ENTERITIS. 129 



plicated and beautiful process must occasionally become deranged 

 by various causes, and that hence will arise different diseases of 

 a more or less serious nature. This is, however, less the case in 

 swine than in most of our other domesticated animals, from the 

 circumstance of their stomachs and intestines being prepared by the 

 softening power of their highly mucous villous lining for the 

 reception and digestion of a heterogeneous mass of food, which to 

 other animals would be actually poisonous; rendering it evident 

 that, although the hog in a state of nature is a herbivorous animal, 

 he was also destined to become omnivorous for the service of man. 



ENTERITIS. 



This disease consists in inflammation of one or more of the coats 

 of the intestines, and is capable of being produced by various irri- 

 tating causes, as the foul air of badly ventilated styes, unwholesome 

 food, &c. 



The symptoms are dullness, loss of appetitite, constipation, spasms, 

 or convulsions, continued restless motion, either to and fro, or round 

 and round, staggering gait, evident symptoms of suffering. 



The most successful treatment is warm baths, dry litter, and gene- 

 ral warmth and comfort; and internally, purgatives and enemas. 

 Castor oil, calomel, or rhubarb, are the best purgatives for cases of 

 this nature, and the enemas should be of an emollient oleajginous 

 nature. The diet should be restricted to the simplest and lightest, 

 food ; oatmeal, porridge, skim-milk, or whey, are the best things. 



COLIC. 



The hog is frequently attacked by this malady, which generally 

 arises from unwholesome food, cold, or wet filthy styes ; and is evi- 

 denced by restlessness, cries of pain, rolling on the ground, &c. A 

 dose of castor oil proportionate to the size of the patient, with per- 

 haps a little of ginger in it, and administered in warm milk, will 

 generally give speedy relief; or if the first should not, the dose 

 must be repeated. Some practitioners recommend Glauber's or 

 Epsom salts, but we consider oleaginous purgatives to be best 

 adapted for attacks of colic. 



DIARRHCEA. 



This is a disease very common among all our young domesticated 



animals, and one that is also repeatedly met with in older ones ; a 



scanty allowance, or unwholesome food will produce it, as will also 



over feeding, or too nutritious diet It consists in a frequent disK 



6* 



