LIVERPOOL VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 517 
the former, the delayed masses undergo spontaneous changes, which 
are promoted by the mere warmth and moisture of the stomach, gases 
are extricated, acids are formed, and the half-digested mass passes 
undissolved into the duodenum, and becomes a source of irritation 
during the whole of its journey through the intestines. In the 
latter, lie distends his stomach and bowels so frequently with air, as 
to weaken the whole of the digestive powers, and to render him a 
dyspeptic subject. Ilis rough coat, tight skin, and emaciated frame, 
prove incontestibly that his food passes through the alimentary 
canal without undergoing due conversion, or without his deriving 
that benefit from it which the healthy animal does. 
I will endeavour to consider this subject under two heads, namely, 
the mild form unattended by acute pain, called chronic ; the other, 
which takes place suddenly, the symptoms of which arealtogethermore 
violent, and which is perdous to the existence of the animal, called 
acute. In a state of chronic indigestion, the horse does not thrive as 
others do, nor is he capable of doing the same amount of work ; his 
appetite is fastidious — good, and even voracious at one time, and 
only indifferent at another; it is sometimes depraved : he is fond of 
gnawing his rack and manger, is frequently found licking the walls, 
and even eating the plaster from them ; and I have even seen 
instances where they have actually nibbled at their own excrement. 
The skin, from sympathy with the alimentary canal, has an un- 
healthy appearance ; the coat stares, and the animal becomes more or 
less hidebound. The dung has not its natural appearance ; at one time 
it is dark, and at another light coloured, and has a very offensive 
smell ; it is usually voided in small hard glazed balls, and, if exa- 
mined, will be found to consist of chopped hay and imperfectly 
changed oats. In the stable this is the usual state of the faeces, but 
in his weak state the horse is easily excited when at work, and 
purging is the consequence. The urine is scanty and high coloured. 
The ordinary seat particularly of chronic indigestion is the mu- 
cous membrane of the stomach and the intestines, and the disease may 
be defined to consist of a congested state of the blood vessels of that 
membrane; tliere is, consequently, a want of the proper secretions, 
and constipation is the result. This torpid or abnormal state may 
be produced by many causes, such as irregularity in the quantity 
and quality of food, imperfect mastication of food in consequence of 
diseased teeth, or from greedy or ravenous feeding, long fasting 
from food and water, cribbing and quidding, from irregularity in 
the teeth, or hots, previous attacks of acute indigestion, or irregular 
exercise, disease of the liver, &c. &c., these are among the principal 
causes of indigestion in the horse. 
There are few animals in their natural state that are supposed to 
spend more of their time in feeding than he does; and the fact that 
he has no biliary receptacle proves the necessity of his doing so, and 
ought to be a lesson to all those who are interested in his well- 
being, to copy the dictates of nature by feeding him frequently. A 
long fast renders a horse voracious, like the naturally greedy feeder; 
his food is bolted without sustaining that thorough grinding with 
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