50 Veterinary Elements. 



cud. When the food is completely remasticated it is 

 swallowed, passed to the raanyplies, and from there to 

 the fourth or true stomach, to be acted upon by the gas- 

 tric juices. 



Vomiting in horses and other single-stomached herbi- 

 vora is a rare occurrence, and when it does happen in 

 the former is a grave symptom: The openings into the 

 stomachs of these animals are close together, and as the 

 gullet is closed by a sphincter muscle, if pressure is 

 applied, the contents escape into the intestines. In the 

 horse the stomach is never in contact with the abdominal 

 muscles, consequently the necessary pressure can not nat- 

 urally be applied. In ruminants the contents of the true 

 stomach do not return to the mouth. 



2. Secretion. Having discussed the preparatory 

 stages through which the food is put, and the organs 

 employed in the process, under the second heading 

 secretion those organs and their secretions that have a 

 digestive action, namely, the stomach, small intestines, 

 liver, and pancreas will now engage our attention. 



' The arrangement of the mucous membrane in the 

 stomach of the horse is such that to all intents and pur- 

 poses it might be considered as two different organs, the 

 villous or true digestive coat, containing the gastric 

 glands. The stomach movements tend to mix the gastric 

 juice thoroughly through the food, thus ensuring the di- 

 gestion of its contents. The stomach of the pig resembles 

 that of the horse; the fourth compartment only of the 

 ruminant stomach is concerned with secretion. Gaxtric 

 juice is a thin, limpid fluid, almost colorless, with a strong 

 acid reaction, due to the presence of muriatic (hydro- 



