162 CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS. 



particles are very numerous and whole or nearly whole grains 

 of ,corn, etc., and bits of straw or hay can be recognized. 

 The cause of the presence of coarse particles of food consists 

 either in greedy feeding or in defective molar teeth. The 

 degree of the defect bears a direct relation to the degree of 

 coarseness of the food particles. 



Foreign bodies in the feces of horses usually con- 

 sist of sand, and in sheep we find wool. 



Inflammatory products consist of mucus, 

 "'^ood, pus. croupous membranes; in chronic intestinal catarrh 

 ^ cattle we often find small clots of blood. 



In cattle and calves suffering with catarrhs or other in- 

 flammatory conditions of the digestive tract the soft feces fre- 

 quently contain numerous gas bubbles ; these are due to gas- 

 producing putrefactive organisms which are particularly active 

 in concentrated foods that pass rapidly along the digestive 

 tract. 



Anv parasites of the gastro-intestinal tract may occa- 

 sionallv be met with in the feces, either entire (Ascarides, 

 Oxyuris) or in segments (proglottides of tapeworms) ; some- 

 times the eggs only are present (Distoma in sheep and cattle). 

 When Distoma are suspected a microscopical examination of 

 the feces should be made. The eggs of these parasites are 

 yellowish brown oval bodies or capsules provided with a lid. 

 (0.15mm long, 0.1mm diameter). 



The most common parasites of the digestive tract are as 

 follows : 



Horse: Gastrophilus equi and hemorrhoidalis, A>6caris 

 megalocephala. Strongylus armatus [tetracanthus], Tenia 

 mamillana, perfoliata, and plicata. 



Cattle: Amphistomum conicum, Ascaris lumbricoides. 

 Strongylus radiatus and ventricosus. Tenia denticulata and 

 expansa, Tricocephalus affinis, Strongylus inflatus. In the 

 bile ducts : Distomum hepaticum and lanceolatum. 



Sheep: Amphistomum conicum. Strongylus contortus, 



