268 DISEASES OF THE STOMACH. 



in ^ The Veterinarian^ for 1835, of a cart horse, who, after 

 a hearty meal in the morning, was put to a wagon to go to 

 Southampton. By the time he had got six miles, he 

 appeared in much pain, and wanted to lie down. He was 

 urged on three or four miles further, was then led into a 

 stable, and had a drench given him, after which he was sent 

 home behind the wagon. At this period Mr. Spooner saw 

 him. There was a dark-coloured offensive fluid issuing from 

 his nostrils; he was in a cold clammy sweat; his pulsation 

 wholly imperceptible. Every now and then he would stretch 

 out his fore legs, lean backwards and downwards, until his 

 belly nearly touched the ground, and then rise up again with 

 a groan, after which the fluid from his nostrils issued in 

 increased quantity. In about twenty minutes after (during 

 which he continued vomiting through his nostrils) he died 

 in the greatest agonies. The stomach was found extensively 

 ruptured. The horse was a ravenous feeder, and his diet 

 mostly consisted of dry bran, which, on mixing with the 

 liquid in the stomach, no doubt increased in bulk, and caused 

 the rupture. 



Mr. GowiNG, V.S., London, in the course of a con- 

 versation I had with him on this subject, informed me that, 

 in the course of about two years, he had had as many as ten 

 or a dozen cases of ruptured stomach, and that they occurred 

 for the most part in heavy horses, and particularly in such as 

 were employed in heavy draught, and who were made to live 

 principally on manger-meat, having their hay cut for them 

 into chaff. Such of them as' were ravenous feeders would 

 swallow, and often bolt, food so prepared ; which, from 

 its undergoing imperfect mastication, would, in the stomach, 

 be apt to run into fermentation, and generate gas, with 

 which the organ becomes filled; and, in that condition, on 

 any inordinate exertion of body, be extremely liable to burst. 



HuRTREL d^Arboval givcs thc history of the case of a 

 horse who, after making a full meal and drinking plentifully 

 at a watering-place, happened to slip up upon his left side in 

 returning to the stable, and, on recovering his legs, with great 

 difficulty reached his stall. 



