216 THE OX AND THE DAIKY. 



According to M. Gelle, " Among the most constant symp- 

 toms of inflammation of the gastro-intestinal mucous mem- 

 brane is loss of appetite, with the arrest of rumination. If 

 the inflammation be intense, the tongue seems to be con- 

 tracted, and is evidently straighter and more rounded than 

 is natural ; the papillss which cover it become elevated and 

 injected ; the tongue moreover is red towards its point, and 

 also along its edges. In certain intense cases of gastritis, 

 and in some serious affections of the paunch or the aboma- 

 sum, the duodenum and liver participate in the inflammation, 

 and the tongue is yellow or green. This colouring sometimes 

 extends to all the visible mucous membranes. Vomiting, 

 when there has been primitive or .secondary affection of the 

 stomachs, denotes almost always a most intense inflamma- 

 tion, either, as is most commonly the case, continued from the 

 abomasum or pylorus, or also from the gullet itself. Hence 

 it is common in chronic gastro- enteritis and rare in acute. 

 Nevertheless, if one part of the food is vomited and the other 

 passes from the abomasum into the duodenum, it may be 

 presumed that the seat of the inflammation exists principally 

 in the abomasum. 



" The diminution and even the cessation of the secretion 

 of milk, constant in cows labouring under gastritis, is only 

 the result of the displacement of the vital action of the 

 secretory organ, in consequence of the violent action which 

 attacks the mucous membrane of the digestive organs." In 

 other words, there is an immediate sympathy between the 

 udder and true digesting stomach or abomasum; and the 

 inflammatory condition of the mucous membrane of the 

 latter produces an immediate effect on the former, both as to 

 the quantity and quality of its secretion. 



This disease, like all others of an inflammatory type, 

 varies in intensity. In mild cases a moderate abstraction of 

 blood, with purgatives of Epsom salts and sulphur, with a 

 little olive or castor oil, will prove beneficial, the diet being 

 confined to gruel and mashes. In severer cases, the bleeding 

 must be carried to its full extent, and even repeated, followed 

 by purgatives and doses of opium or laudanum ; injections 

 should also be resorted to, and a seton in the dewlap may be 

 useful. 



We cannot but remark, that this disease is one which the 

 professed veterinary surgeon alone can understand, and 

 which he alone can treat. When the farmer, then, sees his 



