4G 



the gut Las become strangulated. The imprisoned portion here sloughs 

 away so gradually that a union has taken place between the intestines 

 at the point where one portion has slipped into that behind it. The 

 piece sloughing off is found passed with the manure. Such cases are 

 exceedingly rare, but their possibility should guide us in our treatment. 

 Cathartic medicines are more calculated to do harm than good. Wo 

 should treat with anodynes and anti-spasmodics, chloral hydrate, laud- 

 anum, and sulphuric ether, and medicines to prevent inflammation. 

 Some practitioners favor the administration of powdered opium, 1 to 2 

 drams, every three or four hours. Injections of salt and water or 

 emulsions of turpentine are given with the somewhat fanciful idea of pro- 

 ducing peristalsis of the intestines in a direction opposite to the normal 

 one, i. e., contraction from the anus forward. If this can be produced by 

 these or any other means, it will prove a valuable adjunct to other 

 treatment. Soft feed and mucilaginous and nourishing drinks are to be 

 given during these attacks. 



Volvulus, Gut-tic or Ticisting of the Bowels. — These are the terms ap- 

 plied to the bowels when twisted or knotted. This accident is rather a 

 common one, and frequently results from the violent manner in which 

 a horse throws himself about when attacked by spasmodic colic. The 

 symptoms are the same as those of intussusception and obstructions of 

 the bowels 5 the same directions as to treatment are therefore to be 

 observed. 



Diarrhea is due to eating moldy or musty food, drinking stagnant 

 water, diseased condition of the teeth, eating irritating substances, to 

 being kept on low, marshy pastures, and exposure during cold nights, 

 low, damp stables, or to some morbid or inflammatory condition of the 

 intestinal canal or some of its annexed organs. It is more frequently 

 a symptom of functional disorder than an organic disease. Some horses 

 are predisposed to scour and are called "washy" b}^ horsemen; tliey 

 are those of long bodies, long legs, and narrow, flat sides. Horses of 

 this build are almost sure to scour if fed or watered immediately before 

 being put to w^ork. Fast or road work, of course, aggravates this 

 trouble. Diarrhea may exist as a complication of other diseases, as 

 pneumonia and influenza for instance, and again during the diseases of 

 the liver. 



The si/m2)toms are the frequent evacuations of liquid stools, with or 

 without pronounced abdominal pain, loss of appetite, emaciation, etc. 



Treatment is at times very simple, but requires the utmost care and 

 judgment. If due to faulty food or water it is sufficient to change 

 these. If it results from some irritant in the intestines, this is best 

 gotten rid of by the administration of an oleaginous purge, the diarrhea 

 mostly disappeai-ing with the cessation of the operation of the medicine. 

 If, however, purging continues, it may be checked by giving wheat flour 

 in water, starch water, whiteoak bark tea, chalk, opium, or half-dram 

 doses of sulphuric acid in one-half pint of water twice or thrice daily. 



