144 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



principal and most constant lesion, however, — that which con- 

 stituted the disease, and from which all the others were derived, — 

 was inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and 

 intestines." — Hippopathology, p. 232. 



Symptoms of Gastro-Enteritis. — The symptoms vary as the 

 disease progresses and spreads over the digestive surface, so that 

 it is almost impossible to give, with certainty, any symptoms that 

 can correspond to a given case of this character ; for the disease 

 may be termed, and sometimes is, one of progression, beginning 

 in the stomach, invading tissue after tissue, until the disease 

 becomes general ; it is then said to be complicated, and as a mat- 

 ter of course, we meet with a variety of symptoms as the morbid 

 phenomena develop themselves. Notwithstanding this, there are 

 a few symptoms, which, if recognized, tend to mark the form and 

 character of the disease. 



Supposing the disease first to originate in the stomach, as it no 

 doubt does, we shall be assisted somewhat in our diagnosis if we 

 are acquainted with the prominent symptoms, as they occur in the 

 human subject, selecting those, however, which apply to animals, 

 either directly or indirectly. The symptoms, as they occur in our 

 species, are, a violent pain in the stomach, distention, and flatu-. 

 lency ; thirst, restlessness, anxiety ; frequent, hard, and contracted 

 pulse ; great loss of strength ; interrupted respiration ; coldness 

 of the extremities ; clammy sweats, terminating in suppuration, 

 ulceration, or gangrene. On dissection, we find a highly vascu- 

 lar and inflamed gastric surface, having a layer of coagulable 

 lymph lining its surface, and sometimes ulceration takes place, 

 and the walls of the stomach are thickened. 



The symptoms of enteritis (inflammation of the bowels) in the 

 human subject are — it is ushered in with sharp pain, extending 

 over the whole of the abdomen ; obstinate constipation and vom- 

 iting, (the latter does not apply to the horse ;) thirst, great anxiety, 

 restlessness, quick and hard pulse. After a short time, the pain 

 becomes more severe, the bowels seem drawn together by a kind 

 of spasm, which extends to the bladder, so that the urine is voided 

 with great difficulty. 



Dissections show inflammation of the internal coat of the in- 



