I20 Veteri7iary Medicine. 



surface it may burst and allow exit to the offending l:)ody. If it 

 encroaches on the liver, symptoms of hepatic disorder supervene. 

 Its progress through the lung or pleura is marked by objective 

 symptoms of pulmonary or pleural inflammation (crepitation, 

 flatness or percussion, creaking or friction sounds), but without 

 the customary amount of hyperthermia, and with some evidence 

 of gastric disorder. When tlie pericardium is reached there are 

 the usual signs of pericarditis, attended by comparativel}' little 

 fever, and a doughy swelling beneath the sternum is added to 

 the objective signs of exudation in the pericardium. 



Among the peculiar routes followed by such bodies may be 

 named the following : to the side of the ensiform cartilage ; 

 through an intercostal space ; into a chondro-costal articulation ; 

 through the muscles of the flank ; and even in the region of the 

 croup. If the attendant abscess or fistula bursts into a serous 

 cavit}^ it determines septic peritonitis or pleurisy, while in the 

 lung it may cause septic pneumonia. As a rule, however, this 

 is prevented by the excessive quantit}' of exudation. 



Symptoms. These are extremely variable according to the seat 

 and nature of the lesion. So long as the foreign body is con- 

 fined in the rumen there is usually no symptom. Even when it 

 has penetrated surrounding organs the symptoms are usually for 

 a time ver}'^ obscure. A few years ago a cow entered the prize 

 ring, at the New York vState Fair, was awarded first prize, and 

 died a few minutes later from a piece of baling wire penetrating 

 the pericardium. WIkmi symptoms are patent there are usually 

 early indications of indigestion in the rumen, capricious appetite, 

 sluggish and imperfect rumination, dullness, tardy movements, 

 frequency and foetor of eructations, colicy pains, grunting when 

 moved, and wincing under pressure in the left hypochondrium. 

 Pressure below, to the left of the ensiform cartilage is sometimes 

 particularly jiainful. 



If the object is advancing toward the heart a broad area or line 

 of dullness may often be detected by percussion on the left side 

 of the chest and under the acts of respiration or walking, gurgling- 

 sounds may be heard along this line. The movements of the 

 ribs on the same side are limited as compared with the other side, 

 and straining in defecation or urination may be manifestly painful 

 and accompanied by groaning. For the same reason costiveness 

 is liable to set in. 



