SO-CALLED COLICS OF THE HORSE 107 



with antiseptics (creolin Sj; or opium 5j; or styptics such 

 as tannin 3j, acetate of lead 3j, silver nitrate grs. x-xv, 

 dissolved in rain water) . Starch water, alum water per rec- 

 tum or a solution of silver nitrate (1 to 500), alum or tannin 

 (2 per cent, solution) are very useful in persistent diarrheas. 

 In threatened collapse oil of camphor (g ij) subcutaneously . 



SO-CALLED COLICS OF THE HORSE. 



The term colic is a collective one and applies to all con- 

 ditions which cause abdominal pain. Colic is, therefore, a 

 symptom and not a disease. While most abdominal pains 

 come from the stomach and bowel they may also emanate 

 from a number of other organs. Acute diseases of the 

 peritoneum, liver, kidneys, urinary bladder, uterus, ovaries, 

 esophagus and pleura (rarely) may too be accompanied by 

 symptoms usually termed "colic." To consider all con- 

 ditions in the horse which produce more or less violent 

 abdominal pain' a specific disease, and to treat them all more 

 or less alike, is unscientific and a menace to the patient. 



In the older literature abdominal pains due to stomach 

 and bowel disorders were called "true colics," while abdom- 

 inal pains originating in other organs were known as "false 

 colics." 



Were it possible in all cases to make an accurate diagnosis 

 the clinical term "colic" would disappear .from veterinary 

 as it has from human medicine. 



The principal conditions which produce severe gastro- 

 intestinal pain named in order of frequency are : (a) Impac- 

 tions of masses of feces in the small and large intestines. 

 (b) Impactions of the small or large intestines complicated 

 with . displacement of the bowel, (c) Distention of the 

 stomach with food masses or gas, and (d) a primary inflam- 

 mation of the walls of the stomach and bowels. 



Simple impactions, impactions with displacement and 

 distention of the stomach may become complicated by 

 rupture of the wall leading to peritonitis or peritoneal 

 sepsis. Following displacements enteritis and peritonitis 

 usually occur and from the absorption of toxins and bacteria 



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