INGESTED FOREIGN BODIES 35 



and thoracic cavities before it became permanently 

 located. 



In other cases which have been reported by veteri- 

 narians similar objects have sloughed through the 

 abdominal wall and made their appearance and es- 

 cape from the body, the cow suffering no particular 

 ill effects. 



In many cases, however, serious damage is done and 

 grave consequences, or even death, may result from 

 the passage of foreign bodies through, or into, the 

 abdominal cavity and other organs. 



Death may be caused in such cases by the direct 

 presence of the object interfering with the proper 

 performance of function in an organ; by inflamma- 

 tory or necrotic processes developing in the region of 

 the object; and by secondary pathological conditions 

 occurring as the result of damage done by the object. 



The diagnosis of abnormal conditions produced by 

 the emigration of foreign bodies is not easy. With 

 very few exceptions, the diagnosis can be made cer- 

 tain only on postmortem examination. If laparotomy 

 were more practical in cattle it might on certain occa- 

 sions be resorted to in the diagnoses of conditions in 

 which foreign bodies are suspected. Dr. John K. Boss- 

 hardt, of Camden, N. Y., has performed a consider- 

 able number of successful laparotomies in cattle for 

 intestinal invagination. For him it is from all appear- 

 ances an ordinary proceeding. The average veteri- 

 narian, however, as a rule does not transgress to any 

 great extent on the abdominal viscera in a surgical 

 manner. We rely for diagnostic purposes chiefly on 

 our powders of observation, on our sense of touch, and 

 other ordinary means. 



The symptoms produced by foreign bodies which 

 leave the intestinal or alimentary tract vary, of course. 



