63 
freely open, and should be followed by the administration of vegetable tonics, 
The diet should be limited in amount, and it will be advantageous to change 
it. Internally we may administer half an ounce of Fowler’s s solution, with 
half an ounce of bicarbonate of potassium - in the drinking water, twice or 
thrice daily. after meals, for three or four days. Afterwards we may 
administer stimulating balls. y eight ‘drachms each, of equal parts of carbonate 
of ammonium, g ginger, and gentian, made up with ‘treacle, “These may be 
given at first twice, then 6 once ‘daily. _Inflammation o of the stomach or gastritis 
may be z acute or chronic. It is commonly due to toxic agents taken, but 
may come on from “indigéstion, or it may arise from foreign bodies such as 
calculi, or be due to bots. Crib biting also is not unfrequently a cause of 
dyspepsia and chronic gastritis. The treatment of these affections is in the 
main similar to that of the preceding. Under any circumstances the food 
should be restricted in amount in the acute variety, consisting of linseed 
gruel and other non-irritating material; but in all cases it is necessary to 
-ascertain the cause, and if any poison has been ingested, it will be necessary 
to treat the inflammation in accordance with the nature of the toxic agent. 
Tincture Lopiun in doses of one cucceand a halt a half, with one aa of sulphuric. 
ether, and_one ounce of spirit of chloroform, given three_o i 
gi r four times during 
the day in three quarters of a pint of gruel, -will be found very beneficial 
Fortunately, acute gastritis is not very common in the horse. _.... 
RUPTURE OF THE STOMACH. 
THERE remains for our consideration but one more disease of the stomach, and 
although it is nearly always fatal, we propose to treat of it pretty fully, because 
it illustrates so well the.baneful effects liable to be caused by injudicious 
feeding and work. Partial or complete rupture of the walls of the stomach 
is not uncommon among horses. It is mainly due to errors in dieting and 
work, and is more frequently met with among the heavier draught horses, 
which are especially subjected to irregularities of work, and defective dietetic 
arrangements. Rupture is especially likely to occur when a large amount 
of food is given after exhausting or prolonged work. Under these 
circumstances, the food is especially liable to undergo fermentative changes 
from its longer retention in the stomach, owing to the slow and imperfect 
action of the gastric juice and defective movements of the walls. It is more 
frequent in horses fed on bruised than on whole grains, especially when put 
to work after a full meal. Rupture of the stomach is probably, in most 
instances, preceded by derangement and distention, or actual disease of the 
walls, consequent on chronic indigestion and other causes. It is rarely met 
with in young animals, but most commonly occurs in aged horses, especially 
when these have undergone severe exertion, or have been overworked for a 
long period. : 
Vomiting, or attempts at vomiting, generally occur in rupture of the 
stomach, but as it is not invariably present, and may proceed from other 
