66 DISEASES OF THE HORSE, 
the diseases of the stomach and intestines and to point out such 
localizations in one organ or another as are of importance in recog- 
nizing and treating the diseases of the digestive organs of the horse. 
It should be understood that gastritis signifies an inflammation of 
the stomach and enteritis an inflammation of the intestines. The two 
terms may be used together to signify a disease of the stomach and 
intestines, as gastroenteritis. — 
COLIC. 
The disease of the horse that is most frequently met with is what 
is termed “colic,” and many are the remedies that are reputed to be 
“sure cures” for this disease. Let us discover, then, what the word 
“colic” means. This term is applied loosely to almost all diseases of 
the organs of the abdomen that are accompanied with pain. -If the 
horse evinces abdominal pain, he probably will be considered as suf- 
fering with colic, no matter whether the difficulty is a cramp of the 
bowel, an internal hernia, overloading of the stomach, or a painful 
disease of the bladder or liver. Since these conditions differ so much 
in their causation and their nature, it is manifestly absurd to treat 
them alike and to expect the same drugs or procedures to relieve them 
all. Therefore, it is important that, so far as possible, the various 
diseased states that are so roughly classed together as colic shall be 
separated and individualized in order that appropriate treatments 
may be prescribed. With this object in view, colics will be consid- 
ered under the following headings: (1) Engorgement colic, (2) ob- 
struction colic, (3) flatulent or tympanitic colic, (4) spasmodic 
colic. Worm colic is discussed under the heading “ Gastrointestinal 
parasites,” page 90. 
The general symptoms of abdominal pain, and therefore of colic, 
are restlessness, cessation of whatever the horse is about, lying down, 
looking around toward the flank, kicking with the hind feet upward 
and forward toward the belly, jerky switching of the tail, stretching 
as though to urinate, frequent change of position, and groaning. In 
the more intense forms the horse plunges about, throws himself, rolls, 
assumes unnatural positions, as sitting on the haunches, and grunts 
loudly. Usually the pain is not constant, and during the intermis- 
sions the horse may eat and appear normal. During the period of 
pain sweat is poured out freely. Sometimes the horse moves con- 
stantly in a circle. The respirations are accelerated, and usually . 
there is no fever. 
Encorcement coric.—This form ef colic consists in an overload- 
ing of the stomach with feed. The horse may have been overfed or 
the feed may have collected in the stomach through failure of this 
organ to digest it and pass it backward into the intestines. Even a 
normal quantity of feed that the horse is unaccustomed to may cause 
