144 THE FARM DOCTOR. 



side where it is punctured in tympany, enlarging the opening 

 until the hand can be introduced, having two assistants to hold 

 the edges of the wound in the stomach against those in the 

 skin, taking out at least two-thirds of the contents of the 

 paunch, sewing up the wound in the stomach with the edges 

 turned in, and that in the skin, and keeping on a little gruel 

 and soft mashes for a week. This operation can be performed 

 standing, the right side of the animal applied against a stone 

 wall, and the nose held by bull-dog pincers or even by tlie 

 fingers. It usually succeeds if resorted to early enough, 



IMPACTION OF THE THIRD STOMACH. DRY MURRAIN. GRASS 



STAGGERS. 



A dry baked state of the contents of the manifolds is found 

 in all feverish conditions, in torpid or inactive states of the 

 paunch, with impaired or suspended rumination, in case of 

 feeding on dry, fibrous, indigestible elements (bleached withered 

 hay or that which has been over-ripened, or a mixture of fresh 

 and dry grass in autumn), on a sudden change to the over- 

 stimulating fresh grass of spring, on smutty maize, cornstalks 

 or wheat, on a deficiency of water, or a sudden change from 

 soft to hard water, or on taking lead into the system in a 

 metallic condition or otherwise. The most rapidly fatal cases 

 result from green food, over-ripe but uncured grain, vetches, or 

 rye-grass, and from lead poisoning. 



Symptoms. — Slight cases may be marked by failure to chew 

 the cud regularly when recovering from a fever, a poor appetite, 

 dry muzzle, dull eyes, spiritlessness, quickened breathing with a 

 moan at intervals, roused at any time by forcibly punching the 

 closed fist beneath the short ribs on the right side. If it has 

 lasted several days the fist pressed into the left side may detect 

 the contents of the paunch collected in hard masses, and 

 tympany is likely to be present. The dung is usually scanty 

 and hard, but in cases occurring from fibrous or irritating food, 



