3& CATTLE DOCTOR. 



CHOKING. • 



If the rumen is so distended as to threaten immedi- 

 ate suffocaiion, it will be proper to puncture it ; but 

 this, if possible, should be avoided. It will next be de 

 sirable to ascertain the situation of the obstruction. 

 Sometimes it will be found that the body is impacted 

 at the back of the mouth or beginning of the oesopha- 

 gus : in these cases by using a balling-iron, the object 

 can frequently be removed by passing up the hand. 



If, however, the substance is situated low down the 

 tube, it will be desirable to force it onwards. For this 

 purpose half a pint of oil should be given to lubricate 

 the passage as much as possible, and then the beast 

 being properly secured, and a gag placed in the mouth, 

 a flexible tube or rod, with a knob at the end, sliould 

 be carefully passed down the oesophagus until it reaches 

 the body : a steady pressure should now be employed 

 to force it onwards ; bu) this should be done patiently, so 

 as not to injure the parts. By alternately resting and 

 trying again, the object will generally be removed. 



No solid food should be allowed for several days af- 

 terwards, as there is great danger of a repetition of the 

 choking until the muscles entirely recover their tone. 

 Sometimes, after all attempts of removing the body by 

 the methods before described have failed, it will be pro- 

 per to do so by means of an operation which has been 

 performed with success ; and this consists in making an 

 incision through the skin into the oesophagus, sufTi- 

 ciently large to extract the body. Great care must be 

 exercised so as not to injure the important nerves and 

 blood-vessels situated near the part. The beast should 

 be cast for the operation, and the wound carefully sewed 

 up afterwards, and for several days the food should con- 

 sist principally of gruel. 



POISONS. 



The plants that are the most dangerous are the dif- 



