34 



Treatment. — In acute gastritis, due to the careless or accidental ad- 

 ministration of large quautities of this poison, M-e must give sulphuric 

 acid, 30 to GO drops well diluted with water, milk, white of eggs, oils, 

 and demulcent drinks, as linseed gruel or tea. If the gastritis is 

 chronic, due to the long ingestion of small i^articles of lead, we must 

 administer from one-half to 1 pound of Epsom salts. Iodide of potas- 

 sium in 1-drachm doses, twice or thrice daily, are here of much service. 

 If much pain exists it may be relieved by giving morphia in 3 to 5 

 grain doses, repeated two or three times a day. 



Where arsenic is the poison producing gastritis or gastro-enteritis 

 (inflammation of the stomach and bowels), we have symptoms of ab- 

 dominal pain, nausea, or vomiting, purging that is accompanied by an 

 ofl'ensive odor, staggering gait, quickened breathing, i)aralysis of the 

 hind extremities, and death. On opening a horse that has died of 

 arsenical poisoning Ave are struck by the escape of large quantities of 

 offensive gas. There are patches of inflammation and extravasation of 

 blood in the stomach, and often in the intestines, ('hemical tests 

 should be resorted to before giving a decided opinion that death is due 

 to arsenic. Poisoning from this agent is most common where sheep 

 have been dii^ped in arsenical preparations for the "scab'^ and then 

 allowed to run on pasture without first drying their wool. Arsenic is 

 thus deposited ujion the grass and is eaten by horses grazing thereon, 

 producing the symtoms of gastritis and death. Gastritis may also occur 

 from poisoning by copper, the mercurials, and some vegetable drugs. 

 Gastritis produced by any of the irritant poisons is to be treated with 

 oils and demulcent drinks. Opium may be given to allay j)ain and 

 inflammation. Care should be observed in fee'ding for a time, being 

 careful to give only soft and easily digested foods. 



BOTS — laev^:e op the gadfly. 



There are such erroneous opinions extant concerning the bot and 

 the depredations it is supposed to commit upon the horse that a some- 

 what careful study should be made of it. 



Of the many insect parasites and tormentors of solipeds the gad- 

 flies (CEstridae) are of the most importance. Cobbold, who is the best 

 authority on the subject, says : 



The common gad-fly {GastrojjMlits equi) attacks the animal while grazing late in 

 the summer, its object being, not to derive sustenance, but to deposit its eggs. This 

 is accomplished by means of a glutinous excretion, causing the ova (eggs) to ad- 

 here to the hairs. The parts selected are chiefly those of the shoulder, base of the 

 neck, and inner part of the fore legs, especially about the knees, for in these situations 

 the horse "will have no difficulty in reaching the ova with its tongue. When the 

 animal licks those parts of the coat where the eggs have been idaced the moisture of 

 the tongue, aided by warmth, hatches the ova, and in something less than three 

 weeks from the time of the deposition of the eggs the larvie have made their escape. 

 As maggots they are next transferred to the mouth and ultimately to the stomach 

 along with food and drink. A great many larvre perish during this passive mode of 

 immigration, some being dropped from the mouth and others being crushed in the 



