ON THE DISEASES OF FARM HORSES. 281 
seldom entirely removed, until the greater part becomes eva¬ 
cuated. This disease is never to be reckoned void of danger, as 
it may unexpectedly terminate in inflammation and gangrene. 
Colic is very commonly attributed to horses from drinking 
cold spring water when in a heated state. This is the spas¬ 
modic colic of veterinary authors and others. That spasmodic 
constriction of the small intestines is occasionally caused in this 
way, producing very intense and acute pain, I do not question; 
but in a general way, the colic pains are caused by the washing 
of imperfectly digested food from the stomach into the in¬ 
testinal canal, before it has undergone chymification, rather 
than to any direct influence of the cold water on the muscular 
coat of the intestines. I believe that food of the best de¬ 
scription, when washed into the intestines in this manner, is 
certain to cause pain and spasm from the fermentation and dis¬ 
engagement of gases, which invariably takes place on vegetable 
matter being exposed to heat and moisture, which, if it had 
been properly acted on by the antiseptic properties of the gastric 
juice, would have been incapable of being fermented. 
It should be understood, that a horse will drink at one time 
a much greater quantity than his stomach can contain, sup¬ 
posing it to be entirely empty; but even when he drinks a less 
quantity, it remains not in the stomach, but passes on to the 
large intestines, and is retained in the csecum, commonly called 
the water gut. Hence the danger to be apprehended at all 
times from allowing horses to drink a quantity of water soon 
after feeding, or before the food is sufficiently digested in the 
stomach, from the chance of portions of it being washed into 
the intestinal canal, when the consequences are, as I before 
stated, fermentation and disengagement of gases, causing pain 
and spasms, which, when it occurs in the small intestines, pro¬ 
duces spasmodic colic , or it may occur in the large intestines, 
causing flatulent colic. In the former disease we cannot detect 
the swelling; but it is evident enough when the colon is the 
seat of the disease, by the enlargement of the belly on the off 
flank. 
Veterinary surgeons are seldom called on to attend cases of 
this kind in farm stables at the onset. The nostrums used by 
the farmers are stimulants of various kinds, such as turpentine, 
peppermint, gin, pepper, and ginger. Simple cases of colic can 
generally be successfully treated on the stimulating principle ; 
and many cases admit of this being carried to an extreme 
extent with comparative safety; but in other cases, we have 
constipation to deal with, which bids defiance for a time to our 
remedies; and then, if strong stimulants have been previously 
given, inflammation is quickly set up, and the disease ter- 
