22 The Stomach. 



wind and chronic cough, which are known to occur 

 from irregular principles of feeding. 



The horse cannot occupy himself in ru- 

 mination or digestion almost entirely as 

 the ox. He is required to undertake the re- 

 moval of heavy loads, or otherwise engaged in 

 rapid exertion. A rapid digestion in his stomach 

 is therefore a very wise provision to relieve the 

 lungs during action. 



I have purposely exhibited substances of 

 different degrees of solubility, and possessing a 

 strong odour, to animals about to be slaughtered, 

 and have been particularly struck with the fact 

 that, in the short space of time which has elapsed 

 between the administration of the medicine and 

 opening the stomach, not a trace beyond the 

 odour of the substance could be detected. The 

 paper in which it was wrapped was usually found 

 in the stomach,but the medicine had passed several 

 yards along the gut, frequently within one hour. 



Similar facts are observable with regard to 

 food. I have known horses and ponies suddenly 

 killed in coal mines by a fall of portions of 

 the roof within one or two hours after a meal, 

 and on examining the stomach it has been ob- 

 served that digestion has progressed rapidly and 

 effectively in that organ, only a small portion, 

 the most indigestible, remaining behind. The 

 more easily digestible portion had usually passed 

 along the intestines in distances varying from ten 

 to twenty feet or more. 



