56 THE HORSB. 



Treatment. This is very unsatisfactory. Give a purgative of Bar- 

 badoes aloes, one ounce. Then tr}' to stimulate the walls of the stom- 

 ach to contract by giving cayenne pepper, one-half ounce, or Jamaica 

 ginger one-half ounce. Give rectum injections of two ounces of turpen- 

 tine into eight ounces of linseed oil. 



Tympanitis of the Stomach. This is of frequent occurrence yet 

 not treated separately in works on veterinary medicine. Causes and 

 symptoms similiar to the last, yet distinct enough to enable the careful 

 observer to tell one from the other. In t3'mpanitis the distension is 

 caused by gas instead of by food. This corresponds to "hoven" in cat- 

 tle and is due to overloading the stomach with young growing herbage, 

 clover in particular, or feeding extra meal immediately before a hard 

 journey. The flanks are distended with gases and the horse tries to 

 retch or vomit. 



What to Do. Treatment must be prompt and energetic. Some 

 antacid must be given. As it usuall>- occurs on the road and probably 

 some distance from a drug store, hasten to the first house. Get com- 

 mon BAKING SODA and gWe two to four ounces as quickly as possible. 

 One-half ounce of caj'enne pepper or two ounces of black pepper may 

 be added to this with advantage, as it serves to aid the walls of the 

 stomach to contract and expel the gas. Any medicine that will check 

 or stop fermentation, or absorb the gas may be given, as for example: 

 charcoal in any amount ; chloride of lime, one-half ounce; or carbonate 

 of ammonia, one-half ounce. A physic of one ounce of aloes or one 

 pint of linseed oil should be given to unload the stomach. Learn this 

 lesson from these attacks — that when an animal is expected to do an un- 

 usual amount of work it will be best done on its usual amount of 

 feed. Don't be so humane (?) as to extra feed just before the journey, 

 but wait until your journey's end, and even then don't feed until the 

 animal is thoroughly rested. Many a faithful animal has been killed by 

 the kindness of its master. 



Rupture of the Stomach. This usually occurs as a result of en- 

 gorged or tympanitic stomach, and there is no treatment that can be of 

 any use whatever. Could one be sure that this is the trouble it would 

 be best to destroy the animal at once, but there is always an uncertain- 

 ty, as it may be only a very severe case of engorged or tympanitic stom- 

 ach and the animal may recover, hence give powdered opium in one 

 dram doses every two or three hours in addition to remedies as recom- 

 mended for tympanitis. 



