168 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF 



places it is very dangerous to turn cattle upon wet clover in the morning. 

 Potatoes and turnips, especially if frozen a little, or feeding peelings, 

 etc., from the kitchen ; bran, shorts, etc., and any kind of food may pro- 

 duce it. In the acute form it is not usually accompanied by any organic 

 disease, but is the result of the evolution of gases. 



Symptoms in many cases are alarming. The left flank swollen to a 

 great extent, and there may be eructations of gas in the early stages. 

 Rumination ceases ; there is a <drum-like noise from striking the swelling. 

 and from pressure upon the diaphragm the breathing is disturbed, and 

 the animal may die from asphyxia ; the head is protruded, and even the 

 tongue may protrude from the mouth ; the eyes bloodshot, the animal 

 staggers, falls, and expires, mostly from asphyxia, but it may be from 

 rupture. 



Treatment. — This should be energetic. Give something that will 

 neutralize the gases, and form different compounds — carbonate of am- 

 monia one-half ounce to one ounce, or the aromatic spirits of ammonia, 

 which tends to combine with the gases. Another is chlorinated lime, 

 two to four drachms or even an ounce. Any of these should be given in 

 cold water ; but I prefer two, three or four ounces of turpentine, and raw 

 linseed oil from one-half pint to one quart in ordinary cases ; and it may 

 be advisable to follow with a purgative— give from one pound to one and 

 one-half pounds of Epsom salts. If the symptoms are very urgent, you 

 must relieve mechanically, which may be done with a hollow probang, 

 but the safest way is to puncture upon the left side, at equal distance 

 from the last rib, the transverse processes of the vertebra and the spine 

 of the ilium. The trochar used for the horse does very well, but it must 

 be pretty long ; after puncturing give a little turpentine and oil, and it is 

 good practice to follow by a purgative, and attend to the animal carefully 

 for some time. Give the best of food and tonics. If you have no trochar 

 use a small knife. 



Impaction of the Rumen, Grain Sack, Etc.— It means an excess of 

 food in the rumen ; it paralyzes the muscular coats of the rumen, and 

 suspends digestion ; inferior food of any description is liable to produce 

 it. An animal getting loose at corn, oats or bran, especially if inferior, 

 and not first acted on by hot water, is liable to it. Corn cobs will also 

 cause it. 



Symptoms. — I think there is generally more or less gas present ; rumi- 

 nation ceases ; the animal is dull, and suffers pain to some extent ; there 

 is a peculiar groan or grunt heard ; the pulse is quick ; sometimes there 

 is a discharge of saliva from the mouth ; he lies down, gets up, lies down, 

 etc., the left side is swollen, and instead of the hollow sound, it is a dead- 

 like sound, and by pressure jou find food is in the rumen, and you can 

 leave the marks of your fingers upon the outside ; the bowels are costive, 

 and if there are any feces passed they are covered with mucous. Food 

 may remain in the rumen for days, or even weeks, in a case where there 

 was impaired function of some kind. Sometimes it is thought the ani- 

 mal is choked, and in passing the probang it will not pass into the 

 stomach because of the food. 



Treatment.— 1 recommend a dose of purgative medicine followed 

 by stimulants. Give one to one-and-a.half pounds of Epsom salts, 

 half ounce of ginger, dissolved in hot water, and give when cooled ; 

 or you may combine oae-half ounce of aloes with it. It is necessary 

 sometimes to give a large dose of purgative medicine. I have given 

 three or four pounds of salts before it would operate, but I think 

 you are more likely to have success from stimulants. Strangways 



