84 THE HOBSE AND ITS DISEASES. 



wrung out with an effusion of marsh mallows ; when 

 the disease is perfectly cured, should the season of the 

 year permit, the horse may be put to grass. 



Nature and Properties of the Stomaeli. 



The stomach is so important an organ, that the ancients 

 regarded it as the seat of the soul ; and its presence by 

 the great physiologist, Mr. Hunter, as the grand distinc- 

 tive mark between the animal and vegetable life, though 

 we now know, that the existence of a stomach is not 

 an invariable mark of the animal, nor does its absence 

 incontrovertably prove a vegetable origin. 



In the horse there is but one stomach, which is veiy 

 small, proportioned to his general bulk, and is partly 

 membranous, partly cuticular, and partly muscular — 

 with a figure that when distended, has some resemblance 

 to a bag-pipe. 



It is situated immediately behind the diaphragon in 

 the left hypochondriam, and in part of the epgastrium, 

 with its expellent orifice extending to the right. 



Thus, when the stomach is moderately distended, it 

 lies in an obliquely transverse direction, with its ex- 

 tremities a little forward, and its orifices superior ; but 

 the caratic the most so, having the lesser extremity 

 rather posterior to the other, and the great curvature infe- 

 rior, and perhaps a little posterior. It is evident that its 

 situation must vary much according to its distention. 

 The foregoing description answers to it when moderately 

 filled only; but where it is very much so, the left 

 extremity will press upon the disphragm, and the right 

 will be carried more posteriorly. 



From a distended stomach pressing upon the dia- 

 phragm, we are at no loss to understand why breathing is 

 impeded after a full meal, or why a horse appears to 

 labor for breadth if quickly moved, for he is forced to 

 use the intercostal muscles, the muscles of the shoulders, 

 and those of the fore extremities to open the chest, its 



