io8 



267. Dysentery, or Bloody Flux, is known by a blubbery fluid 

 discharge from the bowels, mixed with blood. Although very common 

 in cattle, is very rare in the horse, at least in this country. (For Treatment 

 see Appendix.) 



268. Hernia, or Rupture, may take place at various points, as, 

 for instance, the diaphragm may be ruptured, and a portion of the 

 intestines be pushed through into the chest, such ruptures generally 

 terminatmg fatally. Or, again, the " belly-rind " maj^ become broken, 

 and the intestines escape under the skin. In this case, sew a bandage 

 tightly round the body, to support the bowels, until the rupture is 

 reduced. 



269. Scrotal Hernia is very common in young foals ; but in 95 

 per cent, of the cases, the bowel returns to its proper place before the 

 animal is twelve months old. Another very common hernia is that of 

 the navel — umbilical hernia, as it is called. The best remedy for this 

 is to apply a special truss, when the foal is first taken from its mother ; 

 or it may be reduced by an operation. 



270. The Rectum.— I have seen a number of cases where this 

 intestine was damaged by a stick, or other foreign body, being passed 

 up by malicious individuals, with the result that troublesome abscesses 

 have formed, causing great swelling and straining. These cases are 

 best diagnosed by passing the hand into the rectum, when the lesion 

 may be felt. When full of matter — -pus — they have to be cut into, 

 through the walls of the bowel. The principal injury, however, is 

 found in the mare, when, in being delivered, one of the foals" feet is 

 pushed through the roof of the vagina into the rectum, resulting in a 

 troublesome fistula ; or the rectum and vagina may be torn into one. 

 In these cases there is, as a rule, extensive inflammation and sloughing 

 of the parts. Occasionally we meet with cases of Eversion of the 

 Rectum, caused b}'' impaction through some error of feeding, when, 

 on attempting to pass the faeces, the rectum becomes turned out. In 

 such cases, it must be well washed in tepid water and replaced at once, 

 whilst warm water injections should be given three or four times a day. 



