DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 167 



with castration, and instead of healthy, we have a small amount of 

 ichorous pus discharged. 



Treatment. — Hypodermic injections, opiates and a little oil if the 

 bowels are constipated, and judicious counter irritation, and after partial 

 recovery use iodide of potassium. 



Ascites, or Dropsy, is the result of peritonitis. An effusion takes 

 place from an inflammation of a serous membrane, and if it goes on to 

 such an extent that it can not be absorbed, it produces dropsy. Dropsy 

 is the result of chronic peritonitis, or from chronic disease of any of the 

 organs — as the liver, lungs, heart, kidneys, urinary, calculi, albuminuria, 

 or degeneration of the kidneys, etc. 



Symptoms — The animal is weak ; the pulse quick, and very weak in 

 some cases ; the appetite may be retained tolerably well ; the muscular 

 system becomes soft and flabby ; the belly distended, and when you press 

 upon it you can see it is the result of a fluid ; as well as being weak, th e 

 pulse is irregular ; there is, perhaps, a slight diarrhoea, and when there 

 is, the symptoms subside to some extent ; then constipation sets in, and 

 the swelling again returns. This disease is most common in the dog, 

 and it is astonishing how much fluid may be imprisoned in a dog. 



Treatment. — Give those remedies that will tend to absorption of the 

 fluids ; support the strength ; encourage the appetite, and not restrict the 

 diet, but give any good food that will be taken ; and give iodine and 

 iodide of potassium, of each one drachm ; or acetate of potash, two or 

 three drachms, night and morning, and if the effusion is very great, the 

 operation of peraoentesis may afford temporary relief. This is easily 

 performed by means of a trochar and canula. However, this operation 

 is not followed by any great degree of success, for the fluid is likely to 

 collect again. It is sometimes, also, necessary to apply a bandage. If 

 the effusion is but slight it will be absorbed ; if it is too extensive to be 

 absorbed, there is not much success in treating it. 



firllt Tie is occasionally noticed in working oxen. It gives rise to pain 

 and obstinate constipation ; he looks at the sides, etc. Some have 

 afforded relief by cutting into the abdominal cavity and unraveling it. 

 It is difficult to diagnose. The stomach of the ox is divided into four 

 stomachs, or divisions. The first is the rumen, or paunch ; the second, 

 the reticulum, or honey-comb ; the third, the omasum, or many plies ; the 

 fourth, the abomasum, or true digestive stomach. The food is taken 

 into the mouth and masticated to a certain extent ; it is then swallowed 

 and passes into the rumen ; when the rumen is full the process of rumina- 

 tion commences There is some difference of opinion about this process. 

 Some claim that it is performed by the rumen, and others that it is done 

 by the second, and some by the third stomach ; but some ruminants have 

 no third stomach, so it must pass from the rumen up the oesophagus, 

 and, after being remasticated, it is again swallowed and passes through 

 t,he oesophageal canal into the omasum and true digestive stomach. 



Hoven Blown, or Tympanites. — This is common, and consists in a 

 distention of the rumen 'from the accumulation of gases, due to the sus- 

 pension of the peristaltic action of the stomach. The gases are carbonic 

 acid, sulphuretted hydrogen, and carburetted hydrogen gases, and, in 

 some cases, carbonic oxide. 



Causes. — It is sometimes a symptom of choking, sometimes the result 

 of chronic indigestion, and may be symptomatic of disease of the liver, 

 parturient fever, etc. The great exciting cause is a sudden change in the 

 food. In some countries wet clover will produce it quickly, and in those 



