The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-04-01
Causes OF Diseases in Horses.

When horses, or other animals, are
exposed to the depressing influence
of cold, while their stOmachs are un-
duly distended with food, there Is
another cause in operation, which, to-
gether with chilliness of the surface
of the body, tends to cause congestion
of one or more of the internal organs.
1t is this: The stomach lies in con-
tact with large muscle called the
diaphragm, or midriff, which sepa-
rates the cavity of the chest from that
of the abdomen, and consequently
when much distended not only pushes
this muscle toward the throax, but
likewise, in a great measure, impedes
that natural motion by which, at eve
~ inspiration, it enlarges the cavity
of the chest. The form of the dia-
phragm is that off vault whose upper
portion is in contact with the chest,
and the expansion of the ribs, on air
being inhaled, by drawing it edges
outward, tends to certain extent to
draw down the superior part of the
arch, and to reduce it to a more plane
surface. This action must necessarily
increase the dimensions of the chest,
and is one of the means by which q
vacuum is formed in the lungs, which
becomes Immediately filled with at
mospheric air.
Now, as the chest contains the
heart and lungs, it must be manifest
that repletion of the stomach, by
cramping the motion of the dia-
phragm, and thereby diminishing the
area of the chest, must impede their
natural and healthy functions; and
thus not only is the blood, by its Ian.
guild circulation through the former,
imperfectly or but slowly arterialized,
but the heart overpowered and weak
ened by the quantity of its contents,
is unable to combat successfully with
the resistance offered to its action, and
contracting but feebly, cannot propel
the blood with sufficient power
through every part of the frame
Those parts most remote from it are
of course those which suffer the most
and hence the circulation through the
cutaneous vessels is first rendered
sluggish and imperfect by over dis
tension of the stomach, and is subse-
quently still further enfeebled by the
action of cold and moist atmosphere.
From these causes, when frequently
repeated, may very readily be induc-
ed morbid state Of one or more parts
of the body slowly assuming the form
of chronic disease, and possibly, re-
sulting in adisorganized state of some
internal organ, which no future atten-
ton or skill can remedy or remove.
The diseases to which the horse.
while at grass, is most subject, are
generally confined to the respiratory
organs, and if turned out at an impro-
per season of the year, OF when i'm
perfectly prepared for the sudden
change from a warm stable to the
open cir. he will very frequently,
when taken in, be found to be roar
err, or to have chronic cough, or some
other disease of the lungs which will
render Linn of little value. Many
horses, too, of a greedy disposition,
when turned into deep, succulent, and
luxuriant pastures. are subject TO con-
gestion of the brain, causing the dis
ease called "staggers, which in some
instances expenditures actual inflama-
ton of the organ affected, and is then
named "mad staggers." This mala-
DIV to which many horses that are
prone to become fat and pussy are ex.
tremely liable, is in some measure nc.
tolerated by the position of the head
while grazing, in addition to the pie
thora occasioned by over feeding. A
minor kind of staggers known as
"megrfms," if not the actual disease
itself, may also be at any time brought
OH by too high feeding in the stable,
if continued for any length of time
but there the horse being constantly
under the eye of the owner, or care
taker, such a state can only be Undue.
ed by system of bad management
which is the offspring of ignorance OF
inattention.