COLICS IN HORSES. 
113 
manifest themselves by colicky pains, they do also in some instan¬ 
ces present special characters, which become of indispensable 
value in aiding us to make-our diagnosis full and correct. 
In order to complete this part of our paper, it would be nec¬ 
essary to refer separately to each of the abdominal affections 
which give rise to colics. This, however, would lead us too far, 
and we can oidy devote a few words, grosso modo , to the more 
essential characters, and those only for our guidance towards the 
differential diagnosis, by successive^ considering each of the 
groups of the classification we have made. 
First Group. —This includes the nervous , spasmodic and 
rheumatic forms of colic, and generally manifests itself a long time 
after the animal has eaten or drank, and often on returning from 
a long journey. They are produced by an irritation of the per¬ 
ipheric extremities of the sensitive nerves of the stomachal or in¬ 
testinal mucous membrane. The pains they produce are partly 
continuous, but vary in intensity with a duration of two to three 
hours. The abdomen is retracted, the respiration accelerated, 
and without dyspnoea; when exercised, motion is not painful, 
and in some instances seems to afford relief. The diagnosis is 
easy and the prognosis not serious except in case of possible com¬ 
plications. 
Second Group. —Wind colics or gaseous indigestion are at the 
head of this list. It is common in cribbers, and furnishes an ev¬ 
idence of the bad condition of their digestive apparatus. There 
is intestinal pneumatose at first frequent, becoming more common 
at a later period, and then occurring after each digestion. A 
spontaneous cure often occurs or it is relieved by treatment until 
the day comes when some complication is presented, and the 
patient succumbs. 
It is recognized by the swelling and tympanitic condition of the 
abdomen, which becomes hard, resisting, and more or less resound¬ 
ing on percussion. This variety of indigestion caimot be mista¬ 
ken for that complication of tympanites which is a result of se¬ 
rious intestinal affections. The history of the patient will greatly 
assist in the discrimination and determination of the diagnosis. 
Following the wind indigestions, we place collectively all sim- 
