676 SPORADIC DISEASES. 



gentian, or, where the stomach seems much debilitated, nux 

 vomica, to have a most beneficial effect, not only improving the 

 appetite, and removing the acidity — pyrosis or " heartburn " — 

 which is usually present — manifested by a tendency to lick 

 the walls or other cold or alkaline material — but strengtheninfj 

 and improving the gastric apparatus. 



It may be here stated that the mineral tonics, particularly the 

 salts of iron, are inadmissible, and generally do harm in the 

 earlier stages of gastric debility, or indigestion, often destroying 

 what little appetite remains, and becoming combined with 

 sulphuretted hydrogen in the intestines, tinging the faeces a 

 black colour — a certain sign in all instances that the iron is not 

 digested or absorbed into the circulation, where alone it can be 

 beneficial, and that it is doing harm. It is very true that even 

 in health large doses of iron salts tinge the faeces, but moderate 

 doses have not this effect to any great extent. In some cases the 

 alkaline-bitter treatment fails in having the desired effect. When 

 this occurs the mineral acids, particularly the nitro-muriatic, 

 may prove beneficial. In foals and calves pepsine can be 

 administered, as in all probability the indigestion is due to 

 imperfect secretion of the gastric glands ; even in the older 

 animal this is often presumably the case, and more especially 

 when the disorder occurs without apparent cause, the same 

 remedy will prove beneficial. It is almost needless to observe 

 that the dieting of the animal is to be carefully conducted, and 

 that pure air, moderate exercise, and good grooming are essen- 

 tials to good digestion. Occurring in the winter, if the animal 

 be thickly clothed with hair, clipping will act almost magically, 

 restoring the digestion and appetite, which may have been long 

 impaired, notwithstanding remedies, in the course of a few hours. 

 In the cow, chronic indigestion, as exemplified by recurring 

 tympanitis and other symptoms similar to those observed in the 

 horse, and when not occurring from recognisable external causes 

 or other diseases, is often due to the presence of some foreign 

 body in the rumen or reticulum, removeable in some instances 

 by the operation of rumenotomy, hereafter to be described. In 

 all chronic indigestions of the cow this operation is recommend- 

 able. I have repeatedly performed it successfully, even where 

 no foreign body has been found, the mere removal of the long- 

 retained food having been sufficient to restore the orjian to its 



