502 THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF THE OX. 



ooodition. The poor animal, if moved, staggers, and may become 

 quite paralysed, or, on the other hand_, may rush about wildly, 

 with protruded and greatly swollen tongue. Tympany also often 

 comes on, and the urine frequently contains blood. There may 

 be marked febrile symptoms. 



After either a sheep or an ox has died in consequence of the 

 disturbance known as omasitis, the omasum or manyplies, if 

 examined, may be found to contain hard and dry material. 

 However, we must not forget that, even in the general way, the 

 contents of this stomach are in a certain measure dry, and, 

 indeed, we ought to make ourselves quite conversant with the 

 condition of this stomach in animals which have died when 

 healthy, before we can presume to draw any conclusions regard- 

 ing its state in any given case. If an examination be made after 

 death has occurred, as a result of this disorder, the omasum may 

 be seen to be as hard and as round as a ball, and, moreover, to 

 be distended with hardened masses of dry and brittle food fixed 

 between the folds or leaves which, indeed, have pressed upon 

 the food so firmly, that they cannot be removed from it without 

 the epithelium coming oflF and adhering to the food. Patches 

 where congestion appears are found in the omasum, and some- 

 times congestion may also be observed in the rumen, and very 

 often also in the brain and spinal cord. 



Treatment. — With reference to curative measures, in the case 

 of the sheep, the first point to be borne in mind is that purga- 

 tives, and especially aperient oils, are to be recommended. For 

 example, about three or four ounces of Epsom salts or of 

 Glauber's salts may in the first instance be given, while at every 

 fourth hour about one additional ounce of the same may be 

 administered. The medicine should always be dissolved in a 

 sufficient quantity of warm water, or gruel, or linseed tea, and 

 should be administered with extreme caution. No solid food 

 should be allowed ; but gruel should always be at hand, so that 

 the animal can help itself, when inclined to do so. Moreover, 

 warm water should be frequently given, either by the horn or 

 by means of the stomach-pump. 



Again, the maniplies may be distended with soft and putrid 

 vegetable matter, if, for instance, the sheep has been removed 

 from dry and bare pasturage to plentiful and succulent herbage. 

 When this kind of material accumulates therein, the stomach 



