304 CATTLE. 



tended. It is the relaxation of the muscular fibres which causes the 

 two pillars that constitute the floor of the canal and the roof of the 

 rumen to be easily opened, either for the admission or the return of 

 food ; but when the stomach is filled and elongated, as well as 

 widened, these fleshy pillars must be stretched, and in proportion as 

 (ihev are distended, will they be brought closer to each other, and 

 firmly held there. When the rumen is filling, there are occasional 

 eructations of a sour or fetid character ; but when the stomach is 

 once filled, there is no longer the possibility of escape for its contents. 



The animal cannot long sustain this derangement of important 

 parts ; inflammation is set up, and the circulation becomes seriously 

 and dangerously disturbed by this partial obstruction. Aff^ection of 

 the brain comes at last, characterized by fullness of the vessels, hard- 

 ness of the pulse, redness of the conjunctiv^a, and protrusion of the 

 eye. The tongue hangs from the mouth, and the mouth is filled 

 with spume. The beast stands with his back bent, his legs as much 

 as possible under him ; and he gradually becomes insensible — im- 

 movable — moans — falls — struggles with some violence, and as death 

 approaches, some relaxation of the parts ensues, and a quantity of 

 green sour liquid, occasionally mixed with more solid food, flows 

 from the mouth and nose. 



In order to save the animal, the gas must be liberated or othei- 

 wise got rid of. Some persons, when symptoms of hoove appear, 

 drive the animal about, and keep him for a while in constant motion. 

 It is supposed, that in the motion of all the contents of the abdomen, 

 while the animal is moving briskly about, the pillars of the roof of 

 the paunch must be for a moment relaxed, and opportunity given 

 for the gas to escape into the oesophagean canal, and through the 

 gullet ; and this will, undoubtedly, be the case to a certain degree. 

 The ox cannot without much difficulty, and often not at all, be in- 

 duced to move with rapidity, which is necessary to produce concus- 

 sions sufficiently powerful to shorten and disunite the muscular pil- 

 lars. There must also be some danger of rupturing the stomach so 

 much distended, or the diaphragm, against which it is pressing, by 

 the very production of these con.ussions. 



Alkalies have been recommended, as almost a specific. It maybe 

 conceded that the alkah would be likely to neutralize the acid con- 

 tents of the stomach ; but there is one objection to it, viz., that the 

 same closing of the roof of the rumen, which prevents the escape ot 

 the gas, would also prevent the entrance of the alkali, which would, 

 consequently, pass on to the third and fourch stomachs, where there 

 is no acid for it to neutralize. 



Oil (whether olive, or spermaceti, or castor, or common whale oil, 

 seems to be a matter of indiff'erence) will sometimes prove servicea- 

 ble in cases of hoove ; but it is either at the very commencement, be- 

 fore the muscular pillars are tightened, and when a portion of it can 



