DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 31 



cases the disease must arise from an imperfect assimilation by 

 the affected animal of the nutritive elements of the food which is 

 supplied to it. 



Treatment. — The aim in such cases must be to improve the process 

 of digestion and to supply the animal with a sufficiency of sound and 

 wholesome food. The following should be given to the cow three 

 times a day, a heaping tablespoonful constituting a dose : Carbonate 

 of iron, 4 ounces; finely ground bone or ** bone flour," 1 pound; pow- 

 dered gentian, 4 ounces ; common salt, 8 ounces ; powdered fenugi-eek, 

 4 ounces; mix. In addition to this, 3 tablespoonfuls of powdered 

 charcoal may be mixed with the animaFs food three times a day, and 

 a piece of rock salt should be placed where the animal can lick it at 

 will. German veterinarians have had brilliant results from the treat- 

 ment of this disease with subcutaneous injections of apomorphine in 

 doses of 1| to 5 grains for three or four days. 



HAIB CONCRETIONS. 



These concretions, or hair l)alls, result from the habit which some 

 cattle have of licking themselves or other animals. As a result the 

 hairs which are swallowed are carried round by the contractions of 

 the stomach and gradually assume the foiTn of a small pellet, or 

 ball. This increases in size as fresh quantities of hair are introduced 

 into the stomach, which become adherent to the surface of the hair 

 ball. These hair balls are found most frequently in the reticulum, or 

 second stomach (PI. II, B), though sometimase in the rumen. In 

 calves hair balls are generally found in the fourth stocach. There are 

 no certain symptoms by which we can det^nnino the presence of hair 

 balls in the stomach, and therefore no treatment can be recommended 

 for such cases. In making post-mortem examinations of cattle, we 

 have sometimes found the walls of the reticulum transfixed with nails 

 or pieces of wire, and yet the animal during life had not shown any 

 symptoms of indigestion, but had died from maladies not involving 

 the second stomach. 



INDIGESTION (DYSPEPSIA, OB GASTRO-INTESTINAL CATARRH ). 



Tympanites, already described, is a form of indigestion in which 

 the chief symptom and most threatening condition is the collection of 

 gas in the paunch. This symptom does not always accompany indi- 

 gestion, so it is well here to consider other forms under a separate 

 head. If indigestion is long continued the irritant abnormal prod- 

 ucts developed cause catarrh of the stomach and intestines — gastro- 

 intestinal catarrh. Or, on the other hand, irritant substances in- 

 gested may cause gastro-intestinal catarrh, which, in turn, will cause 

 indigestion. Hence it results that these several conditions are usually 

 found existing together. 



