CHAPTER LVIII. 



SPOEADIC DISEASE ^—continued. 



LOCAL DISEASES— cowifwmeci. 



(0.) DISEASES OF THE BOWELS. 



CONSTIPATION. 



The bowels of some horses are naturally torpid. Constipation, 

 however, may be looked upon more as a symptom than as a 

 disease in itself. So long as the animal remains in health there 

 is no necessity to employ active remedies for the removal of 

 constipation, and all that is necessary is to give an occasional 

 bran or linseed mash. Should the condition be caused by the 

 nature of the food, such food must be changed, and one of a more 

 laxative description substituted. 



In many diseases constipation results from debility of the 

 bowels, and is to be overcome by remedies, the action of which 

 on the healthy body may be considered astringent in virtue of 

 their tonic effects, such as the salts of iron, cinchona bark, 

 gentian, nux vomica, and other tonics and bitters. 



Constipation may also arise from paralysis of some portion 

 of the intestines, and if large and repeated doses of cathartics be 

 administered, a fatal termination may be looked for, either from 

 their toxic effects upon the system generally, or tlieir direct 

 irritation on the intestinal canal. It is, therefore, advisable to 

 act cautiously in all cases of constipation, to allow plenty of 

 time for the paralyzed bowel to regain its tone, to rouse it by 

 stimulants and nervine tonics, and to administer enemas, which 

 may contain turpentine. One symptom of paralj^sis of the 

 bowels is diagnostic, namely, the absence of intestinal murmairs. 

 Another may be mentioned of not infrequent occurrence, 



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