244 DISEASES OF THE 



and ejecting both^ either througli the nose as well as mouth, 

 or through the mouth alone, after they have been thoroughly 

 masticated and mingled with saliva^ and rendered, in fact, 

 fit to be swallowed. In some cases the disgorged cud does 

 not seem to have entered the oesophagus at all : the animal, 

 knowing he cannot swallow, appears not to attempt it. In 

 other cases, the cud descends as low down into the gullet 

 as the seat of stricture, and there lodges until disgorged 

 again, causing distension of the tube at that part, and, in 

 time, the formation of a considerable dilatation or sac. 

 Now that the horse disgorges the greater part or whole of 

 the solid food he? consumes, the appetite, from having been 

 indifferent, becomes painfully keen : no sooner is a fresh 

 supply of provender set before the animal than he seizes and 

 devours it for a time with avidity ; but, alas ! this proves in 

 the end only the means of augmenting his suffering ; for, 

 as soon as he has swallowed it, or a few minutes or more 

 afterwards, he discovers his inability, or rather the pain and 

 difficulty he is about to experience in further deglutition ; and 

 consequently prefers returning most, if not all, of what he 

 has been chewing, into his manger. At this period, he be- 

 comes, in some instances, restless and agitated, breathes hard 

 and quick, and evinces spasmodic action commencing in the 

 tube by striking his belly, pawing, lying down and rising, 

 &c., so long at least as the inverted action is going on. 

 Deprived of his aliment, the animal daily continues to lose 

 flesh, and with it his strength and spirits, everything around 

 appearing after a time indifferent to him, save his fresh 

 feeds, which he plucks up to eat with renewed vigour, only, 

 however, to encounter renewed disappointment, and perhaps 

 paroxysms of annoyance and agitation, and pain as well. 

 There exists in general no unwillingness nor impediment to 

 his swallowing his water; nor are balls even, during the 

 early stages of the disease, rejected. His skin, after a time, 

 becomes hide-bound ; his coat harsh and dry and scurfy. 

 Early in the complaint, the bowels are commonly much 

 constipated, and require repeated aperients to keep them 

 soluble : later, a diarrhoea is apt to supervene. A slow fever 



