DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE OEGANS. 79 



gruel. After this the astringents spioken of for diarrhea may be 

 given. Besides this the horse is to receive brandy in doses of from 

 2 to 4 ounces, with milk and eggs, four or five times a day. 



Laminitis ("founder") is a frequent sequel of superpurgation and 

 is to be guarded against by removing the shoes and standing the horse 

 on moist sawdust or some similar bedding. 



DYSENTERY. 



This disease, sometimes called "bloody flux," is an intestinal disease 

 attended with fever, occasional abdominal pains, and fluid dis- 

 charges mingled with blood. Discharges in dysentery are coffee 

 colored or bloody, liquid, and very offensive in odor, and passed 

 with much straining. It is rare in the horse, but is sometimes 

 quite prevalent among foals. 



Ccmses. — Probably the most common cause is keeping young horses 

 in particular for a long time on low, wet, marshy pastures, without 

 other feed (a diarrhea of long standing sometimes terminates in dys- 

 entery) ; exposure during cold, wet weather; decomposed feeds; stag- 

 nant water that contains large quantities of decomposing vegetable 

 matter; low, damp, and dark stables, particularly if crowded; the 

 existence of some disease, as tuberculosis of the abdominal form. In 

 suckling foals it may come from feeding the dam on irritant feeds or 

 from disease of the udder. In other foals it may be produced by 

 exposure to cold and damp, to irritant feed, or to worms. 



Symptoms. — ^The initial symptom is a chill, which probably escapes 

 notice in the majority of instances. The discharges are offensive and 

 for the most part liquid, although it is common to find lumps of solid 

 fecal matter floating in this liquid portion ; shreds of mucous mem- 

 brane and blood may be passed or the evacuations may be muco-puru- 

 lent; there is much straining, and, rarely, symptoms of abdominal 

 pain; the subject lies down a great deal; the pulse is quickened and 

 the temperature elevated. Thirst is a prominent symptom. In the 

 adult, death rarely follows under two to three weeks, but in foals the 

 disease may end in death after a few days. 



Treatment. — This is most unsatisfactory, and I am inclined to 

 place more dependence upon the care and feed than any medication 

 that may be adopted. First of all the horse must be placed in a dry, 

 warm, yet well- ventilated stable; the skin is to receive attention by 

 frequent rubbings of the surface of the body, with blankets, and 

 bandages to the legs. The water must be pure and given in small 

 quantities; the feed, that which is light and easily digested. Medici- 

 nally, give at first a light dose of castor oil, about one-half pint, to 

 which has been added 2 ounces of laudanum. The vegetable or min- 

 eral astringents are also to be given. Starch injections containing 

 laudanum often afford great relief. The strength must be kept up 



