THE ANATOMY AND DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 311', 



shift liim in tlie stall, and groaned excessively when lying. He was bled 

 almost to fainting ; and tlii'ee moderate doses of aloes were given in tlio 

 course of two days. Injections were administered, and warm fomentations 

 were frequently applied to the back and loins. On the third day the 

 physic operated briskly, accompanied by considerable nausea and reduction 

 of the pulse. From that time the animal gradually recovered. 



' These horses are well fed, and always in good condition ; but they are 

 at times worked without mercy, which perhaps makes them so liable to 

 these attacks.' 



In the treatment of rheumatism attention should be paid to the probable 

 nature and causes producing it. "When it follows pneumonia, influenza, 

 or other debihtating causes, oiu- first object should be to restore the general 

 health of the animal by the judicious administration of tonic medicines 

 and nutritious foods ; an occasional diui'etic may also be given. Our local 

 applications should consist in the acute stage of warm fomentations, to be 

 soon followed by some stimulating liniment, such as the compound soap 

 liniment or the vinegar of cantharides. By these means this form of the 

 disease will generally quickly disappear. When rheumatism suddenly 

 attacks an animal in apparent health much more active means must be 

 resorted to. We must endeavour to arouse the excretory organs, as the 

 liver and kidneys, into increased action. Half a drachm of calomel and 

 opium combined with three drachms of aloes should be at once administered, 

 followed in a day or two by active diuretics. Warm fomentations should 

 be applied to the parts, and when the acute inflammation is subdued, a 

 blister ; the animal being kept perfectly quiet, and allowed nothing but 

 bran mash or other soft foods. Colchicum, guiacuin, and other medicines 

 which are esteemed as valuable remedial agents on the human subject in 

 this disease, appear to produce but little eflTect upon the horse. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE ANATOMY AND DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 



We have already described the anatomy of the Hps,_ tongue, teeth, and 

 other organs connected with the digestive system in the mouth of the 

 animal, and we now pass on to the back of the mouth, and arrive at what 

 is called the 



PHARYNX. 



It is a funnel-shaped cavity {carrying or conveying the food towards the 

 oesophagus). It commences at the root of the tongue, is separated from 

 the mouth by the soft palate, which hangs down from the palatine bone, 

 and extends to the epiglottis or covering to the windpipe. When the food 

 has been sufl&ciently ground by the teeth, and mixed with the saliva, it is 

 gathered together by the tongue, and by the action of the cheeks and 

 tonn-ue, and back part of the mouth, forced against the soft palate, which, 

 givfng way, and being raised upwards towards the entrance mto the 

 nostrils, prevents the food from proceeding that way. It passes to the 

 pharynx, and the soft palate again falling down, prevents its return to the 

 mouth, and also prevents, except in extreme cases, the act of vomiting in 

 the horse. Whatever is retiu-ned from the stomach of the horse, passes 

 through the nose. , 



The sides of the pharynx are lined with muscles which now bagin 



