Digestion. 137 



pylorus through the cardia, until the muscular fibres sur- 

 rounding it are partially divided. 



Vomition in the horse is generally indicative of ruptured 

 stomach, and much has been written as to whether vomit- 

 ing occurs before or after the rupture. From no inconsider- 

 able experience in these cases, I have arrived at the 

 conclusion that it may occur at either time. I am convinced 

 that a horse may vomit though a rent seven or eight inches 

 long exists in the stomach walls. 



Dilatation of the cardia is the great inducement for 

 vomiting to occur in the horse, and in every case examined 

 post-mortem where vomiting occurred during life, I have 

 found the cardia so dilated that two or three fingers might 

 be readily introduced into it. 



It is perfectly possible for a horse to vomit and recover 

 (showing that it had not a ruptured stomach), and it is not 

 unusual to have attempts at or actual vomition when the 

 small intestines are twisted. 



The only case of vomiting I have seen in the horse 

 which resembled the distressing appearance presented by 

 the human subject was in a case of volvulus of the small 

 bowels ; the ingesta gushed in a stream from both nostrils, 

 the horse lying on his chest with the nose extended ; more- 

 over, it was the only case I have observed where any sound 

 accompanied the expiratory effort. 



Vomiting in the horse is not as a rule attended by any 

 distressing symptoms ; the ingesta dribbles away from one 

 or both nostrils ; occasionally an effort may be made on the 

 part of the patient, the head being depressed to facilitate 

 expulsion. More than this is very rarely seen. 



Why a horse should vomit more often with a ruptured 

 stomach than a sound one is a fact I cannot explain. 



It is important to notice in connection with the subject 

 of vomiting, that agents such as tartar emetic which 

 excite vomiting by their action on the cerebral centre, have 

 no effect on the horse, nor do horses vomit as the result of 

 sea-sickness, though they suffer extremely from it. The 

 same remarks apply to ruminants. 



