1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



571 



no gouging — but we do not like to be gulled by a 

 pretended trial of their speed, when those that di- 

 rect it know as well before they start, as they do 

 afterwards, which will come out ahead. We have 

 heard with our own ears, directions given to the 

 riders, just before they start, "be careful, and mind 

 what I told you." Now the question is, what was 

 the instruction ? Was it not such instruction as 

 would save the bet of the director? If it was, and 

 given for this purpose, then the whole movement 

 is a gambling trick, and those who engage in it are 

 no better than genteel gamblers. * 



COLIC IN HORSES. 



The following article is from the American Vet- 

 erinary Journal, edited by George H. Dadd, M. 

 D., Boston. If carefully read and remembered by 

 our readers who own horses, it may be the means 

 of saving some valuable animals. In another arti- 

 cle we will give the "Catise of Colic," from the 

 same work. 



The term colic is used to designate a disease of 

 very frequent occurrence, both among horses and 

 their masters; those of my audience who have ev- 

 er been the subjects of an attack of this character, 

 and have experienced the excruciating torment at- 

 tending it, can readily sympathize with a poor 

 horse when in a similar condition. There is no 

 disease with which I am acquainted that is so sud- 

 den in its attack, nor for the time being so distress- 

 ingly painful, as colic. It is sometimes accompa- 

 nied with delirium, so that the unfortunate creature 

 will, in falling, or while on the floor, mutilate his 

 own body with reckless ferocity, as if striving to 

 find relief in his own destruction; and occasionally 

 he does succeed in hastening death, either by rup- 

 ture of the diaphragm or intestines, or inflamma- 

 tion of the latter. 



J^ature of the Disease. — There are two forms of 

 colic to which hoi'ses are subject, one is termed 

 spasmodic, the other Jlatulent. The first form is 

 recognized by horsemen as spasms, gripes, cramps, 

 and stoppage. The term stoppage has been ap- 

 plied, from the fact, that in some cases the patient 

 passes neither fa;ces, flatus, nor urine, and thus the 

 stablemen infer, and the inference, in some cases, is 

 probably correct ; that the bowels, as well as oth- 

 er part«, are spasmodically contracted, or else intiis- 

 sception (a folding of one part of the bowel into an- 

 other,) has taken place ; although the latter feature 

 is often associated with flatulency. 



It is only necessary to know something of the ana- 

 tomical structure of the intestines, to perceive how 

 and by what means the spasmodic action takes 

 place. The intestinal tube of the horse, which is 

 about ninety feet in length, is composed of exter- 

 nal, internal and central coats. The central coat, 

 or rather layer, is composed of muscular fibres of 

 two orders ; one set are circular, the other longitu- 

 dinal ; should contraction occur in the longitudinal 

 fibres, the bowel is proportionately shortened ; 

 when it occurs in the circular fibres, the calibre of 

 the intestine is decreased, and sometimes in tonic 

 spasm, comj)lete stricture of the part takes place, 

 so that it is almost impossible to pass even a small 

 probe through the intestinal stricture. On exam- 

 ing horses that die in this state, the small intes- 

 tines have a knotted appearance, from wliich fea- 



ture some persons have compounded the term "gut- 

 tie." 



Flatulent Colic, which is by far the most com- 

 mon affection, differs so essentially from the pre- 

 ceding that the one can easily be distinguished 

 from the other ; in the latter affection flatus, or 

 "wind," is always present, and if at the early stage 

 no perceptible abdominal distension occurs, it very 

 soon shows itself. One way of satisfying ourselves 

 of the presence of flatus is, to apply the ear to the 

 abdominal region ; within, a sort of active rumbling 

 is heard, often accompanied by a tinkling or metal- 

 ic sound. But while examining the case, we may 

 perhaps perceive that the horse passes flatus by 

 the anus, or eructates it from the mouth ; in 

 either case our doubts, if we have any, are immedi- 

 ately set at rest ; this feature, accompanied by oth- 

 ers which I shall allude to, complete the chain of 

 evidence. 



In some cases the gas goes on accumulating in 

 the large intestines until the abdomen resembles 

 that of an ox, said to be "hoven" or "blasted ;" this 

 is a state called tympanites, (windy distension.) 

 When the gas generates very suddenly, and the ab- 

 domen immediately acquires immense volume, 

 the case is termed meteorization.* 



It is very distressing to witness the suflTerings of 

 an animal in this condition ; and the only chance 

 in relieving him is by puncturing the colon, and 

 unless this operation be performed early, it will 

 prove fruitless. 



Symptoms of Colic. — It may be well to bear in 

 mind that whatever form of colic occurs, it is always 

 sudden in its attack ; and horses are liable to it at 

 all times ; in the stable, on the road, or at grass. 

 In the early stage very little occurs to attract at- 

 tention. The animal, all at once, becomes uneasy 

 from pain, and commences to paw with his fore- 

 feet ; soon gets down, and if he be in space suflS- 

 cient, will commence to roll from side to side, of- 

 ten remaining for a few moments on his back, in 

 which posture he seems to obtain temporary relief; 

 sometimes, as quick as thought, he is on his legs 

 again : gives his body a shake, anxiously regards 

 the flanks by turning his head in that direction ; 

 when down, again, he goes to perform the same 

 rolling feat. Now and then the patient remains 

 quiet, in a crouching attitude ; the limbs being gath- 

 ered under the body until the distension is so great, 

 or the pains so severe, that he must shift his posi- 

 tion, when again we find him rolling, or else stand- 

 ing with the hind extremities stretched back- 

 wards,t the fore advanced ; thus representing the 

 attitude of a horse when urinating. Supposing at 

 this period that there be no flatulency present, yet 

 the respirations are hurried, the pulse wirey, the 

 eyes glassy, and the patient excessively nervous and 

 uncontrollable ; the case is then of a spasmodic 

 character. 



Should the animal pass flatus, or the abdomen 

 increase in volume, the case is one of flatulency. 

 Then again, in spasmodic colic, the patient has pe- 

 riods of ease, which gradually grow shorter, until 



* Meteorization — a windy state of the abdomen, which talies 

 place suddenly and unexpectedly, as doth the appturauce of a 

 meteor in the Heavens. — PercitM. 



\ When a horse assumes this attitude, people are apt to con- 

 clude that the subject is lal;oring under suppression of urine, and 

 then down goes the nitre, gin and rosin. But the fact is, he puts 

 himself in ihis position for the purpose of pressing on the ab- 

 domen, and thus giving it support by means of the rectus mus- 

 cles. 



