AND HIS DISEASES. • 83 



(ascarides) is occasionally the cause. It sometimes follows the 

 drinking of cold water when an animal Is in a heated state. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms vary according to the nature 

 of the case, and the causes that give rise to it. It may be 

 simply an increased fluidity of the contents of the bowels, as 

 is seen in washy or nervous animals, unaccompanied .by pain 

 or constitutional disturbance ; or, on the other hand, it may 

 be (as in superpurgatioii) attended by pain, expressed by 

 the uneasiness, pawing, looking to the flanks, &c. He strains 

 frequently, and the faeces are very watery ; the pulse is small 

 and hard. Eapid and increasing weakness and emaciation, 

 loss of appetite, and, unless means are speedily adopted to 

 check it, inflammation of the! bowels is apt to set in. 



Treatment.— Gieskt care must be exercised. in feeding and 

 watering washy horses", dry feed being best suited to them. 

 They should not be allowed to drink too freely of water, espe- 

 cially before work. In many cases, it may be necessary to 

 give them some starch or chalk mixed up in the feed. 



In all cases, the main point is to discover the cause. If 

 arising from improper food, it must be changed at once. 



If some irritant be suspected, nature must be assisted in 

 her efforts by giving a quart of linseed or castor-oil, followed 

 up by starch or well-boiled flour-gruel, keeping the animal 

 warm. If worms are suspected, or seen in the dung, one or 

 two ounces of spirits of turpentine should be added to the 

 oil. Should it not yield to this, give the following astringent 

 drench, or any of those given at page 208. 



Astringent Drench. 



Powdered opium, . . . 1 draohim, 

 Prepared chalk, .... 4 ounces, 

 Gum acacia, . . . . 1, ,, 



carefully dissolved in warm water, and given in well-boiled 



