73 



with the addition of one grain of sulphate of strychnine, may be given three 

 •or four times weekly with great advantage. If necessary, an occasional 

 dose of aloes may be given. 



In cases of young foals unable to void the excretions, clysters of oil will 

 generally be found efficacious. If the bowels are not relieved by this means, 

 or if it is found inconvenient to adopt the above measures, two and a half 

 ounces of castor oil may be administered internally. 



There are many causes of obstruction of the bowels in horses. Sometimes 

 it is due to impaction of matter in the gut, such as concretions of various 

 kinds. Sometimes it is due to twist of the gut, and again at other times it is 

 owing to passage of one part of the bowel into that immediately below it. 

 The symptoms of obstruction which may proceed from so many different 

 causes are very variable. When it is due to impaction of fitces or to the 

 presence of concretions, the symptoms are usually gradual, and of an 

 intermittent character. The other forms are generally more sudden in their 

 onset. Twists or strangulations of the intestines of the horse are generally 

 associated with great abdominal pain, restlessness, sitting on the hind-quarters, 

 small, frequent, thready pulse, accelerated respiration, cold extremities, 

 distended belly, and collapse ending in death from exhaustion. In these 

 cases where there has been constipation with frequent attacks of colic, the 

 obstruction is probably due to impaction of faeces. 



In cases of absolute stoppage of the bowels, a drench, composed of one 

 ounce and a half of sulphuric ether, half an ounce of chloric ether, and one 

 ounce of tincture of opium, given in three-quarters of a pint of gruel or water, 

 will be found very useful. Clysters of warm water may be injected in full 

 amount into the rectum, and hot fomentations or woollen cloths wrung out 

 from hot water applied to the belly. The food should be of a laxative kind, 

 and only allowed in moderation. 



In very severe cases of constipation, sulphate of eserine is an invaluable 

 remedy, when injected in solution, intravenously. 



On May 19th, 1886, a six year old strong draught horse was affected 

 with colic, due to obstinate constipation. We were called in to see it on the 

 20th, and gave a six drachm aloes ball. At 4 p.m. on the 2 1 st, there was no 

 relief ; the pulse was 96 ; the pain was almost continuous. From the 

 foreman's calculations, there had been no passage for three days. One grain 

 of sulphate of eserine was given by intra-venous injection into the jugular vein. 

 In eight minutes there was extreme pain ; the horse broke out in twenty 

 minutes time into a profuse perspiration. Muscular tremors were marked 

 features. At the twelfth minute after the injection, hard faeces together with 

 fluid were passed. Violent straining continued for the next twenty minutes, 

 during which time the animal voided no less than thirteen distinct 

 discharges of alvine material, several of the latter being quite fluid. The 

 tenesmus and grunts were intensely extreme. Muscular tremors increased 

 up to half an hour after the injection, after which time the animal quietened, 

 ate some mash, arid the pulse went down to 60. 



On leaving, further action was prevented by the administration of an 

 .opiate draught. 



