ON THE DISEASES OF FARM HORSES. 279 
The Staggers. —This disorder is slow in its progress, and 
seldom observed until firmly established. The symptoms are 
easily recognised by the drooping head, impaired vision, stag¬ 
gering gait, and sometimes violent and dangerous struggling of 
the afflicted animal. It is more frequently observed in farm 
stables during the busy tillage season than at any other time; 
in consequence of long continued labour, and little rest or food, 
except at night, when they are allowed to gorge their stomachs 
to repletion. 
The late Professor Coleman used to relate a circumstance in 
his lectures, connected with this disease, which throws con¬ 
siderable light on its origin. The artillery horses stationed in 
London during the winter of 1817, suffered very considerably 
from stomach staggers, so much so, that it was considered to be 
endemical, and of an infectious character. Mr. Coleman, with 
his usual penetration, soon discovered the cause. He found 
that, from some new regulations about that time, the stable¬ 
men were not allowed any candles, and during the winter the 
horses were bedded up at five o’clock in the evening, and not 
fed again until eight o’clock on the following morning, when 
they consumed their breakfasts voraciously, gorging their 
stomachs, not to the degree likely to produce acute indigestion, 
but sufficiently distending them as to oppress the bloodvessels 
and the circulation through them. This practice continued, 
day after day, caused a specific inflammation of the stomach, 
an inflammation of a peculiar character, differing from gastritis 
or inflammation of the part. Mr. Coleman regarded the 
symptoms produced as resulting from the sympathetic con¬ 
nexion between the stomach and the brain, united to the effects 
that would arise from the daily distention throwing a vast 
quantity of blood on the brain. He swnply obtained an order 
for candles for the use of the stablemen , which enabled the 
horses to be fed at a later hour in the evening , and an earlier 
one in the morning, when the disease disappeared. 
A common error still prevails in many districts, that staggers 
is a contagious disease; but should the horses on a farm be 
attacked occasionally with slight fits of this kind, the farmer 
may rest assured that there is mismanagement somewhere in 
the feeding department. 
We will now direct our attention to another common and 
dangerous class of ailments, arising from errors in feeding, and 
interference with the digestive economy. 
Diseases of the Intestinal Canal. —The changes which take 
place in the gastric process of digestion have been noticed; but 
others are carried on in the intestines, where the chymous mass, 
