218 DISEASES OF HORSES. 



in others. It may, perhaps, be regarded now ana then as enaemic 

 also; under which circumstance it appears confined to low wet 

 situations, where long marshy grass is abundant, and where noxious 

 aquatic plants mix themselves with the grasses. When it occurs 

 at grass, the horse is found stupidly dull, or asleep with his head 

 resting against something. This has occasioned the disease to 

 be called the sleepy staggers, and it has often been confounded with 

 the phrenitis or inflammation of the brain. (8.) In the stable the 

 horse dozes, and rests his head in the manger ; he then walks up 

 and falls to eating, which he continues to do until the distention of 

 the stomach becomes enormous ; for the peculiarity of the com- 

 plaint consists in the total stop that is put to digestion, and the 

 uneasy feel of the distension consequent to such indigestion appears 

 to deceive the horse, and by a morbid excitement to force him to 

 take in more. In this way he continues eating until the distention 

 prevents the return of the blood from the head, and the animal dies 

 apoplectic, or his stomach bursts with over-distention. More fre- 

 quently, however, the stomach becomes flabby, inert, and paralytic, 

 and after death presents marks of inflammation towards the pylorus. 



44. The treatment. When recovery has taken place, it has 

 occurred only when the disease has been very mild, and has been 

 assisted by stimulating the stomach into action by purgatives, at 

 once active and invigorating, as an ounce of aloes dissolved in a 

 half pint of gin. When a horse of extreme value is attacked, croton 

 oil might be tried to the amount of 20 or 25 drops in two ounces of 

 tincture of aloes. Warm water in small quantities, or mixed with 

 common salt should be frequently passed down. Remove every 

 eatable, rake, clyster, and hand rub ; and if the determination to 

 the head be extreme, bleed otherwise avoid it. 



45. Inflammation of the bowels, enteritis, or red colic, is a very 

 distinct disease from the gripes, gullion, or fret, with which it is, 

 however, very apt to be confounded to the destruction of many 

 horses. The peritoneal inflammation of the bowels, the one here 

 treated on, is an affection of their outer covering. 



46. The causes are various. It is not unfrequently brought on by 

 a sudden translation of cold after great heats, as swimming during 

 hunting, or from the removal of a horse from grass at once into 

 heated stables, clothing and hard food ; neglected gripes, or long 

 continued costiveness, excessive riding, and the immediate drinking 

 of cold water, have brought it on. It begins by restlessness, loss 

 of appetite, some uneasiness ; the mouth is hot and dry, the inne/ 



