INFLA.MMATIOX OF THE BOAVELS. 3-2fi 



right flank. As the disease proceeds, the pain becomes more intense, the 

 horse more violent, and at length death closes the scene. 



The treatment is at first but little different from that of spasmodic 

 colic. The gas which causes the swelling in the early stages generally 

 consists of carbonic acid, and here the preparations of ammonia would be 

 of great service ; one ounce of tincture of opium combined with two 

 ounces of aromatic spirit of ammonia should be given in a quart of cold 

 water, and repeated if necessary. As the disease progresses, combinations 

 of hydrogen are generated, and the preparations of chlorine, such as the 

 chloride of lime and the chlorate of potash, may be advantageously em 

 ployed. If some compound of chlorine, dissolved in water, is administerea 

 in the form of a drink, the chlorine unites with the hydrogen, and 

 muriatic gas is formed. This gas, ha\nng a strong affinity for water, is 

 absorbed by any fluid that may be pi-esent, and quitting its gaseous form, 

 either disappears, or does not retain a thousandth part of its former bulk. 

 All this may be very rapidly accomplished, for the fluid is quickly con- 

 veyed from the mouth to every part of the intestinal canal. This should 

 speedily be followed by four or five drachms of aloes in solution, with 

 copious and repeated injections. 



As a last resource, when the danger is imminent and every other means 

 have been tried without success, the trochar may be used, in order to 

 open a way for the escape of the gas. The trochar should be small, but 

 longer than that which is used for the cow, and the puncture should be 

 made in the middle of the right flank, for there the large intestines are 

 most easily reached. In such a disease it cannot be expected that the 

 intestines shall always be found precisely in their natural situations, but 

 usually the origin of the ascending portion of the colon, or the base of 

 the ctecum, will be pierced. Much of the danger would be avoided by 

 using a very small trochar, and by withdrawing it as soon as the gas has 

 escaped. The wound in the intestines will then probably close, from the 

 innate elasticity of the parts. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 



There are two varieties of this malady. The first is inflammation of 

 the external coats of the intestines, accompanied by considerable fever, 

 and usually costiveness. The second is that of the internal or mucous 

 coat, and almost invariably connected with purging. 



ENTERITIS. 



Inflammation of the external coats of the intestines, whether the peri- 

 toneal or muscular, or both, is a frequent and very fatal disease. 



The causes of this disease are, first of all and most frequently, sudden 

 exposure to cold. If a horse that has been highly fed, carefully groomed, 

 and kept in a warm stable, is heated with exercise, and has been dui-ino- 

 some hours without food, and in this state of exhaustioQ is suffered to 

 drink freely of cold water, or is drenched with rain, or have his legs and 

 belly washed with cold water, an attack of inflammation of the bowels 

 will often follow. An over-fed horse, subjected to severe and lono--con- 

 tinued exertion, if his lungs were previously weak, will probably be at- 

 tacked by inflammation of them ; but if the lungs were sound, the boAvels 

 will on the following day be the seat of disease. Stones in the intestines 

 are an occasional cause of inflammation, and cohc neglected or wi'ono-ly 

 treated will terminate in it. It speedily runs its course, and it is of great 

 consequence that its early symptoms should be known. If the horse has 

 been carefully observed, restlessness and fever will have been seen to pre- 

 cede the attack. In many cases a du'ect shivei-ing fit will occur : the 



