248 Vomiting. 



behavior as in genuine vomiting, Init no gastric contents are 

 expelled. 



Belching or eructation is a normal occurrence in ruminants. 

 It is however also and more frequently observed under morbid 

 conditions ; then the expelled gases frequently have a repulsive 

 odor. In other animals belching is always an indication of 

 abnormal gastric fermentation. 



The significance of vomiting depends, of course, upon the 

 cause and upon the underlying disease. It is always gravest 

 in horses where it occurs in the course of dangerous diseases 

 of the stomach (excessive dilatation of the stomach, severe 

 gastritis, partial rupture of the wall of the stomach, etc.), or 

 through an excessive irritation of the gastric nerves ; in horses 

 vomiting also gives rise to an aspiration pneumonia with com- 

 parative frequency; this is much rarer after vomiting in other 

 animals. Exceptionally an animal nuiy suffocate during vomit- 

 ing, because the expelled feed masses may get into and obliterate 

 the larynx or the nasal cavity (Sequens, Zschokke). 



Older authors have looked upon voniiting in the horse as a sign of rupture 

 of the stomach. It is however settled beyond doubt that these animals cannot vomit 

 any more in total rupture of the stomach, because the gastric contents are expelled 

 into the peritoneal cavity in consequence of the contractions of the wall of the 

 stomach and of the abdominal press. Still, in partial rupture of the wall of the 

 stomach an intense emetic irritation may cause vomiting. Partial ruptures are 

 occasionally found in the stomach of horses which have vomited some days before 

 death (from other diseases) had occurred. Eupture of the stomach may become 

 larger or even complete after voniiting has occurred. That horses are able to vomit 

 even if the stomach is absolutely intact has been shown convincingly by post-mortem 

 examinations preceded by vomiting during the life of the animal. 



Emetic irritation also causes a reflex relaxation of the cardia and of the 

 esophagus, and this the authors have frequently seen upon the introduction of the 

 stomach tube. Relaxation of the cardia may also be due to a degeneration and 

 to a tear between muscle bundles. 



Treatment. Except in horses, vomiting after overloading 

 of the stomach and after poisoning is beneficial because the 

 stomach becomes relieved or the poisons are removed. In such 

 cases, therefore, it is not best to stop vomiting but this should 

 be aided by the internal administration or subcutaneous in- 

 jection of medicines (apomorphine, veratrine, ipecacuanha), or 

 it may even l)e x)roduced artificially, the emetic irritation being 

 stopped only after too frequent attacks have become distressing. 

 Voniiting due to any other cause, however, should be stopped 

 because it distresses the animal and disturbs its nutrition. 

 Symptomatic treatment consists in the application of cold 

 (swallowing pieces of ice, cold applications in the gastric region 

 in small animals, narcotic medicines, opium internally, chloral 

 hydrate or bromides per os or per rectum in the form of 

 enemas or suppositories, morphine subcutaneously). Vomiting 

 in dogs may sometimes be stopped wdtli black coffee (one wine 

 glass full to a cup full). 



Holterljach arrested very obstinate vomiting in a dog by the administration 

 of yohindjinum niuriaticum Spiegel one tablet of 1 mgm. every two liours. 



