The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1903-10-03
Engorged Stomach.

Engorged Stomach.
A Missouri reader writes us that he
has lost three fine horses by a new
disease which has apparently followed
horse distemper. He says the horses
seem to act all right while at work
and take the noon or evening meal
with good appetite, but soon after be-
come weak, have dropping ears, sweat
on the neck and shoulders, have col
icky pains, roll little, breathe fast,
nave Tapping nsstrils and soon COM
mence to have "hiccough" and pass
rood and saliva from mouth and nose,
then die. To horses in this state he
gave half a pint of raw >linseed oil,
followed by sundry doses Of baking
soda and 20 drop doses of tincture OF
aconite. Still the horses died and he
could not understand either the dis
ease or the failure Of his drugs. Not
understanding the disease what busi-
ness had he to give drugs? And why
should anyone but qualified practi-
'ioner give aconite? It is one of our
most dangerous drugs, requiring an
intimate acquaintance with its spe-
cific action upon the heart, so that it
should only be given with the edu-
Gated finger upon the pulse. Thou
sands OF horses are annually killed
with this poison which on general
principles should be excluded from
the farmers list Of simple and safe
stock remedies. The disease above
described is not a new one, but very
fatal trouble. It is' known as cen
gorged stomach" or "typanites" (bloat-
lng) OF the stomach and comes as
rule from eating or drinking when
hot or fatigued or when the stomach
:acl1s to1e, as it we'll might do fol-
lowing an attack Of distemper, (inf1u-
'enza) which was probably treated
with irritating drugs. In this disease
the body does not swell at the flanks
as in 1atulent collie. The bloating is
in the stomach and not apparent to
t.4e eye, but all of the symptoms point
to it and death will speedily follow
from suffocation or bursting of the
stomach unless intelligent relief is
promptly given. The stomach of the
horse holds but three and one-half
gallons, so that it cannot stand much
distension and bursting is easily
caused and especially so if the animal
is allowed to roll or is galloped, as
is common but dangerous remedial
method followed by most quacks and
some owners. Like aconite, which
slows the hearts action just when it
requires stimulation, baking soda is
also dangerous. The stomach in this
disease contains acid food and liquid.
Add drench of baking soda and ef-
.fervescence at once takes place with
The evolution of added gas, which but
adds to the misery and may cause
sudden bursting of the stomach.
Never give aconite or baking soda in
collie Of any kind! Sometimes both
drugs apparently give good results,
but there is so much danger of killing
some of the cases that they are best
?left out of the medicinal treatment.
when horse shows the symptoms
above set down place him in a we'll
bedded box stall and keep him from
casting himself violently. Give copi.
'ous injections Of soapy warm water
in rectum by means of a force pump
or three foot length of one inch rub
per hose with funnel attached. Add a
couple Of ounces or more of glycerine
to each injection. Give by the mouth,
very slowly and carefully, a drench
composed Of four ounces of hyposul-
phite of soda, one ounce of sulphuric
ether, one drachm Of fluid extract of
nux vomica and 30 drops Of pure
beechwood creosote and repeat In
half to one hour. This medicine tends
to neutraMze the acid condition Of the
stomach and contains stimulants to
start the muscular action of the stom-
ach which for the time is absent. The
walls of the stomach are SD distended
as to be paralyzed and the nux and
other stimulant tends to start up &C.
tion or ''peristalsis," so that the gas
passes on into the small and large
intestines or is first absorbed and the
food and 1uiA follow or are rendered
aseptic or nondecomposing so that
further gas is not evolved. If there
is great pain the second dose, as
above, may contain half to one
ounce of fluid extract of cannabis in
dica which will be found an admirable
medicine in all colics. Where above
medicines cannot be- readily obtained
give one and one-half pints of raw
linseed oil, two ounces of turpentine,
and after it. is taken give ginger,
whiskey and essence of peppermint in
warm water.-Farmers' Review. g.
For fertilizing no exact rules can be
laid down: nor can anv0ne saw that