316 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PATHOLOGY AND 
temporary state of relaxation, or loss of the contractile power, of 
portions of the alimentary canal, not infrequently occurs in the 
course of various disease, and constitutes a part of the pathological 
conditions obtaining in inflammations of this canal, in colic and 
ileus, in lead colic, in hysteria, &c.: but it rarely continues for any 
considerable period, at least in a complete form, and in the same 
portion of the tube, without being followed by a fatal result*.” The 
loss of the contractile force peculiar to the bowels in the second case 
was unquestionably due to the administration of the large quantity 
of opium given for the purpose of removing the cough with which 
the mare was affected : it appears, in fact, that she had not less than 
five ounces and a half of the drug forced into her during the course 
of eight or nine days; the gradual effect of which was, to destroy 
the functions of the great nervous centres of organic life; from 
which resulted, as consecutive effects, the loss of the peristaltic 
motion of the intestines, and the production of the severe inflam¬ 
matory action in the intestinal tissues, from the presence of im¬ 
pacted food and fecal substances in its canal; and, lastly, the loss of 
the heart’s action, with congestion of the entire venous system as 
consecutive upon it. It is not at all improbable that inflam¬ 
mation of a subacute nature had been going on for some days prior 
to the very acute state manifesting itself; possibly it commenced 
when the mare ceased to void any dung; but owing to the dead¬ 
ening influence of the opium, no such change for a time was de¬ 
tected. Ere I conclude the observations upon this department of 
my contribution, I may observe, that diseases of the digestive 
organs of the horse have hitherto not been regarded with the 
care necessary to establish a basis of that scientific character in 
any way approaching what pathologists have done with reference 
to the same class of diseases in the human subject; our best trea¬ 
tises offer to the reader nothing more than a bare outline of some 
of the principal features of such affections; all is crude and un¬ 
satisfactory. In defence of this it may be urged, that, although 
such is the case, yet the treatment necessary to afford relief is the 
same, consequently it can make no difference in the end. To this I 
have simply to remark, that it is better to know the truth than to 
partially comprehend it; and until we do fully comprehend the 
truth, it is absurd to affirm any thing about sameness of treatment, 
and so forth: it is tantamount, in fact, to saying, that we have arrived 
at the end, and that all further endeavour at improvement is vain. 
With regard to Case III, I have no particular remarks to offer 
respecting it: it is interesting to the veterinary pathologist as 
shewing the course (in this instance) of disease arising from the 
* 
Dr. Copland’s “ Medical Dictionary,” vol. iii, pp. 14 and 15. 
