DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 39 



order to remove the constipation the treatment must be applied to 

 remove the causes which give rise to it. Calves sometimes suffer from 

 constipation immediately after birth when the meconium that accumu- 

 lates in the bowels before birth is not passed. In such cases, give a 

 rectal injection of warm water and an ounce of castor oil shaken up 

 Avith an ounce of new milk. The mother's milk is the best food to 

 prevent constipation in the new-born calf, as it contains a large 

 amount of fatty matter which renders it laxative in its effects. 



It is usually better to treat habitual constipation by a change of diet 

 than by medicine. Flaxseed is a good food laxative. If the consti- 

 pation has lasted long, repeated small doses of purgatives are better 

 than a single large dose. 



INTESTINAL WORMS. 

 [See chapter on " Tho animal parasites of cattle," p. 518.] 



RUPTURES (VENTRAL HERNIA). 



Ventral hernia, or rupture, is an escape of some one of the abdom- 

 inal organs through a rupture in the abdominal muscles, the skin 

 i-emaining intact. The rumen, the small intestine, or part of the 

 large intestine, and the fourth stomach are the parts which usually 

 form a ventral hernia in bovine animals. 



Causes. — Hernia is frequently produced by blows of the horns, 

 kicks, and falls. In old cows hernia may sometimes occur without 

 any direct injury. 



Hernia of the rumen. — Hernia of the rumen is generally situated 

 on the left side of the abdomen, on account of the situation of the 

 rumen. In exceptional cases it may take place on the right side, and 

 in such cases it also generally happens that some folds of the intes- 

 tine pass into the hernial sac. Hernias have been classified into 

 simple or complicated, recent or old, traumatic <'from mechanical 

 injury) or spontaneous. 



In recent traumatic hernia there is swelling on the left side of the 

 lower part of the abdomen. The swelling is greatest in the cases of 

 hernia which are situated on the lower part of the abdomen. Unless 

 an examination is made immediately after the injury has been in- 

 flicted it is difficult, and sometimes impos.sible, to ascertain the exact 

 extent of the rupture, owing to the swelling which subsequently takes 

 place. Frequently there is no loss of appetite, fever, or other general 

 symptoms attending the injury. From the twelfth to the fifteenth 

 day the swelling has generally subsided to such an extent that it is 

 possible by an examination to determine the extent of the rupture. 



In old cows what is termed spontaneous hernia may sometimes take 

 ])lace without any direct injury. The occurrence of this form of 

 hernia is explained by the increase in the size of the abdomen, which 



