380 THE STOCK owner's ADVISER. 



Treatment. — The cause of the inflammation should be ascer- 

 tained. If found to be due to arsenic, the hydrated sesquiocide 

 of iron should be administered. The principal poisons and their 

 antidotes will be given' in future pages of this work. Inflamma- 

 tion of the stomach is invariably caused by some irritating poison, 



SPASMODIC COLIC. 



Spasmodic colic, or spasm of the intestines, is the most com- 

 mon of all bowel diseases. It is known as gripes, belly ache, etc. 

 It consists of a spasmodic contraction of the muscular coats of 

 the intestines, which may ultimately end in inflammation. 



Causes. — It is due to improper food, sudden changes of diet, 

 exhaustion from over-work, large draughts of cold water when 

 heated or fatig;ucd, or a combination of them all. Sudden change 



Fig. 107— Spasmodic Colic. Early stage of the disease. 



in temperature is said to produce it. It is seldom fatal, and never 

 of very long duration, if treated. 



Symptoms. — Spasmodic colic usually affects the small intes- 

 tines. When it is purely intestinal, the symptoms are sudden 

 pain, pawing, rolling, and struggling in many ways, then rising, 

 shaking himself, and being almost free from pain for awhile. 

 After taking a little food, the animal may begin to twinge, draw 

 himself to one side, look at his side, whisk his tail, stamp and 

 j^aw. He rolls and tumbles, suffering greater agony than from 

 the first spasm. The spasms soon become more frequent and in- 

 tense. The animal makes frequent attempts to urinate; this often 

 leads people who do not understand the nature of the disease to 

 believe that the cause of pain is due to inability to urinate. The 



