y 



350 THE HORSE. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

 DISEASES OF THE ABDOMINAL VISCERA AND THEIR APPENDAGES. 



General remarks — Diseases of the Mouth and Throat — Gastritis — 

 Stomach Staggers — Dyspepsia — Bots — Inflammation of the 

 Bowels — Colic — Diarrhoea and Dysentery — Strangulation and 

 Rupture — Calculi in the Bowels — Worms — Disease of the. 

 Liver — of the Kidneys — oj the Bladder — oj the Organs oj 

 Generation. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



Though not often producing what in horse-dealing is con- 

 sidered unsoundness, yet diseases of the abdominal viscera con- 

 stantly lead to death, and frequently to such a debilitated state of 

 the body, that the sufferer is rendered useless. Fortunately for 

 the purchaser, they almost always give external evidence of their 

 presence, for there is not only emaciation, but also a staring coat 

 and a flabby state of the muscles, which is quite the reverse of the 

 wiry feel communicated to the hand in those instances where the 

 horse is " poor " from over-work in proportion to his food. In the 

 latter case, time and good living only are required to restore the 

 natural plumpness; but in the former, the wasting will either go 

 on until death puts an end to the poor diseased animal, or he 

 will remain in a debilitated and wasted condition, utterly unfit for 

 hard work. 



DISEASES OF THE MOUTH AND THROAT. 



Several parts about the mouth are liable to inflammation, 

 which would be of little consequence in itself, but that it inter- 

 feres with the feeding, and this for the time starves the horse, 

 and renders him unfit for his work, causing him to "quid" or 

 return his food into the manger without swallowing it. Sucn are 

 lampas, vives or enlarged glands, barbs or paps, gigs, bladders, 

 and flaps, — all which are names given to the enlargements of the 

 salivary ducts, — and carious teeth, or inflammation of their fangs. 

 Besides these, the horse is also subject to sore throat, and stran- 

 gles, which are accompanied by constitutional disturbance, and 

 not only occasion " quidding," if there is any slight appetite, but 

 they are also generally accompanied by a loss of that function. 



Sore throat. — When the throat inflames, as is evidenced by 

 fulness and hardness of this part, and there is difl&culty of swal- 

 lowing, the skin covering it should immediately be severely sweated, 

 or the larynx will be involved and irreparable injury done. The 

 tincture of cantharides diluted with an equal part of spirit of tur- 



