ON CHOLERA IN DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 213 
Although the poorer and worst fed animals were most affected, 
those which were in better keeping were not altogether exempted. 
One gentleman has lost two very valuable horses within the last 
two months from tympanitis. They were suddenly seized with 
colic pains, which rapidly increased. They swelled from decompo¬ 
sition or fermentation taking place in the contents of the viscera, 
and by which the intestines were ruptured, and death inevitably 
produced. The last of these had been observed to purge a good 
deal before the pain came on: he had been chiefly fed on hay and 
oats. 
Mr. Hill, at Saughton, had two cases within a week, one of 
which, a strong cart-horse, had his bowels opened to excess for 
two days by aloes. Indeed, for the first two weeks of 
February, not a day passed without one or two cases of diseased 
bowels occurring in my practice. On two days there were three 
cases; and on two others there were five cases in each day. 
On the 18th, a black horse, belonging to Mr. Lawrie, Coltbridge, 
was brought, the driver complaining that he seemed ill and 
wished to lie down in the street. He was bled, and aloes 555 
given, which purged him for two days; but I afterwards learned 
from the owner that for eight days previously he had been 
purging, and that all kinds of food had been tried with the 
view of stopping it, but without effect. After he was bled, 
however, and the effects of the ball had gone off, he became 
quite well. 
For the next two weeks there were but three cases each week. 
One of these, a mare belonging to a celebrated surgeon, had 
diarrhoea for four days; this, however, may be, in some measure, 
accounted for, because she had had a severe day’s hunting, and 
w’as observed to be purging before setting out. Another was a 
poor cart horse, taken ill in the street with colicky pains and 
purging. It was bled, and a laxative of aloes Jiij, and opium 3j, 
given; and I heard no more about him. 
The hunting mare was bled, and had aloes » with a large 
allowance of oatmeal and starch gruel. She had an intolerable 
thirst. The faeces were remarkably thin, and, for two days, of a 
blue clayey appearance, frothy, with a most nauseous smell. 
On the 5th day the disease began to subside, and on the 6th 
she was feeding heartily, and, with the exception of being con¬ 
siderably reduced in strength and condition, seemed quite well. 
But not only have diseases of the bowels prevailed amongst 
horses, but I have bad also, within the last four weeks, more cases 
of the same affection in cows tlian for as many months before. 
One cow, belonging to Mr. Lauchlan iVIcPherson, of Broughton, 
was seized on the afternoon of the i8th of February. She had 
