DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 71 



praved and capricious appetite is common in horses that have a stone 

 forming in the stomachs. There is a disposition to eat the wood- 

 work of the stable, earth, and, in fact, almost any substance within 

 their reach. This symptom must not, however, be considered as 

 pathognomonic, since it is observed when calculi are not present. 

 Occasional colics may result from these " stomach stones," and when 

 the latter lodge at the outlet of the stomach they may give rise to 

 symptoms of engorged stomach, already described. There is, of 

 course, no treatment that will prove effective. Remedies to move the 

 bowels, to relieve pain, and to combat inflammation should be given. 



Intestinal concretions {calculi or stones in the intestvnes). — These 

 concretions are usually found in the large bowels, though they are 

 occasionally seen in the small intestines. They are of various sizes, 

 weighing from 1 ounce to 25 pounds ; they may be single or multiple, 

 and differ in composition and appearance, some being soft (com- 

 posed mostly of animal or vegetable matter) , while others are porous, 

 or honeycombed (consisting of animal and mineral matter), and 

 others are entirely hard and stonelike. The hair balls, so common 

 to the stomach and intestines of cattle, are very rare in horses. 

 Intestinal calculi ^orm around some foreign body, as a rule — ;a nail 

 or piece of wood — whose shape they may assume to a certain extent. 

 Layers are arranged concentrically around such nucleus until the 

 sizes above spoken of are attained. These stones are also often 

 found in millers' horses, as well also as in horses in limestone dis- 

 tricts, where the water is hard. When the calculi attain a sufficient 

 size and become lodged or blocked in some part of the intestines, 

 they cause obstruction, inflammation of the bowels, colicky symp- 

 toms, and death. There are no certain signs or symptoms that re- 

 veal them. Eecurring colics of the type of impaction colic, but 

 more severe, may lead one to suspect the existence of this condition. 

 Examination through the rectum may reveal the calculus. 



The symptoms will be those of obstruction of the bowels. Upon 

 post-mortem examinations these stones will be discovered mostly in 

 the large bowels; the intestines will be inflamed or gangrenous about 

 the point of obstruction. Sometimes calculi have been expelled by 

 the action of a physic, or they may be removed by the hand when 

 found to occupy the rectum. 



As in concretions of the stomach, but little can be done in the way 

 of treatment more than to overcome spasm (if any exists), and to 

 give physics with the hope of dislodging the stone or stones and 

 carrying them on and outward. 



Intussusception, or invagination. — This is the slipping of a portion 

 of the intestine into another portion immediately adjoining, like a 

 partially turned glove finger. This may occur at any part of the 

 bowels, but is most frequent in the sm&U guts. The invaginated por- 



