CHAPTER L 



THE DISEASES OF THE INTESTINES. 



These form a very important and mysterious class of aiimeatg. 

 They -will be considered in the order in which the various con- 

 tents of the abdomen have been described. 



THE DUODENUM. 



This intestine is subject to many more diseases than are m- 

 cluded in the present imperfect veterinary nosology. The pas- 

 sage of the food through it has been impeded by stricture. The 

 symptoms resemble those of colic and end in death. It has been 

 perforated by bots, which have escaped into the abdomen, caus- 

 'ng death. 



The diseases of the jejunum and the ileum consist either of 

 ipasmodic affection or inflammation. 



SPASMODIC COLIC. 



The passage of the food through the intestinal canal is effected 

 by the alternate contraction and relaxation of the muscular coat 

 of the intestines. When that action is simply increased through 

 the whole of the canal, the food passes more rapidly, and purg- 

 ing is produced ; but the muscles of every part of the frame are 

 liable to irregular and spasmodic action, and the muscular coat 

 of some portion of the intestines may be thus affected. The 

 spasm may be confined to a very small part of the canal. The 

 gut has been found, after death, strangely contracted in various 

 places, but the contraction not exceeding five or six inches in 

 any of them. In the horse, the ileum is the usual seat of this 

 disease. It is of much importance to distinguish between spas- 

 modic colic and inflammation of the bowels, for the symptoms 

 have considerable resemblance, although the mode of treatment 

 should be very different. 



The attack of colic is usually very sudden. There is often 



