156 DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



up to date. For colics resulting from indigestion, we refer to he 

 article on Gastro-intestinal Catarrh; for inflammatory colics, to 

 Gastro-enteritis ; and for toxic colics, to the description of the 

 poisonings in the course of which they are observed. 

 We have decided upon the following classification : 

 I. Spasmodic colics. 

 II. Colics from overloading. 



III. Thrombo- embolic colics. 



IV. Colics through intestinal occlusion. 

 V. Gaseous colics. 



VI. Verminous colics. 



Spasmodic Colics. 



SIMPLE, NERVOUS, AND RHEUMATIC COLICS; ALSO COLICS 

 '^À FRIGORE." 



Nature. Under the denomination of spasmodic colics we desig- 

 nate abdominal pains produced by internal or external colds, and 

 which consist essentially in a painful contraction of the intestine. 

 The horse being much exposed to colds is particularly subject to 

 colics. They are relatively frequent in horses of well-bred races, 

 also in stud and army horses — which are favored by an almost 

 perfect hygiene and alimentation. 



Intestinal changes being excluded, we must conclude that the 

 pain is produced by compression of the nerve terminals at the 

 time of the intestinal contractions ; some consider the condition as 

 being exclusively of a rheumatic nature. In colics produced by 

 cold (à frigore) the sufferings are very violent, but of short dura- 

 tion ; they appear suddenly and disappear with the same rapidity, 

 often returning in the form of successive attacks. These particular 

 types of abdominal pain, associated with continued peristaltic move- 

 ments and defecation, allow us, in most cases, to make the diagnosis 

 of nervous colics. There is generally diarrhea ; we hear loud and 

 frequent borborygmi, and the metallic sounds called "spasmic 

 bruits " are more marked than in other colics. These abnormal 

 sounds, similar to those made by a drop of water falling upon a 

 very thin metallic plate, are due to the unequal tension of the gases 

 in the different parts of the intestine, the establishment of equi- 

 librium being performed in an almost explosive manner. 



Course. The course of these colics is ordinarily rapid and 



