THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 241 



Impaction of foreign bodies in the oesophagus occurs very 

 frequently in the ox. The symptoms resulting from it 

 are not so urgent as in the horse. The animal stands 

 with the muzzle projected^ coughs, champs the jaws, and 

 there is a profuse flow of saliva from the mouth. Appetite 

 and rumination are suspended, but there are gulping 

 efforts. The eyes are projecting and bloodshot, and the 

 patient is very uneasy ; there is frequent passage of urine 

 and faeces. When any matter is ingested it is returned by 

 vomition through the mouth and nose. The impaction may 

 be up against the pharynx, in the cervical, or in the thoracic 

 regions of the tube. In the former case the coughing is 

 most marked and respiration is interfered with, in the 

 latter, fluid seems to pass, but simply fills the passage up 

 from the obstruction, and is then returned by vomition; 

 also auscultation detects frequently rushes of gas past the 

 obstruction (Nelson), while altogether the symptoms are 

 less urgent. When the body is lodged in the cervical 

 region, swelling may be perceived on the left side in the 

 channel of the neck. This may be large or small, hard or 

 soft, movable or immovable, according to the nature 

 of the body and the conditions of the oesophagus. Tym- 

 pany early sets in, except in those cases, which are not 

 numerous, in which liquids and gaseous matters can pass 

 the obstruction. The swelling of the rumen threatens 

 suffocation, and requires relief either by puncture or by 

 passage of the hollow probang. On performing the latter 

 operation we determine the presence of a solid body 

 preventing its entry into the stomach. This body may 

 be a turnip, mangold, or potato. All such roots should 

 be sliced or bruised, especially when animals receive them 

 as a change of diet, for then they are greedily stowed 

 away in the rumen, and a too large one causes choking. 

 Whole eggs given to improve the animal's condition are 

 much less frequently the cause of choking in the ox than 

 in the horse. The bulimia (or depraved appetite) from 

 which cows especially suffer causes them to consume 

 strange bodies, which may become impacted in the oeso- 

 phagus. Imperfect salivation of coarse food seldom causes 



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