DISEASES OP THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 39 



constipation immediately after birth when the meconium that accumu- 

 lates in the bowels before birth is not passed. In such cases, give a 

 rectal injection of warm water and an ounce of castor oil shaken up 

 with an ounce of new milk. The mother's milk is the best food to 

 prevent constipation in the new-born calf, as it contains a large 

 amount of fatty matter, which renders it laxative in its effects. 



It is usually better to treat habitual constipation by a change of diet 

 than by medicine. Flaxseed is a good food laxative. If the consti- 

 pation has lasted long, repeated small doses of purgatives are better 

 than a single large dose. 



INTESTINAL WORMS. 



[See chapter on " The animal parasites of cattle."] 



RUPTURES (VENTRAL, HERNIA). 



Ventral hernia, or rupture, is an escape of some one of the abdominal 

 organs through a rupture in the abdominal muscles, the skin remain- 

 ing intact. The rumen, the small intestine, or part of the large intes- 

 tine, and the fourth stomach are the parts which usually form a ventral 

 hernia in bovine animals. 



Causes. — Hernia is frequently produced by blows of the horns, 

 kicks, and falls. In old cows hernia may sometimes occur without 

 any direct injury. 



Hernia op the rumen. — Hernia of the rumen is generally situated 

 on the left side of the abdomen, on account of the situation of the 

 rumen. In exceptional cases it may take place on the right side, and 

 in such cases it also generally happens that some folds of the intes- 

 tine pass into the hernial sac. Hernias have been classified into simple 

 or complicated, recent or old, traumatic (from mechanical injury) or 

 spontaneous. 



In recent traumatic hernia there is swelling on the left side of the 

 lower part of the abdomen. The swelling is greatest in the cases of 

 hernia which are situated on the lower part of the abdomen. . Unless 

 an examination is made immediately after the injury has been inflicted 

 it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to ascertain the exact extent 

 of the rupture, owing to the swelling which subsequently takes place. 

 Frequently there is no loss of appetite, fever, or other general symp- 

 toms attending the injury. From the twelfth to the fifteenth day the 

 swelling has generally subsided to such an extent that it is possible 

 by an examination to determine the extent of the rupture. 



In old cows what is termed spontaneous hernia may sometimes take 

 place without any direct injury. The occurrence of this form of 

 hernia is explained by the increase in the size of the abdomen, which 

 takes place in an advanced stage of pregnancy, causing a thinning 

 and stretching of the muscular fibers, which at last may rupture, or 

 give way. Such hernias frequently occur about the end of the period 

 of gestation, and in some instances have contained the right sac of 



