582 



PUNCTURE OF THE RUMEN. 



Though such measures may prove sufficient in slight cases, time 

 should not be lost in making trial of them in severe attacks ; and 

 as soon as dyspnoea is marked, the probang 

 or trocar ought at once to be employed. 



The probang for cattle consists of a 

 spiral of steel provided with a coating of 

 leather (Fig. 342), though the simple steel 

 spiral is sometimes used. In sheep the 

 vesical catheter used for horses forms a 

 sufficiently effective probang. As the patient 

 should not be cast, passing the probang in 

 an excited animal suffering from severe 

 dyspnoea is often not easy, but cattle are 

 usually better subjects than sheep. 



To ensure the instrument taking the 

 right direction, a piece of wood provided 

 with an opening (mouth gag) is first inserted 

 in the mouth, and through this the tube is 

 passed. The animal's head is then extended 

 and the rounded end of the well-oiled 

 probang pushed along the palate into the 

 pharynx, whence it glides into the oesophagus. 

 Care is required to prevent it passing into the 

 larynx and trachea, an accident which is 

 announced by violent coughing ; in such 

 case the tube must immediately be with- 

 drawn. Should it have safely gained the 

 oesophagus, it passes easily downwards 

 without any untoward symptom, and can 

 be felt on the left side of the neck. As 

 soon as the end reaches the stomach the 

 stilette is removed and the gas allowed to 

 escape through the hollow tube. But this 

 does not always follow ; sometimes the 

 tube becomes stopped with ingesta and 

 the stilette must again be introduced ; 

 often the gas is mixed up with the fermenting 

 Fig. 414.— Trocar and cannula f 00 ^ an d t hi s explains why even the probang 

 for puncture of the rumen. , , . , , . , „ 



has not always the desired effect. 



Puncture of the rumen forms another means of treatment, the 

 lumen being pierced in the left flank with the trocar. The operation 

 is very simple, and is often carried out by laymen when danger of 



