Diseases of the Digestive Organs. 14S 



imperceptible, and the countenance very haggard and de- 

 jected. In the advanced stages the animal is usually sunk 

 in stupor, and rests his head on the manger or pushes it 

 against the wall, while in some instances nervous mo fo- 

 ments of the lips and hmbs occur. 



Treatment. Give early, full doses of aromatics, stimu- 

 lants and tonics, (tincture of pimento or ginger, oil of 

 peppermint, aqua ammonia, ether, alcohol, peppers, nux 

 vomica, etc.,) rub the belly, and if relieved, follow up with 

 a dose of physic. Alkalies are sometimes useful, as in the 

 ox. Warm water injections and walking exercise should 

 also be given. The stomach of the horse cannot be safely 

 punctured, hence the affection is too often fatal. When 

 relieved give easily digested food frequently in small 

 quantity, until the stomach has regained its tone. When 

 horses bolt their food give a httle hay to appease hunger 

 before allowing grain. 



ACUTE INTESTraAL INDIGESTION IN THE HORSE. 

 TYMPANITIC COLIC. 



Due to the same causes as gastric tympany, this often 

 complicates that, and is comphcated by it, the disease 

 being named according to the predominance of the 

 gaseous evolution in stomach or bowels. When the 

 bowels are mainly implicated, there is greater hope, as 

 medicines may be passed through the stomach and taken 

 up fi'om the gut so as to affect the system, and the gas 

 may even be drawn off with a small cannula and trocar 

 from the large intestines which occupy the lower part of 

 the abdomen. The puncture should be made where the 

 resonance is clearest and most drum-like. The symptoms 

 closely resemble those of tympanitic stomach, only there 

 is more passage of dung and flatus, and the treatment only 

 differs in the greater freedom with which hquids may be 

 poured into the stomach and the possibility of drawing ofi 

 the gas through a cannula. 

 13* 



