104 THE NATURE AND TREATMENT OF 



into the rumen is then to be stitched, or sutured ; and lastly^ 

 the integuments are brought together in the same way. It 

 may, be proper to apply a little tincture of matico, or tincture 

 of aloes, to the wound. Having finished the operation, the 

 next object is to arouse the action of the stomach, for which 

 purpose I recommend the following: — 



Powdered Goldenseal, 3 drachms. 



Hyposulphite of Soda, 4 drachms. 



Powdered Ginger, 2 drachms. 



Warm Water, 1 pint. . 



Mix, and drench from a bottle. 



The patient had better be kept hungry the first twenty-four 

 hours after the operation, then an occasional bran mash well 

 seasoned with table salt may be allowed. 



Many cases of very considerable severity have been relieved 

 by the above treatment. There is very little danger attending an 

 operation of this kind for the rumen is not very highly organ- 

 ized with either blood vessels or nerves. I have known several 

 instances in which this operation has been performed in the 

 rudest possible manner, wi^h a common jackknife, and yet 

 the animals operated on recovered. 



The intelligent husbandman, howevej, will if possible, secure 

 the services of a surgeon for the performance of all operations 

 requiring skill and good judgment. 



Removal of the Sutures or Stitches. — The incis- 

 ion into the rumen having been secured by very fine yet strong 

 thread, and the ends cut off, ne^ds none of our attention. The 

 external sutures, however, will have to be removed in the course 

 of a week or ten days ; we merely cut the knot and withdraw 

 the suture. 



GASTRO-INTESTINAL INFLAMMATION. 



Gastro-intestinal inflammation of the stomach and bowels is 

 frequently occasioned by the presence of concretions and hair 

 balls, or some other foreign bodies. There are many plants, 

 such as hemlock, crowfoot, henbane, wild poppy, etc., which act 

 as poisons, and induce an inflammatory condition of the stom- 

 ach and intestines. An animal may feed on substances which 



