DISEASES OF TEE HOESE. 63 



The 8ymptoms arc the frequent evacuations of liquid stools, with or 

 yrithout pronounced abdominal pain, loss of appetite, emaciation, etc. 



Treatment is at times very simple, but requires the utmost care and 

 judgjuent. If due to faulty food or water it is suiScient to change 

 these. If it results from some irritant in the intestines, this is best 

 gotten rid of b}" the administration of an oleagi: ous purge, for which 

 nothing is better than castor oil, although raw linseed oil maj-^ be used 

 if the case is not severe. The diarrhea often disapx^ears with the ces- 

 sation of the operation of the medicine. If, however, purging c. n- 

 tinues, it msa^j be checked bj^ giving wheat Hour in water, starch 

 water, white-oak bark tea, chalk, opium, or half-dram doses of sul- 

 phuric acid in one-half pint of water twice or thrice d .ilj^. Good 

 results follow the use of powdered opium 2 drams, and subnitrate of 

 bismuth 1 ounce, repeated three times a day. It should be remem- 

 bered in all cases to lo >k \o the water and feed the horse is receiving. 

 If either of these is at fault it is at once to be discontinued. We 

 should feed sparingly of good, easily digested foods. With that 

 peculiar build of nervous horses that scour on the road but little can 

 be done, as a rule. They should be watered and fed as long as possi- 

 ble before going on a drive. If there is much tlatulencj/ accompany- 

 ing diarrhea, bakin.g soda or other alkaline medicines may effect a 

 care, while if the discharges have a very disagreeable odor, this can 

 be corrected hx 1 ounce of sulphite of soda or dram doses of creolin in 

 wati'r, repeated twice a day. Be slow to resort to either the vege- 

 table or mineral astringents, since tli:; majority of cases will 3'ield to 

 change of food and water or the administration of oils. Afterwards 

 feed upon wheat-fiour gruel or other lighh foods. The body should be 

 warmly clothed. 



SuPESPUBGATiON. — This is the designation of that diarrhea, or llux 

 from the bowels, that, at times, is induced by and follows the action 

 of a phj^sic. It is accompanied by much irritation or even inflamma- 

 tion of the bowels and is always of a serious character. Altliough in 

 rare instances it follows from a usual dose of physic and where every 

 precaution has been taken, it is most likely to result under the follow- 

 ing circumstances: Too large a dose of physic; giving physics to 

 horses suffering from pneumonia, influenza, or other debilitatir.g dis- 

 eases; riding or driving a horse when purging; exposure or drafts of 

 cold air; or giving large quantities of cold water while the physic is 

 operating. There is always danger of superpurgation if a physic is 

 given to a horse sufl'ering from diseases of the respirator}' organs. 

 Small and often-repeated ph3'sics are also to be avoided, as they pro- 

 duce debility and great depression of the system and predispose to 

 this disorder. When a plrrsic is to be given one should rest the horse 

 and give him sloppy food until the medicine begins to operate; clothe 

 the body with a warm blanket; keep out of drafts; gi\'e only warm 



