904- DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



effort of nature to remove it. Some irritant or indigested food 

 being lodged in the bowels, the intestinal fluids arc poured out in 

 superabundance to remove it. The incautious use cf purgative 

 medicines is a common cause of superpurgation. It often occurs 

 in the latter stages of debilitating diseases, when it is always an. 

 untoward symptom, betokening a breaking-up of the vital powers. 

 The presence of little white worms -(ascar ides) is occasionally the 

 cause. It sometimes follows the drinking of cold water when an 

 animal is in a heated state. 



Symptoms. The symptoms vary according to the nature of 

 the case, and the causes that give rise to it. It may be simply an 

 increased fluidity of the contents of the bowels, as is seen in washy 

 or nervous animals, unaccompanied by pain or constitutional dis- 

 turbance; or, on the other hand, it may be (as in superpurgation) 

 attended by pain, expressed by the uneasiness, pawing, looking to 

 the flanks, etc. He strains frequently, and the foeces are very 

 watery; the pulse is small and hard. Rapid and increasing weak- 

 ness and emaciation, loss of appetite, and unless means are speedily 

 adopted to check it, inflammation of the bowels is apt to set in. 



Treatment. Great care must be exercised in feeding and wat- 

 ering washy horses, dry feed being best suited to them. They 

 should not be allowed to drink too freely of water, especially be- 

 fore work. In many cases it may be necessary to give them 

 some starch or chalk mixed up in the feed. In all cases, the main 

 point is to discover the cause. If arising from improper food, it 

 must be changed at once. 



If some irritant be suspected, nature must be assisted in her 

 efforts by giving a quart cf linseed or castor oil, followed up by 

 starch or well-boiled flour gruel, keeping the animal warm. If 

 worms are suspected, or seen in the dung, one or two ounces of 

 spirits of turpentine, or any of the vermifuges recommended, 

 should be added to the oil. Should it not yield to this, neutralize 

 the acids in the bowels by giving an ounce and a half of prepared 

 chalk and a dram and a half of powdered catechu, mixed in a 

 pint of water. Give once or twice a day until purging ceases. 

 Keep the animal without exercise, and do not give much water to 

 drink. 



If this disease should arise from nervous excitement, give a 



