286 CATTLE. 



brought as neatly and as closely together as possible — and the whole 

 secured by bandages passed several times round the neck ; while the 

 animal is allowed giuel only for many days, and then mashes. The 

 dressing should be the healing ointment, daily applied. The power 

 of nature is great ; and, the foreign body having been removed before 

 it could cause inflammation and mortification by its presence, the 

 parts may be reinstated to every useful purpose. 



THE CESOPHAGUS WITHIN THE THORAX. 



As the oesophagus approaches the chest, it takes a direction more 

 and more toward the left, and enters it on that side of the windpipe. 

 It is there found between the laminae of the mediastinum, following 

 the direction of the dorsal vertebrae. It passes by the base of the 

 heart, leaving the venae cavae on the right, and the aorta on tlie left. 

 It by degrees separates itself from the spine, penetrating between 

 the lungs, and, pursuing its course toward the diaphragm, passes 

 through the great opening between the crura of that muscle. As it 

 travels through the mediastinum and between the lungs, it diminishes 

 in size, and acquires considerable firmness of texture ; but it has no 

 sooner entered the abdomen, and begun to dip downward, than it 

 becomes more muscular, and less firm in its structure. It also rapidly 

 increases in size until it assumes almost the shape of a funnel ; and 

 terminates directly in no particular stomach, but in a canal which 

 opens into all the stomachs, of which, as will be seen, the ruminant 

 possesses four. 



Recourse must be had to a few cuts, in order to render this in- 

 telligible to the reader. 



The cut in the preceding page will exhibit the form of the sto- 

 machs when filled, their relative situations, and their connection with 

 each other. 



a. The oesophagus gradually enlarging as it descends, and appa- 

 rently running into the rumen or paunch, but, in fact, terminatmg 

 in a canal. 



h. A continuation of the spiral muscles of the oesophagus, thicker 

 and more powerful as they approach the termination of that tube. 



Before proceeding to the consideration of the other parts delinea- 

 ted in that cut, let us take a different view of the structure and 

 termination of the gullet. (See cut on page 288.) 



a. The oesophagus, enlarging as it descends, and oecoming more 

 muscular, and particularly the upper and posterior part of it. The 

 continuation of it along the stomachs is slit up, in order to show that 

 it would form the continuous roof of the canal which is here laid 

 open, and which leads to the third and fourth stomachs. 



h. The oesophagean canal, exposed by slitting the roof from the 

 termination of tlie gullet to the third stomach. A considerable part 

 of the floor is composed of two muscular pillars, lying close to each 



