ACUTE METEORISM OF RUMINANTS. 



Ill 



more exciting than absorbent. The other absorbents — concentrated 

 soap- water, or lye, potash, lime-water, etc. — are less dangerous. We 

 must not, however, overlook the fact that absorbents reaching the 

 rumen act under entirely different conditions from those obtained 

 when we place one of these agents in a flask filled with carbonic 

 acid gas, and then agitate the flask. The reactions do not take 

 place in the same way in both cases ; far from it. 



The anti- ferments, which are of great advantage in chronic tym- 

 panites, are only advisable in slight cases of the acute form ; for 

 these cases we can use hyposulphate of soda (100 to 200 gi'ammes) 

 or chlorate of potassium (30 to 60 grammes), especially recom- 

 mended by Marton, Brow^n, David, and others; Labarraque's liquor 

 or hypochlorite of soda (50 grammes of the salt dissolved in half a 

 litre of fresh water), hydrochloric acid, etc. 



We must not lose too much time in trying these means ; we ought 

 to know the right moment at which to abandon them and make 

 use of the oesophageal sound or the trocar. Anxiety and dyspnœa 

 often render the use of the sound extremely dangerous ; at times also 

 the obstruction does not permit its application. In such cases we must 

 unhesitatingly puncture the rumen. By making a narrow incision 

 in the skin, the introduction of the trocar is rendered much easier. 



The plain round canula, without lateral openings, is preferable 

 to any other. If the evacuation of gas happens too suddenly, ver- 

 tigo may occur, also fainting or syncope through cerebral anemia 

 provoked by the hyperemia of the organs of the abdominal cavity. 

 The canula should not be removed too quickly ; if fermentation 

 should still continue, meteorism might again be produced. The 

 instrument can safely remain in place for several hours. When 

 asphyxia is imminent, and we are without a trocar, the puncture must 

 be made with a knife, the blade of which should be absolutely firm. 



When asphyxia is averted and the cure of the meteorism is ob- 

 tained, the animals must be subjected to a severe diet for several 

 days, for the accumulated matters in the paunch might act upon 

 those introduced, and by producing abnormal fermentations cause 

 a renewal of the meteorism. 



The treatment of acute tympanites in the sheep is about the same 

 as in the ox. Massage of the left flank and the raising of the 

 anterior quarters are much to be preferred to the application of the 

 œsophageal sound or puncture of the rumen (May). This latter 

 operation is much more dangerous than in the ox. If we are 



