510 THE DISEASES AND DISOEDERS OF THE OX. 



cases they are the symptoms of a general disturbance of the 

 system. When, therefore, we have to deal with cases of ** colic," 

 we should first investigate carefully the state of the animal with 

 the view of removing the essential and primary causes of the 

 malady from which our patient is suffering. For instance, the 

 pains may be the consequence of herniee of various kinds, or of 

 impactions of the bowels, or of certain disorders of the liver, 

 stomach, or urinary apparatus ; but if such derangements are 

 not present, it may be inferred that the symptoms point to a spasm 

 or spasms of the bowels, to which the designation of " simple 

 colic ^' has been given. 



Notwithstanding its infrequency, this disorder may occasion- 

 ally be brought on in oxen and sheep by any serious errors in 

 regard to dieting. Moreover, in cases of severe indigestion, 

 whereby the food eaten has only been very imperfectly prepared, 

 .and in this crude state is passed along from the stomach to the 

 -intestinal canal, 'the afiection is often brought on by reason of 

 )the irritant action of these substances upon the walls of the ali- 

 >mentary tract. Among horses, the drinking of icy cold water 

 after any great exertion, or soon after coming in from a hard 

 day's work, is a not uncommon source of colic, and it is said 

 that in the case of oxen also the same factor may be considered 

 a fruitful cause of this painful complaint. Other irritant sub- 

 stances as well as undigested material are capable of giving rise 

 to colic, and, finally^ it is probable that the distressing symptoms 

 referred to may result from simple engorgement of the intestines 

 or stomach. 



In this disorder there are paroxysms or fits of pain, which, so 

 long as it lasts, is of a very severe kind indeed; so much so 

 (especially among horses) that one feels the necessity of attending 

 to the suffering animals with the most extreme care, if by any 

 possibility any alleviation of the distress and agony can be gained. 

 If this applies to horses and oxen, how much more does it apply 

 to the human race. To see a man or a horse, or other creature, 

 writliing and tossing to and fro in the excruciating agonies of 

 colic, is to see a sight which cannot be forgotten. This torture 

 — for torture, indeed, it may be called — is, so far as we know, 

 produced by spasmodic and severe contractions of the muscular 

 coat of the intestines in certain portions of its length. The fact 

 :6eems to be, at least in some cases, that the irritant material 



