DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 91 



Treatment to relieve vomition in swine is of (iuestionable value 

 because vomiting is nature's method of eliminating irritating sub- 

 stances from the stomach. The cause of the vomition should be de- 

 termined and removed or overcome and the trouble will cease. If 

 vomition is found to be caused by irritating substances in the stom- 

 ach it may be advantageous to further stimulate this process of 

 elimination by the administration of ipecac, syrup of squills or 

 veratrine, the latter being injected intramuscularly in one-half grain 

 doses. Cases of vomition resulting from constipation may be re- 

 lieved by the use of purgatives. Salines are probably the most 

 applicable purgative in relieving constipation in swine. Magnesium 

 and sodium sulphate in from 2 to 4 ounce doses given in solution 

 in capsules usually produce purgation in a few hours. 



If vomiting is associated with gastritis, it is usually advisable to 

 overcome the vomition by rectal injections of chloral or the admin- 

 istration of opium in capsules or by the injection of morphine. It 

 may be necessary to use cold compresses in the pharyngeal region 

 in addition to the administration of narcotics. 



The presence of foreign bodies in the stomach is sometimes due 

 to aberration of appetite and this variation of appetite frequently 

 continues and constitutes an outstanding symptom. There is us- 

 ually imperfect gastric digestion manifested by restlessness and in 

 extreme cases by retching and vomition. 



VOMITION (bMESIS) 



Vomition is rather common in swine and is the result of stimu- 

 lation of the vomition center, which is located in the medulla. This 

 stimulation may be direct from irritation in the nerve center, but 

 more frequently it is indirect from irritation of some portion of 

 the gastro-intestinal tract. Vomition is therefore a symptom of a 

 variety of disease conditions. It may be caused by engorgement 

 of the stomach, nature having provided this method of relieving 

 an overloaded stomach. Intestinal obstruction is another frequent 

 cause of vomition in swine, as is also irritation of the mucosa of the 

 esophagus, intestine, and more especially the stomach. Thus hog 

 cholera is frequently evidenced by vomition. Gastric pa,rasites not 

 infrequently cause sufficient irritation to produce violent vomition, 

 particularly in small pigs, while chemical irritants acting upon the 

 digestive mucosa may produce vomition. 



Swine as a rule vomit easily. The affected animals become un- 



