DISEASES OF THE HOPcSE. 55 



torus of engorged stomach, alrcad}- described. There is, of course, no 

 treatinent that will prove effective. Give remedies to move the bowels, 

 to relieve pain, and to combat inflammation. 



Intestinal concretions [calculi (stones) in tJic intestines). — These con- 

 cretions are usually found in the large bowels, though they are occa- 

 sionally met with in the small intestines. They are of various sizes, 

 weighing from 1 ounce to 25 pounds; they may be single or multiple, 

 and difl'<3r in composition and appearance, some being soft (composed 

 mostly of animal or vegetable matter), while others arc porous, or 

 honeycombed (consisting of animal and mineral matter), and ot]jers are 

 entirely hard and stone-like. The hair balls, so common to the stomach 

 and intestines of cattle, are very rare in the horse. Intestinal calculi 

 form around some foreign bod}^, as a rule= — a nail or piece of wood — 

 whose shape they may as.sume to a certain ext.ent. Layers are arranged 

 concentrically around such nucleus until the sizes above spoken of are 

 attained. These stones are also often found in miller's horses, as well 

 also as in horses, in limestone districts, where the water is hard. When 

 the calculi attain a sufficient size and become lodged or blocked in some 

 part of the intestines, they cause obstruction, inflammation of the 

 bowels, colicky symptoms, and death. There are no certain signs or 

 symptoms that reveal them. Recurring colics of the type of impaction 

 colic, but more severe, may lead one to suspect the existence of thi. 

 condition. Examination through the rectum may reveal the calculus. 



The symptoms will be those of obstruction of the bowels. Upon 

 postmortem examinations these stones will be discovered mostly in the 

 large bowels; the intesiines will be inflamed or gangrenous about 

 the point of obstruction. Sometimes calculi have been expelled by the 

 action of a physic, or they may be removed b}' the hand when found 

 to occupy the rectum. 



As in concretions of the stomach, there can be but little done in the 

 way of treatment more than to o-^ercorae spasm (if any exists), and 

 to give physics with the hope of dislodging the stone or stones and 

 carrying them on and outward. 



Intussuscejytion .^ or invagination, — This is the slipping of a portion 

 of the intestine into another portion immediatel}^ adjoining, like a 

 partiall}' turned glove linger. This may occur at any part of the 

 bowels, but is most frequent in the small guts. The invaginated por- 

 tion may be slight — 2 or 3 inches only — or extensive, measuring as 

 man}'' feet. In intussusception, the inturned bowel is in the direction 

 of the anus. There are adhesions of the intestines at this point, con- 

 gestion, inflammation, or even gangrene. This accident is most likely 

 to occur in horses that arc suffering from spasm of the bowel, or in 

 those where a small portion of the gut is paralyzed. The natural 

 worm-like or ring-like contraction of the gut favors the passage of 

 the contracted or paralyzed portion into that immediately behind it. 



