VETERINARY SCHOOL AT LYONS. 159 
the men without education or talent, and to whom they had re¬ 
course in the first place. 
In our infirmaries we every year give assistance to many bitches 
and cats in difficult parturition. It frequently happens, that 
when these animals are confided to our care, their strength is 
quite exhausted, the little ones dead, and the vagina and uterus 
inflamed. We have this year obtained very satisfactory effects 
from the use of the ergot of rye, given in doses of half a grain and 
a «rain. when the womb is found to be in that inert state which 
O ' 
follows prolonged and fruitless efforts to expel the foetus. This 
medicine will not have the same salutary efficacy if inflammation 
of the womb exists. In this case the remedy will only aggravate 
the evil, and hasten the death of the patient. 
We agree with 11 Candidus,” that we should yield the place 
of honour in our Journal to these useful records of the Transac¬ 
tions of the Schools. How gladly should we do so with regard 
to a school nearer home.— Editors. 
To Mr. Sumner we return our cordial thanks for the frank 
and straightforward exposition of his treatment of several of the 
diseases of cattle. If every practitioner was actuated by the 
same laudable spirit, our profession would indeed rapidly pro¬ 
gress in improvement. To his inquiry respecting the power that 
cattle have been supposed to possess of directing their food or 
medicine into which of the four stomachs they please, we will 
endeavour to reply in as brief a manner as possible. The struc¬ 
ture of the stomachs of ruminants will be considered more at 
length in Mr. Youatt’s lectures on the digestive system. 
The oesophagus of cattle does not terminate in either of the 
stomachs, but in a curiously formed canal, the roof and the sides 
of which are closed, and possess considerable muscular power, 
and the floor of which consists of two round muscular pillars, 
lying in approximation with, but separate from, each other : so 
that in its quiescent state this canal is perfect, and the aliment 
may be conveyed along it; but under certain circumstances these 
