SPASMODIC COLIC. 39 < 



case a judicious amount of counter-irritation to the abdomen 

 is beneficial. Mustard and ammonia may be applied with 

 friction, using the hand for the purpose. The body should 

 also be warmly clothed, and the patient protected from 

 cold draughts of air. Any good diffusible stimulant will 

 usually be sufficient to cure any ordinary case of colic : beer, 

 whisky, etc., mixed with warm water, being good. If it is 

 seen that the first dose does not have the desired effect, it 

 may be repeated in twenty minutes or half an hour. Care 

 should be exercised in the administration of hypodermic 

 injections of morphia, as they may very easily be over- 

 done. The animal should be put in a place where he 

 cannot injure himself, and allowed to roll as much as he 

 wishes, this being his method of obtaining relief in all 

 abdominal disorders ; and he undoubtedly suffers less when 

 allowed to roll than when compelled, by whipping, etc., to 

 remain upon his feet, and forced to gallop about with some 

 one upon his back. Some of the measures adopted by 

 ignorant men and quacks are absurd in the extreme— as, 

 for instance, putting salt in the ear, forcing the animal to 

 swallow the intestines, reeking hot, just torn from a fowl, 

 buttermilk and soda, sweet milk and molasses, the employ- 

 ment of charms, and such-like nonsense. 



FLATULENT COLIC. 



Flatulent colic is caused by the generation of gases 

 within the large intestines. The same gases are generated 

 in flatulent colic as are evolved in acute indigestion. The 

 symptoms of flatulent colic are also very similar to those of 

 acute indigestion, so much so that one condition may very 

 easily be mistaken for the other; indeed, some practi- 

 tioners claim that the diseases are identical, and that acute 

 indigestion is merely another name for flatulent colic ; but 



