COLIC— DEFIXmON AND REPRODUCTION OF. 95 



point? — as already stated, the cause of both being nearly (he same in mnst 

 cases, and lontr continued colic always ending in inflammation, if not effec- 

 tually checked in time. Much of the difference that exists between the two 

 kinds of attack depends on the previous state of the animal attacked : if it be 

 a high fed and hard-worked animal whose digestive organs receive a sudden 

 check, he contracts inflan»mation in ihe first instance; but one that is lower 

 kc|)t, and therefore not so irritable in any part of its system, is soon troubled 

 with spasmodic affection of the intestines, which receives the name of gri])esj 

 or fret in diflTerent counties, as it does that of flatulent colic in most of the 

 books that treat of animal medicine. Colic, however, is the general name 

 given by most stable [)eople to every pain of the inside (of man and horse) 

 that occasions writhing, or other demonstrations of that pain, which few can 

 discriminate in their own persons ; much less in their horses. To this un- 

 discriminating manner of naming disorders that require such very dilii^ren*. 

 treatment at our hands, is to be attributed the loss of many lives annually, 

 Into this anomalous manner of treating those disorders it is painful to notice 

 one of the most scientific veterinary writers of our time has fallen. We do 

 not find in Mr. Richard Lawrence's'" Complete Farrier" any reference what- 

 ever to inflammation of the intestines: though under the head of " Colic or 

 Gripes," he proceeds to describe the symptoms of inflammation in such a 

 manner as might mislead ignorant or half-taught persons to treat both alike, 

 and thus destroy their horses. 



A violent cold, or a slight one, will also determine the disorder one way or 

 the other, when the individual's system may be of no decisive character at the 

 time of contracting it. That a low state of the animal system is favourable 

 to engendering spasms of the intestines, is inferred from the circumstance, that 

 subsequently to a horse afflicted with inflammation undergoing the copious 

 evacuations recommended in the preceding pa^es for the cure of that disorder, 

 he is frequently visited with spasmodic affections that require sedatives and 

 tonics to restore the patient to complete health. 



Causes. Next to drinking cold water, and catching cold by exposure to 

 air or water whilst heated, the eating of bad, ill-got, or rank hay, is a prolific 

 source of spasmodic cholic. If it lie in the intestines chilly and comfortless, 

 and thus predispose the animal to acquire cold, the cause of epidemical colic 

 is plainly attributable to such bad hay; for it then prevails usually over certain 

 districts, and mostly among country cattle. Pushing a horse in his work 

 when large lumps of undigested matters distend parts of the gut, will bring 

 on spasms, torpor, and inflammation in succession. Horses that gormandize 

 much, being worked hard, and the stomach becoming empty, occasions the 

 fret, and inordinate action of the intestines expels the mucous secretion that 

 is designed for their defence. This constitutes molten grease, of which I 

 have treated largely just above, and am decidedly of opinion that the expulsion 

 of oflTensive matters in all cases where the animal evinceth but small sensa- 

 tions of pain, is but an effort of nature to relieve itself, and ought rather to be 

 assisted than abated by hot or "cordial medicines." 



Strong astringent purgatives, oft repeated, or neglect during the operation, 

 ire frequently succeeded by flatulent colic, that soon becomes inflammatory 

 if the internal commotion be not judiciously arrested by sedatives. Cordial 

 ^alls and drenches, as they impart a short-lived vigour, so when their stimu- 

 lating effects die away, they leave beliind a debility that is more excessive as 

 those factitious effects have been most intense ; in this respect, the cause and 

 its consequences assimilate closely with those which succeed the disease of in- 

 flammation, and the debility which follows the cure thereof, with spasmodic 

 colic. Diaj.^nte, and other provocatives, that are given to stallions in the 

 season, leave behind them the same species of debilitating effects aftei rover- 



