2 8? DISEASES OF THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



milk after peptonizing. The addition of salt to egg-albumin greatly 

 facilitates absorption. Gruels of all kinds, and broths, may be 

 peptonized, as well as milk. It is not essential, however, to peptonize 

 milk and other fluids, although absorption is rendered somewhat 

 more complete. The digestive powers of the large intestines are 

 but slight. Sugar is absorbed unaltered ; undigested proteids (with 

 certain exceptions) and fat are not absorbed. Peptones, soluble 

 proteids, as milk, meat juice, egg albumin, and emulsified fat are 

 absorbed. Nevertheless, absorption from the lower bowel is trivial 

 compared with that from the stomach and small intestines, and 

 as the extent of surface with which rectal injections come in contact 

 is small, and their sojourn short, it follows that rectal feeding cannot 

 take the place of normal alimentation. 



In tetanus, paralysis of muscles of deglutition, fracture of the jaw 

 in horses, persistent vomiting and convulsions in dogs, and in all 

 animals refusing food, rectal feeding is indicated. It is possible to 

 feed animals through a stomach tube (or catheter), and, in hospital 

 cases, this method may be preferable. 



Practical Disinfection. 



The premises occupied by animals suffering from contagious 

 diseases, together with all articles contained therein, such as harness, 

 blankets, stable implements, and evacuations, must be disinfected 

 after the removal of all animals and isolation of the sick. The ex- 

 creta should be mixed with milk of lime (i part of freshly slaked 

 quicklime, with 2 parts, by volume, of water), or with pure chlo- 

 rinated lime. The floors and walls must be scraped and washed. 

 Boiling water should then be poured over every available part of 

 the premises, and these brushed with a saturated solution of chlo- 

 rinated lime. Or all available parts of infected stables should be 

 saturated with one of the following solutions by means of a small 

 hand force-pump, or brush : 5 per cent, formalin, 1 to 500 corrosive 

 sublimate, 2 per cent, cresol, or 5 per cent, carbolic acid. Clothing 



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