DEFINITION.—Inflammation of the intestines, throughout a greater or less extent of their course, and involving all the coats of the intestines or only the mucous lining. It generally attacks cattle of middle age and robust health; sometimes appears as an epidemic in certain districts, and seems to be most prevalent in hot summers. CAUSES.—Sudden exposure to cold, or drinking cold water when heated; eating acrid or unwholesome plants; mildewed food; too stimulating diet; drinking impure water; sudden change from poor to rich food; colds, injuries inflicted on the abdomen, the presence of a large number of worms in the intestines; badly managed colic, continuing more than twenty hours, and ending in enteritis; animals inflicted with colic may so injure themselves by falling or rolling over that this complaint may be the consequence. SYMPTOMS.—Shivering, dullness, extreme restlessness; frequent lying down and rising again, with signs of pain in the bowels; hard, small and rapid pulse; quickened breathing; hot mouth and violent thirst; red and protruding eyes; pawing and kicking; frequent efforts to urinate, but no water, or only a few drops, are discharged; the pain, which is most intense and constant, is increased by pressure and moving about. The hair is rough, the loins tender, the abdomen swollen on the left side, and incapable of bearing pressure; the bowels are obstinately confined; the fæces hard and glazed with slime; but occasionally liquid dung is forced with dreadful agony through the hardened mass obstructing the lower bowel, and all previous symptoms become aggravated. If the latter disease lasts a few days, and there is a sudden cessation of pain, this is a sign that _gangrene_ (mortification) has set in; the feet and ears become quite cold, and after a while the animal falls heavily, struggles convulsively for a brief period, and dies. DIAGNOSIS.—As the symptoms of this violent complaint resemble, in many respects, those of colic, it may be well to point out the distinctions between the one and the other. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COLIC AND ENTERITIS ──────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────── COLIC │ ENTERITIS ──────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────── The attack is sudden. │The disorder generally comes on │gradually. The pain is intermittent. │The pain is incessant and │increases. The pain is relieved by friction │The pain is aggravated by friction and motion. │and movement. Debility is not a characteristic │Debility is very characteristic. till near the end of the disorder.│