SPASMODIC COLIC. 385 



exercise renders less acute ; and generally restores the action 

 of the legs to its natural condition. It is not hereditary or 

 congenital, and seldom appears until the approach to the 

 adult age. It is injurious inasmuch as it unfits the horse 

 for certain purposes, as racing, delaying the start so long, 

 as to give away every advantage. It is considered incurable ; 

 and therefore any and all treatment is useless, save for ex- 

 periment. 



CHAPTER V. 



DISEASES OF THE ALIMENTARY CANAL. 

 SPASMODIC COLIC. 



Spasmodic colic is the disease known to farriers by the 

 terms gripes, cramp, and fret. The muscular tunic of the 

 intestines renders them very susceptible to the action of 

 spasm, and the vascularity of their villous surface also 

 makes them very liable to become primary agents in the 

 production of this irritation. Spasmodic colic appears more 

 apt to affect the small intestines than the large ; but in- 

 stances are not wanting to prove that the large intestines 

 have also become occasionally affected ; and when the spasm 

 extends to the posterior part of the caecum and rectum, the 

 bladder also sometimes participates in the convulsion, and 

 frequent ejections of urine occur. That colic is dependent 

 on a spasm of the muscular structure of the intestines, we 

 have proofs from the appearances which present themselves 

 after death, in fatal cases, when different portions of the 

 alimentary track will . be found forcibly contracted ; and in 

 the instances where much flatus has been present (although 

 it is improperly in the horse called flatulent colic) , the post- 

 mortem appearances have proved that the caecum and colon 

 were the principal sufferers ; arising apparently from the dis- 

 engagement of an injurious gas from undigested herbage. 



The causes are various : the sudden application of cold 

 either to the surface of the skin when hot ; or to the in- 

 testines under similar circumstances in the shape of cold 

 water drunk hastily, and when the horse has been warm ; 

 in which latter case the attack often soon follows. Costive- 



c c 



