CHRONIC METEOBISM OF RUMINANTS. 



113 



CHRONIC METEORISM OP RUMINANTS. 



Slow, chronic tympanites consists of a tenacious and periodic 

 accumulation of gas, mainly of carburet of hydrogen, in the rumen; 

 but this accumulation is less abundant than in tympanites. In a 

 case observed by Erdmann the gaseous mixture was of the follow- 

 ing composition : 



Carburet of hydrogen 42 per cent. 



Carbonic acid 35 " 



Nitrogen 20 " 



This composition varies with the ingested food, and these figures 

 must not be considered absolute ; they show, however, that carbonic 

 acid is less abundant in chronic tympanites than in the acute form 

 of this disease. 



Etiology. Among the causes mentioned by authors, there are 

 two very different ones which must be indicated. Chronic tym- 

 panites frequently is only a symptom of chronic catarrh of the 

 Momach; it is caused by the arrest of the process of rumination, 

 the activity of fermentation, and the suppression of the movements 

 of the rumen. When catarrh exists, the least dietetic mistake, such 

 as a too rapid ingurgitation of the food in adult animals, or the 

 ingestion of a large quantity of milk in young ones, is apt to pro- 

 duce meteorism. It is evident that fodder which ferments easily 

 favors its development, especially when given for any length of 

 time. The following substances may also act in the same way : dry 

 fodder when such aliment has been withheld for some time, hay cut 

 too short, the farinas, etc. 



All abnormal conditions which cause mechanical interference 

 with rumination are causes of chronic meteorism. We must here 

 especially mention the contractions of the œsophagus (contractions 

 by compression), due most frequently to tumors or to tuberculous 

 degeneration of the mediastinal lymphatic ganglions. In fact, 

 chronic tympanites is often related to tuberculosis. The tumors of 

 the first three gastric compartments (polypi, fibromata, sarcomata, 

 etc.), segagropilse, or stercoral balls may hinder eructations and pro- 

 duce meteorism. The adherence of the abdominal viscera to the 

 abdominal walls interferes with their movements, causing stagnation 

 of the alimentary matters and tympanites ; these peritoneal adhe- 

 sions are ordinarily due to sharp foreign bodies, to blows given 

 upon the lower part of the abdomen, to repeated punctures of the 



8 



