16 INTRODUCTION. 



other part of the stomach, where the process of diges- 

 tion commences. Therefore it is improper to give 

 the horse for a meal more food than the cuticular por- 

 tion of the stomach could hold. This sac has also a 

 peculiarity in the arrangement of its muscular coat. 

 The layers of fibres which compose it are so disposed 

 that the opening into the stomach is much stronger 

 than the exit from it. The former opening could not 

 therefore be easily forced open in case of revulsion, 

 but the stomach would sooner be burst (as indeed 

 often happens) before the entrance to the sac would 

 give way. This is the secret of the horse not being 

 able to vomit. 



The Intestines. — Digestion continues to be carried 

 on in the intestines after the food has passed the 

 stomach. There are six intestines — three of which 

 are large, and three small. The small lead from the 

 stomach, and are named, the duodenum, the jejunum, 

 and the ileum. The large terminate at the anus, and 

 are called the csecum, the colon, and the rectum. 

 The duodenum or first gut is larger in the horse than 

 in most other animals. The process of digestion still 

 proceeds in the intestines, and is not perfected until it 

 has passed through the larger intestines. The duo- 

 denum has the pancreatic and biliary duct emptying 

 into it. The jejunum in the horse is a mere arbitrary 

 name copied from the human anatomy, and given to 

 the beginning of the ileum, which is the longest of all 

 the intestines, and empties into the first of the large 

 bowels. The ccecum, a blind pouch often called the 

 icater-gut, is continuous with the small intestines; 

 and the more fluid part of the food seems to fall into 



