520 LIVERPOOL VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
derangements, which I have endeavoured to describe in this paper; 
and in doing so, it will be necessary that we consider carefully the 
causes by which they are produced. In all cases, but particularly 
in those of the milder form of indigestion, much may be learned 
from the groom, or stable attendant, and it is of the utmost import- 
ance to the success of our treatment, that as much of the history of 
the case be got from him as possible. 
If the horse has been irregularly fed, or his work more than ordi- 
narily severe, he should have absolute rest, change of diet, a slight dose 
of physic, and a few vegetable tonics ; if the cause is greedy feeding, 
have his corn ground, hay chopped, and a muzzle put on at night, to 
prevent him filling his belly with indigestible matter; if he is a 
cribber, let him wear a strap round his neck, or have the manger 
removed and feed from the ground ; if from irregularity of the teeth 
the diseased ones should be removed, or the protruding part cut off, 
or rasped down ; if produced by bots, or other parasites, prescribe 
for their removal, and the disease will subside. Indeed, many of 
the milder cases of indigestion may be cured by rest, change of diet, 
and stable management ; the body and legs should be kept warm 
with clothing and bandages, the stall or box well littered and kept 
clean, the food given often and in small quantities, in summer 
green food, or a run at grass, and in winter carrots and bran 
mashes, mixed with small quantities of barley or malt well boiled, 
occasional small doses of physic, say, 5’j ss to ^iij of aloes with ^jss 
of calomel, and this to be followed with vegetable tonics, will otten 
be of the greatest service. If the animal bites the walls and eats the 
plaster, heartburn is present; discontinue his oats and beans for a 
few days, substitute boiled barley and bran, give the medicine above 
prescribed, and add to your tonic mass 4 drachms of carb. soda, or 
prepared chalk daily. Severe purging does harm, but mild laxa- 
tives with good nursing, change of diet given in small quantities, 
with moderate slow exercise, will often be all that is necessary. If 
the case be an acute one, and the stomach overloaded, it becomes a 
very serious matter, and it will depend in a great measure, on the 
extent to which that organ is packed, whether any treatment be of 
the slightest use. 
I have examined horses that have died from rupture of the 
stomach, and found upwards of forty pounds of food in that organ : 
the ingesta was nearly dry, and had no appearance of having been 
acted upon in the slightest degree by the gastric juice ; that secre- 
tion must have been entirely suspended, as well as the movement of 
the stomach, by the excessive weight of its contents. Medical 
treatment in cases of this sort must, I fear, ever prove futile in the 
horse, but fortunately, they are not all so bad, and plenty of cases 
will -be met with where the stomach is overloaded, but only to such 
an extent that active treatment is often effacacious. In such cases, 
the object to be aimed at is the expulsion of the contents of the 
stomach, and the most natural way is, to rouse that organ to 
increased action, and to accomplish that I know of nothing better 
than stimulants and purgatives. Apply mustard, sweating liniment, 
