American Veterinary Review, 
FEBRUARY, 1885. 
ORIGINAL ARTICLES. 
INDIGESTION IN THE HORSE. 
By Dr. Byrne, Y.S. 
(A Paper read before the Massachusetts Veterinary Association.) 
Mr. President and Gentlemen: 
In human medicine there are few subjects on which more has 
been written, and in veterinary less, than derangement of the 
digestive functions. Most of the veterinary authors have dealt 
with the subject in a trivial manner, therefore what I am about 
to read to you this evening is chiefly from notes of my own ex¬ 
perience. 
It is true, the horse is not subject to anything like the variety 
of gastric derangements that man is; although, living in an artifi¬ 
cial state, and on food in a great measure artificially prepared for 
his use, he is not allowed, like man, to overgorge his stomach and 
derange its functions by excesses in eating and drinking, smoking, 
etc., but, as a rule, has his food and water carefully dealt out to 
him in such quantity and quality as will generally insure him 
against dyspeptic attacks. Nevertheless; circumstances do occur, 
and these by no means rare, when the necessary attention is not 
paid to his diet, and serious derangement of his digestive appa¬ 
ratus is the immediate consequence. Before dealing with indi- 
