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62 
forehead against a wall or tree, or anything which comes in his way. Under 
these circumstances, the respiration is much quickened, and the pulse is of 
full volume, but not so accelerated as when gastric pain is.a prominent 
‘symptom. Sometimes the disease is directly traceable to eating bad oats, 
-especially mouldy ones. 
In mild cases of stomach-staggers, the animal always recovers, and 
‘many recover without any treatment. In severe cases, the prognosis is not 
so favourable, as death sometimes ensues from rupture of the stomach, owing 
‘to the great distension of this organ, or from inflammation. Sometimes, 
but rarely, after death, calculi of oat hairs are found in the stomach. 
—+ In the treatment of acute indigestion, a purgative should be given at 
. once. For this purpose five or six drachms of good aloes is preferable to 
any other aperient, though oil is recommended by some. If there be much 
. flatulence, we may give an ounce to an ounce and al half. of aromatic spirit of 
ammonia in half a a_pint of gruel. Ifthere be any | any pain, ¢ an ounce to an ounce 
and a half of sulphuric ether, with half an ounce of spirit of chloroform, may 
‘be administered in water or gruel every two or three hours, as long as the 
pain continues to be severe. \ In ordinary cases the spirit of ammonia, spirit 
of chloroform, and sulphuric ether answer well together ; and when given 
three or four, _times daily, will be > found very beneficial. When gastric 
irritation is great, we may add thirty minims of diluted hydrocyanic acid to 
each draught. If the aloes does not act within the first forty-eight hours, it 
is best to administer one to two pints of castor oil, In stomach-staggers, it 
is never advisable to abstract blood. In the further treatment of this disease, 
as soon as the appetite returns, the diet should be at first of a laxative 
nature, and limited in amount. 
Chronic. indigestion, like the acute form, is chiefly caused by dietetic 
errors, though these are not always apparent. Sometimes the food, though 
of good quality, is too stimulating and dry. In other cases it is not 
sufficiently masticated, perhaps owing to irregularities in the teeth, but in 
most cases it will be found to be of inferior quality, or administered 
irregularly. 
Dietetic errors induce changes in the gastric juice, and in the movements 
.of the stomach, which, however, are sometimes deficient from impaired 
nerve power. The symptoms of chronic indigestion are very variable. 
‘The appetite may or may not be impaired. Sometimes it is capricious and 
perverted. In other cases, though it continues good, the animal still 
continues to lose flesh. The bowels are generally irregular, the feeces often 
coated with mucus, and there may be great thirst and acid eructations. 
Abdominal pain is not unfrequent in severe cases, especially when the 
appetite remains unimpaired. The horse is weak, sweats easily, and the 
skin is dry and hard. These cases are but too frequently dosed and 
poisoned with over-doses of aconite drenches. In treating chronic 
7 indigestion, the causes of the disorder should be enquired into, and the 
dietetic arrangements carefully regulated. 
Some purgative should be given in all cases, unless the bowels are 
