DISEASES OE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 185 



comes from the mouth; the- digestion is slow, which causes the 

 food to ferment; in some cases diarrhoea may be present, while in 

 others constipation, the faeces are hard and covered with mucous 

 and at times shreds of mucous membrane. There is no fever, the 

 pulse may be slow or in some cases rapid; emaciation is usually 

 present, the skin being harsh and dry. 



What is the treatment? 



Regulate the diet, giving smaller quantities of food, feed regu- 

 larly, and cause the animal to eat slowly. 



Purges to relieve the stomach; for the pain, if any, give 

 opium, belladonna, etc.; for fermentation, give charcoal, bismuth, 

 sodium bicarbonate, salicylic acid, creasote; to aid digestion, pep- 

 sine,, pancreatine, hydrochloric acid ; to tone up the appetite, nux 

 "vomica, tincture of capsicum or ginger. 



VEKTTGO-ABDOMINALIS. 

 Give the synonym. 



Stomach staggers; impaction of the stomach. 



What is the definition ? 



This is a distention of the stomach with food, characterized 

 by symptoms of vertigo, due to pressure on the abdominal vessels. 



Give the aetiology. 



This is not so frequently met with at present as formerly, as 

 the principles of feeding are better understood. The stomach of 

 the horse is small, as compared with the size of the body, and there- 

 fore should receive comparatively small quantities at a time, and 

 more often than some animals. 



The use of the nose-bag in giving the animal a mid-day meal 

 has aided in a change for the better. 



Eating greedily of cut feed, corn stalks, wheat, or too large 

 quantities of oats. Again, during convalescence, where the animal 

 is fed up while more or less weak. 



This impaction interferes with the action of the muscular 

 structure, and the food remains in the stomach, and as it cannot 

 be vomited by the horse it remains there. 



What are the symptoms ? 



They are those of gastric irritation; there is more or less un- 

 easiness, looking around at the sides, colicky pains, pawing, lying 

 down, rolling, sweating, possibly eructations of gas and vomiting. 



