100 THE NATURE AND TREATMENT OF 



" Water of the Reticulum. 



" Water, 94.08 



Organic matter, 5.46 



Soluble alkaline salts, 0.24 



Insoluble salts, 0.22 



100.00 

 BLOAT, HOVEN, Oil TYMPANITES. 



The term " hloat " has long been discarded by Veterinarians, 

 as an indefinite term, signifying a state of turgescence, dilation, 

 inflation, or puffiness, which is merely indicative of chariges in 

 the form and condition of parts, without regard to the actual 

 seat or nature of the difficulty. For example, a horse is bloated 

 when he becomes the subject of subcellular emphysema,* or 

 cEdema,t etc., etc. However, as every farmer appears to be 

 somewhat conversant with the condition of the animal known 

 as " bloat," or " hoven," we shall not offer any remarks 

 calculated to mystify him, but, merely suggest that the term, 

 tympanites be substituted for " hloat" Tympanites intestinalis, 

 signifies a distension of the intestines, with wind or gas, 

 accompanied by an elastic distension of tlie abdomen ; the latter 

 when struck or sounded by a blow, sounds like a drum, and 

 indicates a windy distension of the abdominal viscera,\ 

 commonly known ^?, flatulent colic. 



Tympanites rumenites, signifies distension of the rumen, in the 

 hovine species, — the ox and cow, — and in the phraseology of 

 tl»e grazier, is known as hloat or hoven. 



Causes of Bloat, or tympanites. — The direct cause of flatu- 

 lency and windy distension, is imperfect digestion ; in such 

 cases the food, instead of undergoing the normal process of 

 digestion, whereby it is converted into chyme and chyle, fer- 

 ments and evolves gasses, either carbonic acid, or sulphuretted 

 hydrogen, and, as " a little leaven leavens the whole loaf," so 



♦ Distension of the cellular membrane beneath the skin, with gas. 



t Dropsical tumefaction. 



X Viscera. — A bowel or organ within the body. 



