VETERINARY SURGEON COMES. 487 



Stomach Staggers. — The stomach derangement which gives 

 rise to staggering and other symptoms^due to disturbance in the 

 circuhition or nervous system — usually arises from inordinate eat- 

 ing causing paralysis of the stomach and functions of digestion — 

 as when horses get to the corn-bin during the night; from con- 

 suming various articles of food to which they have not been 

 accustomed — as unripe or indigestible vegetation ; or from the con- 

 sumption of food containing some noxious principle. 



There is first sluggishness and sleepiness — drowsiness being often 

 manifested during eating, the eyelids being more or less closed, and 

 the eyes dull. The belly is more or less distended, the head hangs 

 heavy, or is listlessly laid on the ground if the animal is lying, or 

 on the manger if standing. It ceases to masticate while food is 

 yet in the mouth, and when compelled to move, the gait is stagger- 

 ing, and the animal stupidly bores forward against any obstacle, 

 instead of trying to avoid it. In the ox, the rumen may be so 

 extremely distended as to threaten suffocation. If not relieved, 

 violent symptoms supervene. The movements become wild and 

 disordered, and almost incessant during the paroxysms, and the 

 animal daslies itself about, heedless of the pain and injury it may 

 inflict upon itself, and rendering approach to it very dangerous 

 during the delirium. 



A very strong purgative should be at once administered, com- 

 bined with a stimulant — as alcohol. If copious enemas can be given 

 before the arrival of the medical attendant, so much the better. 

 Abundant afi"usion of cold water to the head, or the application of 

 the ice-bag, must also be resorted to. In the ox, when the rumen is 

 greatly distended, it should be punctured to allow the gas to escape. 



Colic. — There are two kinds of colic — spasmodic, and flatulent 

 or tympanitic. In the first there is spasm of the small intestine, 

 without any external manifestation, except symptoms of pain; 

 whereas in the second, in addition to the pain, the belly is greatly 

 distended, and this distension is due to the generation of gas from 

 indigestion, or to the animal (if a horse) swallowing air, as in crib- 

 biting or wind-sucking. 



In spasmodic colic the attack is sudden, the horse all at once 

 exhibiting uneasiness in pawing, stamping with the hind feet, or 

 striking with them at the belly, looking round anxiously towards 

 the flank, crouching, switching the tail, throwing himself down, 

 groaning, rolling over on his back, and, if the pain is very acute, 

 appearing distressed, and perspiring. In a few minutes the spasm 

 passes off, the horse or ox appears easy for a longer or shorter 

 period, when there is a relapse, and similar symptoms are again 

 exhibited. Neither the breathing nor the pulse is disturbed, except 

 during the spasm. 



