DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 175 



ness naturally does not desire food. "When the trouble is re- 

 moved, the animal will soon commence to chew the cud again. 

 "When this happens without any appreciable cause, the adminis- 

 tration of a cathartic such as Epsom salts 4 ounces, hyposulphite 

 of soda 1 ounce, dissolved in one pint of warm water, will gen- 

 erally give satisfactory results. If it is due to indigestion, evi- 

 denced by the sheep pulling and eating its wool, prepared chalk 

 mixed with common salt sprinkled over the fodder \yill effect a 

 cure. 



Impacttoti of the Rumen. 



This is a mechanical distension of the rumen with food. It 



is practically a filling up of the rumen with solid food, more 



particularly grain; it may also be seen where sheep are grazed 



on new grass in stubble fields, the sudden changing from poor 



to rich pastures ; new wheat also has been known to produce very 



fatal effects. The walls of the rumen become paralyzed, their 



natural motions cease, and the food remains in the viscus as an 



inert indigestible mass. 



Symptoms. 



It will be distinguished from bloat in that pressure on the 



left flank reveals a doughy, pitting feeling, the rumen, as felt 



imder the skin, not being a yielding buoyant tumor as in bloat. 



The sheep appears dull and stupid, naturally does not chew the 



cud, grunts occasionally from pain, has an anxious look, and, as 



befpre stated, a diagnostic symptom is the inelastic, doughy, 



feeling of the left flank. 



Creatmcnt. 



A cathartic should be administered, combined with which 

 stimulants are indicated, both nervous and systemic. 



Take. Fluid extract nux vomica 5 minims 



Barbadoes aloes -J ounce 



Aromatic spirits ammonia 2 drachms 



Warm water 1 pint 



