Diarrhoea, Scouring. 303 



There is colic, nausea, retching, vomiting of septic or bilious 

 matter, ardent thirst, dry mouth, furred tongue, redness of the 

 buccal mucosa, and tenderness of the abdomen. Diarrhoea sets 

 in earl}' and may become bloody, foetid and dysenteric. There 

 is usually much prostration and debility so that apart from his 

 compulsory movements under the colics the animal remains most 

 of the time curled up. Fever is usually slight but the tempera- 

 ture may rise to 105° F. Death may take place in 3 hours, or 

 may be deferred 24 hours or longer. 



Lesions. There is usually gastro-enteritis, the mucosa being 

 congested, red oedematous, with petechise, and congestion and 

 swelling of Peyer's patches, the solitary glands, the mesenteric 

 glands, the liver and kidneys. The contents of the bowel are 

 browni.sh red, and an effu.sion into the peritoneum is common. 

 The spleen is often engorged and enlarged. Congestions of the 

 lungs and brain are common. 



Treatment. Evacuate the stomach by ipecacuau, etc., and the 

 bowels by a purgative. Next seek elimination of the toxins by 

 potassium iodide and other diuretics. Antiseptics (calomel, salol, 

 naphthalin) to counteract the further formation of toxins, and 

 demulcents by draught and enema are indicated. In cases of 

 great prcstration , heart and nerve stimulents may be useful. 



DIARRHCEA, SCOURING. 



Definition. Concomitant of other affections. Causes: Congestion, effu- 

 sion from small and large intestine, irritants in bowels, or blood, chill or 

 other shock acting as reflex, cold drink and violent exercise, aqueous 

 food, cooked, pulped ; irritants, feculent concretions, parasites, fermentation 

 products, diseased teeth, jaws or salivary glands, drink after grain, gastric 

 hepatic or pancreative disease, spoiled food, purgative agents in food, fever 

 products, purgative waters, rains, dews, damp stalls, etc., fear, "washy" 

 horses, nervous animals, root diet, oestrum, hepatic torpor, equine suscepti- 

 bility. Symptoms : with root diet, with much or little bile, slight cases 

 do not affect system, in severe cases, tympany, pawing, straining, foetor, in 

 infective diseases ; complications, laminitis, enteritis, pneumonia. Treat- 

 ment : remove or expel cause, demulcents, laxatives, anodynes, antiseptics ; 

 chronic cases, iron, bitters, antiseptics, astringents, dietetics, rest. 



Definition. A frequent discharge of fluid or semi-fluid evacua- 



