COLIC. 265 



In the horse the stomach may be so overloaded as to pro- 

 duce symptoms of vomiting, and even effectual regurgitation 

 of food. Though usually a fatal sign, animals may recover 

 notwithstanding rejection from the stomach. 



A dangerous complication is tympanitis or distention of 

 the intestine with gas. This constitutes that form of the 

 disease called flatulent colic. 



When the abdominal pain is continuous, organic lesion is 

 generally to be suspected ; and the case of colic may end in 

 rupture of the intestine or of the diaphragm, intussusception 

 and strangulation of the intestine. The often-dreaded in- 

 flammation is very rare, and usually due to irritants which 

 have caused the colic, or which have been injudiciously given 

 as medicine. 



The duration of the disease is variable. The attack may 

 be transitory, and last but an hour; it may be long- continued, 

 and may extend over a day; and indeed a horse may be more 

 or less in pain at intervals for two or three days in succes- 

 sion. 



Post-mortem Appearances. It is rare that animals die of 

 simple colic without some complication; whenever they do, 

 the intestine is found loaded some obstruction is met with 

 either in the shape of a calculus or faecal matter. In some 

 cases, one or more abnormal constrictions are visible on the 

 gut, a condition obviously due to forced contraction of the 

 intestinal muscular fibres. More frequently, in cases of 

 death after colic, the large intestine the colon especially is 

 ruptured, and the contents are thrown out into the cavity of 

 the peritoneum. Sometimes the stomach itself is lacerated, 

 more particularly along its great curvature. 



Treatment. In no disease so much as in spasmodic colic 

 are the powers of nature and the scope of medicine so clearly 

 exemplified. Because cases of colic not unfrequently recover 



