THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



87 



The stomach of an ox is subdivided into four distinct cavities 

 named as follows : — 



First compartment, Rumen, or paunch. 

 Second " Reticulum. 



Third " Manyplus, or Omasum. 



Fourth " Aboraasum. 



REPRESENTATION OF A COW'S STOMACH. 



ExPLANATiox. — 1. A part of the oesophagus. 2. The paunch. 3. The 

 second stomach, commonly known as the "honey comb." 4. The third 

 compartment of the stomach, known as the "many-plus," or "many-plies." 

 5. Tlie fourth compartment, known as the abomas'um. 6. The pylorus, and 

 commencement of the duodenum. 



The compartment known as the abomasum, 5, is the seat of the true pro- 

 cess of digestion, and this is that part of the calf's stomach that the " rennet " 

 is taken from, which possesses the power of coagulating milk. TGe coagu- 

 lation, or " curdling " of milk, in the manufacture of cheese, is accomplished 

 by means of the organic acid contained in the " rennet." 



The rumen, like the oesophagus, is composed of three coats ; 

 the internal one is studded with numerous papillae, which in- 

 cline in the direction that the food takes ; they are erectile, and 

 by inclining in different directions, they can, to a certain ex- 

 tent, favor or oppose the passage of food. 



The openings into the rumen are two. One at the base of 

 the oesophagus, through which the food and fluids pass ; the 

 other is below this. It is much larger, and communicates with 

 the second stomach. The paunch is not so highly organized 

 as some other parts of the stomach. This compartment is ca- 

 pable of extraordinary distention, and in some cases of tym- 

 panites, becomes so distended as to produce suffocation by 

 pressure on the diaphragm and lungs. 



