DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 35 



secretions of the bowels are irritating, an ounce of carbonate of mag- 

 nesia and half an ounce of tincture of opium should be shaken up in 

 a quart of linseed tea and gi\ en to the animal three times a day until 

 the passages present a natural appearance. When there is debility, 

 want of appetite, no fever, but a continuance of the watery discharges 

 from the bowels, then an astringent may be given. For such cases 

 the following is serviceable : Tannic acid, 1 ounce ; powdered gentian, 

 '2 ounces; mix and divide into 1'2 powders, one powder to be given 

 three times a day until the passages present a natural appearance. 

 Each powder may be mixed with a pint and a half of water. Tanno- 

 pin is a new remedy that is most useful in such cases. The dose is 

 from 30 grains to 2 drams. Useful household remedies are raw 

 eggs, strong coffee, parched rye flour, or decoction of oak bark. In 

 all cases the food must be given sparingly, and it should be care- 

 fully selected to insure good quality. Complete rest in a box stall 

 is desirable. When diarrhea is a symptom of a malady characterized 

 by the presence of a blood poison, the treatment appropriate to such 

 disease must be applied. 



SIMPLE ENTERITIS. 



[See Gastroenteritis, p. 33.] 

 CROUPOUS ENTERITIS. 



Under certain conditions, severe irritation of the digestive canal 

 may, in cattle, cause a form of inflammation of the intestines (enter- 

 itis) that is characterized by the formation of a false membrane upon 

 the surface of the lining membrane of the intestines, particularly 

 the large ones. 



Symptoms. — There is fever, depression, loss of appetite, diarrhea, 

 and in the fecal masses shreds of leathery false membrane may be 

 found. These shreds are sometimes mistaken for parasites or for 

 portions of the wall of the intestine. 



Treatment. — Give a pound of Glauber's salt, followed by bicar- 

 bonate of soda in doses of 2 ounces four times daily. 



ENTERITIS (OBSTRUCTION RESULTING FROM INVAGINATION. OR INTUSSUSCEP- 

 TION, TWISTING, AND KNOTTING OF THE BOWELS). 



Inflammation may arise from a knot forming on some part of the 

 small intestine from the portion of the bowel becoming twisted on 

 itself, or from one part of the bowel slipping into another, which is 

 termed invagination. This form of enteritis occurs occasionally in 

 animals of the bovine species. 



Causes. — The small intestine, which in the ox rests on the right 

 side of the rumen, is, from the position which it occupies, predisposed 

 to this accident. It has been ascertained that animals which have 

 shown symptoms of this malady have trotted, galloped, or made other 



