14 
MR. LA.GUERRIERE. 
COLICS IN HORSES, 
By Me. Laguerriere.* 
The term colic designates various pains located in the abdomen, 
and characterized by a more or less violent struggling of the ani¬ 
mals affected. 
This word, in its strict etymology, should indicate an affection 
confined to the colon, and of which the principal manifestation 
would be pain. But by an unfortunate extension of this defini¬ 
tion, based on the frequent difficulties of diagnosis, it has been 
made to include all acute affections of the abdominal organs of 
which pain is the characteristic symptom, whether steadily severe 
or increasing in degree; or whether continued or intermittent, and 
objectively exhibited by constrained attitudes or violent struggles. 
Even pains confined to the chest, especially of the pleura, have 
also, at times, been included in the category of colics. Thus, in 
a clinical sense, this term has been accepted as a general designa¬ 
tion for the most varied diseases, differing in their genesis, their 
seat, their nature and their prognosis, if only possessing some 
common symptoms more or less uniform. 
This habit of indeterminate definition, so widely prevailing, is 
really an abuse. It introduces confusion in the study of disease, 
and, to a certain degree, increases the natural difficulties of diag¬ 
nosis. And while we acknowledge that this purely collective 
method of denominating is a thing of daily use, and that it often 
suggests itself when it cannot be replaced by another and better 
term, still we would gladly see it restricted to a more definite and 
limited meaning. We would not, however, forget that the word 
colic, now established by long use, is in fact recognized and 
authorized by a sort of prescriptive right, at least, not only in 
veterinary but in human medicine also. But, although we accept 
claims derived from long usage, and sometimes sanctioned by the 
exigencies of practice in permanently settling the use of the 
term, we still feel that it is proper to inquire into the true nature 
of the diseases of which colic is only a symptomatic feature, and 
* Translated from La Presse Veterinaire. 
