THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 273 



and fatal are tlie diseases of the stomaclis of the ox. The 

 ordinary seat of indigestion in the horse is the bowels ; 

 in them gases are liberated and tympany occurs^ in them 

 impactions take place and ruptures, they also are gene- 

 rally the parts dislocated in abdominal herniaQ. "We find 

 that these lesions and disorders affect the stomachs of the 

 ox. Lastly, improperly prepared food, or alimentary 

 matter in excess or of bad quality, acts on the stomachs 

 of the ox, on the intestines of the horse. 



Colic, defined as '"'any abdominal pain not due to 

 inflammation," is capable of more exact limitation. It 

 is distinguished by certain symptoms, which are more or 

 less marked in other abdominal disorders, and are known 

 as '^ colicky pains." The animal ceases to feed and rumi- 

 nate for a time, and the pulse during the paroxysm be- 

 comes full and bounding ; moaning, grinding of the teeth, 

 striking the belly with the hind feet, extreme restlessness, 

 indicated by movement and constant rising and lying 

 down, are present, and the animal may turn his head 

 round, and bring the muzzle against the seat of pain ; 

 there is sweating and frequent passage of urine in small 

 quantities, or of small dry portions of feeces. Hernias of 

 various kinds, strangulations, and impactions of the 

 bowels, as well as certain disorders of liver, stomach, or 

 urinary apparatus, may be the cause of this. In such 

 cases other signs may be present, and enable us to complete 

 our diagnosis. But, failing these, we may attribute the 

 signs- of disorder to Simple Colic, spasm of the howels. 

 Then the pains are paroxysmal, and during the intervals 

 the patient seems in thorough health ; but the pain is very 

 acute while it lasts. This is sometimes brought on by 

 changes of diet, the passage of imperfectly prepared 

 food from the stomach, and, it is said, ingestion of very 

 cold or hard water. Reflex colic may occur, but we are 

 not assured of this; indeed, spasmodic colic is not fre- 

 quent in the ox, for obvious reasons. In cases of this 

 nature a saline cathartic; with stimulant cordial agents, 

 should be at once administered. This will generally 

 prove effectual, and no further resort to antispasmodics 



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