356 CATTLE. 



often exceedingly difficult to remove, not, perhaps, from any want of 

 power in the intestinal canal to be acted upon by purgative medi- 

 cines, but from the impossibility of getting any considerable propor- 

 tion of the purgative into contact with the internal surface of the 

 bowels. It has already been observed that in a state of health much 

 of the fluid swallowed by cattle enters into the rumen, and is detained 

 there for the purpose of macerating the food and preparing it for 

 rumination ; and we have proof, and that sufficiently annoying, that 

 in some circumstances of disease, all the fluid swallowed goes into 

 the rumen, and is lost so far as the purpose for which it was ad- 

 ministered is concerned. It has not unfrequently happened that six, 

 seven, and eight days have passed, and the bowels have remained in 

 a constipated state. This must of necesrity aggravate the symptoms 

 of many diseases, and lay the foundation for others. 



When the state of the animal indicates the administration of the 

 Epsom salts, they should be accompanied by the usual quantity of 

 some aromatic, (half an ounce of ginger,) and be given in as gentle a 

 Avay as possible. There can scarcely be a better way than suffering 

 it to run from a long narrow-necked bottle introduced into the mouth. 

 Should not this operate at the expected time, a second dose should 

 be given, and, probably, with the same quantity of the aromatic ; cer- 

 tainly so if little fever be present. If this, however, should have no 

 effect, it is very probable that from some sympathetic influence ex- 

 tending over the whole of the digestive organs, the roof of the rumen 

 is open, or the pillars of which that roof is composed are in a relaxed 

 state, and yield even to the pressure of a fluid gently poured down 

 the gullet. Then the next dose (for the purgative must be continued 

 until it does operate, and the nature of that purgative, and the 

 knowledge of the manner in which the quantity already given has 

 been disposed of, remove all fear of inflammation or superpurgation 

 being produced) must have an increased proportion of aromatic, in- 

 creased in defiance of existing fever, and increased to the full extent 

 to which the practitioner dares to go. Probably, a cordial-drink (an 

 ounce of ginger and the same quantity of can-away powder) would be 

 given with advantage ; for the rumen might be roused to its natural 

 action by the stimulus, and the pillars of its roof might be closed, and 

 the next dose might run on through the manyplus into the abomasura. 

 The rumen may possibly be roused to act in another way ; a portion 

 of the fluid that it contains may be injected into the oesophagean 

 canal by a process somewhat resembling that by which the pellet of 

 food is thrown there for remastication ; and the muscles of that canal, 

 and of the base of the gullet, not being able to grasp it because it is 

 a fluid, it will necessarily pass on through the manyplus into the 

 fourth stomach and intestines. 



It is by some mechanism of one of these kinds that purging is at 

 length established after obstinate cases of constipation ; or, when the 



