218 DISEASES OF THE STOMACH. 



which cannot be explained in the present state of our know- 

 ledge), are shown to be quite explicable by the ordinary laws 

 which govern the animal economy. 



FUNCTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL DISEASES OP THE STOMACH. 

 ABNORMAL DEVIATIONS IN SIZE. 



The accidental impaction of the gastric cavity which has 

 been fully treated by us as occurring in all animals, may be re- 

 garded as predisposing to, and not produced by, diseases of 

 the stomach. The latter organ adapts itself very remarkably 

 to the function it is called upon to perform under a variety 

 of circumstances, and the best illustration of this may be 

 obtained by comparing the enormous stomach of the horse 

 fed on boiled turnips and an excess of food generally, with 

 the contracted viscus of the animal starved to death. I have 

 not here to refer to deviations in size, which are consistent 

 with the healthy state, and I may say that in the domestic 

 animals there is little tendency either to wasting or increase 

 in development of the coats of the stomach. If the whole 

 body wastes, the stomach suffers also ; but although Bidder 

 and Schmidt have stated that the decrease in bulk and 

 weight of the mucous membranes of the alimentary canal 

 amounts in animals starved to death to about 31 per cent., 

 it is, on the other hand, remarked by Dr Brinton, that there 

 are appearances of a peculiar resistance to even this inclusive 

 atrophy on the part of the stomach, as contrasted with the 

 intestines. 



Dilatation of the stomach due to bad management in 

 horses, viz., which depends on bulky food given in great 

 abundance, and all times, without regular intervals, is a con- 

 dition which should be prevented. Fortunately we have 

 few instances on record in which ulcers, cancer, or injury, 

 are the causes of dilatation, and all our cases can be diagnosed 



