THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 195 



lar^e quantities of the poisonous material being gathered before the 

 poisonous action is established, thus rendering treatment of little 

 avail. The symptoms of, and treatment for, vegetable poisoning are 

 discussed in par. 250. Acorns. — Although pigs eat acorns with 

 impunity, yet when taken in excess by horses and cattle they are 

 very dangerous, causing indigestion and, at times, death. When 

 plentiful, they should be gathered off the ground. Two table- 

 spoonfuls of ground coffee put into 2 quarts of hot water, stirred 

 well up, and drenched into the animal every four or five hours in 

 cases of vegetable poisoning, has a highly beneficial action. An 

 occasional teacupful of raw linseed oil can also be added with 

 advantage. 



304. Stomach Staggers, acute indigestion with head symptoms, 

 is most frequently seen in the summer months, more particularly in 

 dry seasons, and where cattle are grazed on hilly pastures or on first 

 and second years' crop of seed-grass ; it is not nearly so rife on old- 

 laid pastures. It is thought to be caused by the rye-grass aborting, 

 or seeding prematurely, but an overfeed of green rye-corn will cause 

 the identical same symptoms. No doubt the heat of the sun and 

 the dryness of the grass in the first place have much to do with it, 

 through inducing acute indigestion with head symptoms, while in the 

 second place some peculiar chemical action seems to take place just 

 when the rye is blooming, so that if large quantities are consumed 

 about this time, the rye has a peculiar toxic action, producing 

 delirium, followed by coma. Symptoms. — The animal stops feeding 

 and chewing the cud ; the hair looks dingy and on end, with muzzle 

 dry ; the sides appear flat, the belly tucked up, and the patient is 

 very listless. If a milch cow, she suddenly drops off her milk. This 

 goes on for thirty-six or forty-eight hours, when the pupil of the eye 

 is noticed to be dilated, and the eye has a starry appearance ; the 

 breathing is slow and heavy, and the animal stands over on its 

 fetlocks. At the commencement there is slight diarrhoea, followed 

 by considerable constipation, due to the want of nervous energy in 

 the stomachs and bowels. If large doses of purgative medicine 

 have been given, there may be a watery discharge from the bowels, 



