RUMENITIS — RETICULITIS — GASTRITIS. 187 



disease, which, though apparently unimportant, may terminate in grave 

 consequences. 



Treatment. Owing to their local action demulcent drinks and teas 

 are indicated. Cooked food is useful, because it makes little demand on 

 the digestive powers ; steamed hay and farinaceous substances are 

 given, both on account of their nutritious qualities and of the slight 

 local irritation they cause when swallowed. 



Lukewarm drinks and saline laxatives, such as the sulphate of soda, and 

 carbonate of soda or Carlsbad salt in small doses of IJ to 2 ounces, seem 

 most useful in combatting the reflex atony of the digestive compartments. 



Inflammation of the omasum, like that of the rumen and reticulum, 

 occurs as a secondary phenomenon in conditions like rinderpest, Texas 

 fever, foot-and-mouth disease, anthrax, and gangrenous coryza (malig- 

 nant catarrh) ; but primary inflammation is much rarer even than that 

 of the rumen and of the reticulum. 



This is accounted for by the deep position of the omasum, which is 

 thus sheltered from external violence, early contact with irritant foods and 

 from the effect of chills, etc. It can only become inflamed by the prolonged 

 action of irritant food and drink, which have already produced lesions in 

 the rumen and reticulum ; or as a consequence of the prolonged stagnation 

 of dry food in cases where animals have been deprived of water. 



Under these conditions inflammation of the omasum develoj^s slowly, 

 and from the clinical point of view is identical with what was formerly 

 known as obstruction of the omasum. Obstruction or impaction is 

 probably much rarer than has been stated, in so far at least as it con- 

 stitutes a primary condition, for in the great majority of cases it is 

 consecutive to impaction, inflammation of the rumen, or inflammation 

 of the abomasum. Obstruction of the omasum; which was formerly 

 invoked in all doubtful and ill-defined cases of digestive disturbance, 

 seldom occurs as an isolated disease. 



It has been suggested that the omasum, being supplied with nerves 

 solely by the sympathetic system, and provided Avith a relatively weak 

 muscular coat, was more susceptible than the other reservoirs to the 

 reaction of abdominal reflexes, and therefore more subject to inflam- 

 mation, indigestion and obstruction. We do not hold that view, because, 

 as a result of its general situation and the position of its orifices of 

 communication, this compartment is easily able to expel its contents 

 so long as they are liquid. Its function appears chiefly to be to complete 

 the trituration of food after rumination. 



We do not consider that inflammation of the omasum never occurs, 

 for we are well aware of the contrary, and that the inflammation assumes 

 a subacute course and is accompanied by stasis of the semi-digested food 

 between the mucous leaves which partly fill the cavity. We simply wish 



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