At the proper time tonics may be administered 

 with great benefit, but if given too soon will only be pro- 

 ductive of harm. Coriander seed and common salt is 

 another remedy, recommended by some excellent prac- 

 titioners. Rock salt is very useful, both as a prophylactic 

 and as a useful adjunct to other remedial agents, when the 

 disease is present — a lump of rock salt should always 

 be kept in the manger. If gastritis be present, drastic 

 purgatives are inadmissible, and oil in the ordinary quanti- 

 ties should be administered. The free use of alcohol is of 

 the greatest benefit, where the brain is affected. Ether and 



