34 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



horses. If these be not available, then bran is the next 

 obtained. Bran mixed with maize forms much too 

 laxative a diet for the horse in work ; it is certainly not 

 economical, and is, moreover, a frequent cause of an 

 attack of colic. 



Nor must we forget the enormous quantities of foreign 

 feeding materials that are poured into our markets in 

 these days of rapid trans-oceanic transit. It is principally 

 the equine dwellers in our large towns that are likely to 

 suffer from their introduction, and during the last decade 

 we have had startling evidence of the ill effects of these 

 materials in outbreaks of such serious 'importance as 

 ' poisoning by muttars ' and the conveyance of anthrax. 

 Putting diseases of that nature on one side, it is a well- 

 known fact that cargoes of such materials are notoriously 

 full of dust and other foreign substances— «.§•., scraps of 

 iron, sand, stones, etc. 



In some districts it is a common practice to feed the 

 animals once weekly with food that has been boiled, or, 

 when making them up for sale, to diet them largely on 

 it for several weeks prior to selling. Though probably 

 more easy of digestion, I fear such food is often ravenously 

 bolted, and in that way lays the foundation for colic. 



The several questions bearing on the matter of food, 

 its economic value, mode of administration, etc., are 

 various and widely differing. In the hope of rendering 

 this little volume of direct practical value to the prac- 

 titioner of veterinary medicine and to the stock-owner, I 

 have added an appendix entering more into detail on 

 this matter ; there is, therefore, no need for me to enlarge 

 upon it here. 



(6) Water. — Personally, I am not of the opinion that 

 this can often be looked upon as a direct cause of colic. 

 Unless it is sufficiently impregnated with the salts of 



