CHAPTEE XVII. 

 DISEASES DUE TO MISTAKES IN FEEDING. 



The observant stockman has probably noticed that the 

 veterinarian's cases are largely the result of mistakes in 

 feeding animals by their owners, he will have noticed 

 that diseases seen on the farm, such as colic, stoppage of 

 the bowels, indigestion, shown by scouring, milk fever, 

 etc., are more common than all other diseases affecting 

 farm stock, unless we except the contagious diseases 

 hog cholera and contagious abortion; such being the 

 case a few of the most common will be described: 



Colic is worthy of being classed with the poor, by some 

 farmers, as it is always with them, and while of such 

 common occurrence, none the less serious; usually of 

 short duration it is not thought much of by the average 

 owner, yet we find that the colics of long duration are 

 often quite dangerous, and also those that recur inevitably 

 end in the death of the patient, therefore all the more 

 responsibility is thrown on the feeder, when it is con- 

 sidered that colics are due to mistakes in feeding. We 

 generally speak of two kinds of colic, the spasmodic or 

 cramp colic, and the wind or flatulent colic, for all 

 practical purposes we may, and shall here consider them 

 as shown by similar symptoms, with this exception that 

 in wind colic a bloated condition exists, due to the forma- 

 tion of gas in the intestines. A horse affected with 

 either of the colics will be uneasy, may paw the bedding 



