THE ANATOMY OF THE OX. 51 



time for the process of digestion of each meal before we under- 

 take hard work of any kind, especially such as is of a mental 

 character. As an example of the kind of ailment which is 

 essentially characteristic of ruminants, we may here mention a 

 disorder which is well known to all who have to do with cattle 

 and sheep under the name of hoven or tympanitis — a derange- 

 ment which we shall in due course consider, and one which, 

 as we shall soon see, is due to a distension of the rumen with 

 gas resulting from the fermentation of undigested food contained 

 therein. As another instance of a derangement peculiar to 

 ruminants, we may mention that food in the case of these animals 

 may be found to be impacted betwixt the folds of the omasum, 

 though we must not forget that, even under the ordinary cir- 

 cumstances of health, hard plates of more or less completely 

 digested material are found lying between the leaves of that 

 stomach. 



As our readers know, that large class of herbivorous animals, to 

 which the name of ruminants has been given, are so designated 

 because it is their habit to hastily swallow a large mass of food 

 into the capacious paunch or rumen, and then to chew it 

 leisurely at a convenient subsequent time. These animals, 

 when in the wild state, have to rely upon their quickness of 

 sight, their acute powers of hearing, and their great agility in 

 evading their enemies. They congregate together in large num- 

 bers, and one or more of the herd may be observed to keep on 

 the watch, and also to make signals to their companions if any 

 danger is at hand. If so, these timid creatures seek safety in 

 flight, and escape by fleetness of limb. In the domesticated 

 state this power of speedy flight is not possessed ; but the special 

 features of the digestive system are far too definitely fixed to be 

 altered very appreciably, although the power of swift motion is 

 almost entirely lost. 



As compared with animals such as the horse, cattle may be 

 said to be of rather a plethoric habit. Under suitable condi- 

 tions they rapidly become fat. Another point about ruminants 

 is that aperient medicines may be given with far greater freedom 

 to them than to certain other animals, as indeed they also may 

 be administered more freely to the pig and dog than to the horse. 

 Again, we find that the horse suffers frequently from flatulent 

 colic in the large intestines, owing to this portion of the alimentary 



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