DISEASES OP HORSES AND CATTLE. 39 



nearly empty. Anything which deranges this 

 stomach seriously interferes with digestion and 

 the health of the animal. 



The second stomach is a small honey-comb bag 

 situated at the anterior part of the rumen. Its 

 use is not well understood. 



The third stomach, called the omasum or many- 

 plies, lies on the right side of the rumen, to which 

 it is attached. It is small and divided by twelve 

 leaves, which pass right through from end to end. 

 There are also a number of short ones which are 

 attached to the others on one edge. There are 

 about sixty in all. These leaves or manyplies are 

 lined with a thin membrane, which secretes a fluid 

 which assists in digestion. After the death of the 

 animal this coat often adheres to the food between 

 the leaves. The food in this stomach is usually 

 dry, or partially so, and it is supposed that the 

 liquid portion is squeezed on into the fourth 

 stomach, and that some of the dry, indigestible 

 portion drops back into the rumen to go through 

 the softening process and be recudded. This 

 stomach is capable of considerable distention, 

 which is often the case by the accumulating of in- 

 digestible, innutritious food, which may cause 

 paralysis of its walls. 



The fourth stomach is the true digestive one and 

 is called abomasum, or rennet. This stomach is 

 seldom deranged. More cattle die from derange- 

 ment of the first and third stomachs than all other 

 diseases to which cattle are heir. 



