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88 COLICS AND THEIR TREATMENT 



three to seven days injuriously affected it. This was 

 altered by feeding the molassine with each meal instead 

 of mixing it and allowing it to lie for days with the dry 

 food." 



It is interesting to note that one of these contributing 

 causes, namely, the absence of water between the evening 

 and morning meals, was present in the case under con- 

 sideration. Also, the exciting cause in this case may be 

 likened to the second contributing cause cited by Prof. 

 Gofton, in that it was such as to bring about fermenta- 

 tion in the alimentary tract, as will be seen by the fol- 

 lowing. 



History and Symptoms. — On the afternoon of Sat- 

 urday, June 8th, a large quantity of green rye was 

 mowed and given to this pair of horses. In a few hours 

 both were showing distressing symptoms of acute indi- 

 gestion, with both gastric and intestinal flatulence and 

 quite violent pain. 



A veterinarian who was immediately called to treat 

 the animals administered arecoline and resorted to punc- 

 ture of the intestine in both cases. The mate growing 

 rapidly worse, regurgitating gas and fluid from the stom- 

 ach, and suffering again from intestinal flatulence which 

 could not be relieved by the trocar ; died late that evening. 



Our subject improved, it was said, and after the pas- 

 sage of considerable feces and flatus the pain seemed to 

 stop. The attending veterinarian administered a quart 

 of linseed oil, and believing the animal to be out of 

 danger, dismissed the case. 



On Sunday, June 9th, purgation from the oil occurred, 

 there was evidence of intermittent dull pain, but the 



