Chronic Tympany of the Rumen. 107 



tent, suffering a material aggravation after feeding. Rumination 

 may be suspressed or tardy, the bowels also are torpid, the fteces 

 glazed, and the ordinary intestinal rumbling little marked. When 

 the tympany has temporarily subsided, the knuckles, pressed into 

 the left side, can often be made to strike against the hard, solid 

 impacted mass of ingesta. Symptoms of impacted manifolds may 

 also be patent and the patient steadily loses condition. 



Treatment must be directed toward the removal of the special 

 cause of the trouble, and if this cannot be secured, as in tubercu- 

 losis, the case is hopeless. In cases of solid masses in the rumen 

 the free use of common salt with a drachm of hydrochloric acid, 

 and one grain strychnine with each meal, and a free access to 

 water may succeed. The food had best be restricted to gruels 

 and sloppy mashes. The daily use of electricity through the 

 region of the paunch is an important accessory. The common 

 salt may be increased as required, so as to keep up a very relaxed 

 condition of the bowels. 



In obstinate cases of this kind puncture may be resorted to and 

 an attempt made to break down the impacted masses with a steel 

 rod introduced through the cannula. Should this also fail the 

 solid masses or foreign bodies may be extracted by rumenotomy. 



In simple catarrh of the rumen the continued use of strychnine 

 with gentian, and sulphate of iron, may prove successful under a 

 carefully regulated diet. Oil of turpentine, balsam of copaiba, or 

 balsam of tolu may also prove useful, or in other cases extract of 

 hamamselis, or of wild cherry bark. While strychnine and elec- 

 tricity are to be preferred to rouse the muscular activity of the 

 viscus, such agents as tartar emetic, emetine, apomorphia, 

 eserine, pilocarpin, and barium chloride are recommended and 

 may be resorted to in case of necessity. 



