INDIGESTION. 1 69 



out experiencing- the more formidable symptoms just enumerated; 

 or again by an unhealthy condition of the mucous membrane 

 and glands of the stomach, in consequence of which the gastric 

 and other secretions are Avanting in quantity or quality; such 

 cases as these develop gradually and in such a manner as to 

 render it difficult to recognize the real cause of the disorder; the 

 attention is first drawn to the unthriftiness of the horse's coat, the 

 appetite is capricious; the animal loses condition and has a 

 tucked-up appearance; a very little exertion causes profuse sweat- 

 ing; the dung is very irregular in consistence, at one time voided 

 in hard, blackish lumps and at another soft, coated with mucus 

 and very offensive to the smell; the food, especially oats, passes 

 whole and undigested; the urine is scanty and high colored or de- 

 posits a white sediment; the horse evinces also a depraved appetite 

 by eating dirty, soiled bedding, and licking lime washed walls or 

 picking up gravel off the road; the latter practices are very sug- 

 gestive of a Crib Biter and Wind Sucker, especially when ac- 

 companied by acid eructations and unusual thirst; the opinions 

 held by eminent veterinarians as to the cause of these troublesome 

 and very bad habits are various, but we believe that they are in- 

 variably due in the first instance to chronic indigestion; the horse 

 experiences these acid eructations, due probably to an unhealthy 

 condition of the gastric secretion; what in the human subject is 

 described as heart-burn is experienced by the animal and to 

 obtain relief from the unpleasant sensation, it learns the habit of 

 drawing in cool air which it endeavors to swallow with a view to 

 alleviation; further, instinct teaches the animal that by firmly lay- 

 ing hold of some rigid structure such as a manger, the position 

 attained produces a vacuum in the gullet down which the cool air 

 rushes; as a natural sequence to this proceeding the stomach is over- 

 filled with atmospheric air, and the animal, to obtain relief, en- 

 deavors to belch it up again; in consequence of this unnatural 

 proceeding, which only affords temporary relief to the unpleasant 

 burning sensation in the oesophagus (or gullet) the powers of diges- 

 tion are still further impaired, the food is never properly assimi- 

 lated, and hence the loss of flesh and condition. Having attached 

 a good deal of blame to unwholesome and innutritious food as 

 causes of gastric derangement, we must also draw attention to the 

 fact that too much stimulating food, such as beans or other mem- 



