DISTENSION OF THE STUMACH FROM GAS. 307 



tube is continued in the mouth until the belly sinks, and little gas 

 escapes : the animal is greatly relieved, and if it begins to swell 

 again, the probang is once more introduced. But the tube cannot 

 I'eraain in the mouth and gullet for any great length of time ; and 

 when it is withdrawn, the manufacture of gas may continue undi- 

 minished, and the rehef be only temporary, and so far the probang 

 may be in some degree inferior to the trochar. 



The practitioner then has recourse to the stomach-pump, and 

 throws in a considerable quantity of warm water, and pumps it out 

 again ; and repeats the operation until he has washed away all the 

 acid fermenting fluid, and then usually the process of rumination 

 recommences, and the animal does well. Sometimes he so over- 

 charges the stomach that vomiting is j)roduced, and a great portion 

 of the contents of the rumen is thus discharged. 



Alkalies have been throw^n into the stomach to neutralize the sup- 

 posed acid principle which there prevailed. As, however, a very 

 small portion of it, if any, enters the rumen, it will principally do 

 good, and much good it frequently does effect, by its stimulant effect 

 on the fourth stomach, propagated by sympathy to the first. 



Hoove, however, had. long been considered to be a case in which 

 the aid of chemistry might be resorted to with considerable benefit. 

 It had been suspected that the gas consisted principally of hydrogen ; 

 for when a lighted candle had been accidentally brought into contact 

 with the vapor as it rushed from the aperture in the flank, the gas 

 immediately caught fire. Careful analysis indicated that the gas 

 was diflerently combined in different stages. In recent hoove it 

 consisted chiefly of carburetted hydrogen — the union of carbon with 

 hydrogen ; in more chronic cases there was a mixture of sulphuret- 

 ted hydrogen — the union of sulphur and hydrogen; and, in propor- 

 tion to the continuance of the hoove, the sulphuretted hydrogen 

 increased, and at length prevailed. In both cases hydrogen was the 

 chief constituent. 



Then came the inquiry, whether something might not be introducd 

 into the stomach which would combine with the gas already extrica- 

 ted and cause it to disappear, and also prevent its future accumula- 

 tion, by combining with it as soon as it was produced. 



A method was soon discovered. Chlorine has affinity for various 

 substances, as lime, potash, and s-oda ; and in combination with 

 either of these could be used. When introduced by means ot the 

 Btomach-pump into the rumen, the chlorine will separate itself from 

 the alkah, and combine with the hydrogen, for which it has a more 

 powerful affinity, and forms muriatic gas. This gas has a strong 

 affinity for water, and will be quxkly absorbed by the fluid always 

 contained within the stomach ; and so, quitting its gaseous for a fluid 

 form, it quickly disappears, or will not retain a thousandth part of 

 lis former bulk, and muriatic acid will be formed. At the same time, 



