492 THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OP THE OX. 



cases even apparently successful the walls of the gullet may be 

 contracted in the healing, and thus the animal will be likely to 

 choke, when he commences feeding on solid food, and this may 

 happen very often. 



Sometimes stricture of the gullet is occasioned by frequent 

 choking and partial laceration of the walls, and in these cases 

 choking becomes very common. In such instances the animal 

 must be fed on a carefully regulated diet, and should be fattened 

 and killed as early as possible. 



GEsophagotomy is indicated in those instances when the 

 gullet walls are partially lacerated. In these cases a pouch or 

 sac having been formed the foreign body passes into it, and 

 choking is therefore very common. 



PLENALVIA OR ENGORGEMENT AND INFLAMMA- 

 TION OF THE RUMEN. 



Engorgement or impaction of the rumen, as also that of the 

 omasum, are especially of great importance. This name is given 

 to a condition of distention of the rumen, or first stomach, in 

 consequence of the presence of too much solid material in that 

 organ. This arises from the taking in of too much food or from 

 rapid eating, especially of succulent food. 



If placed very freely before a beast, grain-food, chaff, pota- 

 toes, or in short anything particularly inviting may be eaten in 

 excessive amount, and the consequence is that the muscular coat 

 of the rumen, not being sufficiently powerful to contract on the 

 contents of that organ, movement of the solid mass and diges- 

 tion altogether cease. 



More particularly is it the case that animals which have pre- 

 viously been feeding upon dry food and are suddenly put upon 

 luxuriant pasturage are very liable to suffer from this derange- 

 ment. Sheep which have been taken from poor to rich pasture 

 frequently overfill the paunch, and this is especially the case 

 when they are kept on turnips for a considerable time. The 

 oppression of the animal is greater than it is in the case of 

 tympanites, in which there is a distension of the paunch with 

 gas, as we have already said, and the belly is not usually so 

 greatly distended, nor do the flanks yield to pressure. As in 

 the case of animals which are afflicted with hoven, symptoms 

 of distress are very evident; but if the rumen be pressed upon 



