61 
called the gall-bladde:, and is afterwards poured out into the small intestine 
to act on the food, as the latter is being carried onwards, past the opening’. 
of the gall-duct, into the small intestine. Now in the horse there is no gall- 
bladder, and so the bile flows constantly and directly into the first part of the 
small gut. When the horse is worked immediately after a meal, the blood 
from which the digestive juices are directly or indirectly drawn, is required 
to repair the loss of tissue caused by the waste of muscular elements. Every 
time a muscle acts, work is done, and there is a waste of tissue, and this- 
waste has to be repaired. Therefore, if an animal be worked immediately 
after a meal, the food remains yndigested, causing irritation of the 
stomach and intestines, and various diseases, such as colic, stomach-staggers,. 
and other affections result. 
ACUTE INDIGESTION, OR STOMACH-STAGGERS. CHRONIC 
INDIGESTION. GASTRITIS. 
_—s See 
THE first disorders of the stomach to which we shall draw attention, 
are acute and chronic indigestion. Acute dyspepsia, or indigestion with 
engorgement, popularly termed stomach-staggers, although not uncommon 
in some parts of the country, is rather rarely met with in Nortlr 
Lincolnshire. It results from engorgement of the stomach with food, 
from imperfect mastication, and from eating indigestible material, or food 
specially apt to undergo fermentative changes. Cooked food, brewers’ 
grains, musty hay, and ripe vetches, are especially liable to cause impaction.. 
Wheat and barley are also very likely to induce indigestion, and they 
frequently also cause purgation and laminitis, and may even lead to a fatal. 
result. Horses are more liable to dyspepsia after severe or prolonged 
exertion, especially if the food be difficult of digestion, or in too large 
quantity. The symptoms of acute indigestion are generally sudden in their 
onset. There is fulness of the abdomen, and the horse is restless, and shows- 
indications of colicky pain. He lies down and rises again alternately, and 
‘paws the ground with his fore feet. Eructations of wind, occasional 
discharges of saliva from the mouth, and tremblings, especially in the 
muscles of the left shoulder, are also among the symptoms of acute 
indigestion. Not uncommonly, actual vomiting occurs. Vomition is 
thought by the general public not to be possible in the horse. This is a 
great mistake. It is by no means very uncommon. Recently we had 
under treatment a case of acute indigestion, caused by the rapid eating of a. 
very large amount of fresh clover, and the animal vomited a large quantity 
of green liquid, which passed through the nostrils and mouth. In severe 
cases, the pain is very acute, and the horse throws himself about wildly, and 
frequently looks towards his flanks. The pulse and respirations are 
accelerated, and in some instances the horse, instead of manifesting pain, 
remains dull and semi-comatose, and the breathing may become stertorous. 
He refuses his food, is moved with difficulty, and attempts to press his 
