DISEASES OP THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 173 



able, had better be slaughtered. If, however, extreme meas- 

 ures are to be tried, select the bulging portion of the gullet 

 caused by the choke for the point to be operated on, clip the wool 

 off from the part, wash the skin with soap and water, and 

 apply a 5 per cent, solution of carbolic acid; then make a bold 

 incision with a sharp knife (which must be clean, and should have 

 been dipped previoiis to use in the carbolic solution) through 

 the skin and underlying tissues to the gullet, lay the gullet open 

 by another stroke of the knife, remove the obstruction, take a 

 surgeon's needle, threaded with sterilized silk or catgut, and 

 bring the edges of the gullet together, being certain that the in- 

 side mucous linings are in apposition, wash the wound out with 

 carbolic solution and sew up the skin, using three or four stitches. 

 After the operation the animal «hould be kept perfectly quiet 

 and fed on a liquid diet till the wound in the gullet has perfectly 

 healed, the best food being linseed jelly or oatmeal gruel, to 

 which a little whiskey has been added, or anything which can be 

 swallowed without exerting the muscular coats of the gullet. If 

 in two or three days after the operation the swallowed liquids 

 continue to exude from the wound the animal had better be 

 slaughtered, as the chances are that the operation has been a 

 failure. 



Bloat, Rown, also Called Blasting. 



This is not in itself a disease, but rather a condition arising 

 from the mal-assimilation of food, it being due to the collection 

 and formation of gases in the rumen or first stomach, due to the 

 fermentation of its contents. It arises from various causes, such 

 as the eating of grasses still wet with dew — especially should they 

 belong to the clover family — frosted roots, or root tops, and a 

 diet containing a surpkis of moisture, especially if suddenly 

 forced on the .sheep, or it may arise as a sequel to choke, as 

 stated in descriptions of preceding disease. 



