586 
ON THE STOMACHS OF RUMINANTS. 
to the animal in perseveringly administering strong purgatives, 
is in direct opposition to one common law in the animal econo¬ 
my, viz. that action cannot be greatly increased in any one 
organ without being diminished in some other.’’ Can it, then, 
be considered absolutely necessary still further to increase the 
irritation they are labouring under? I think not, for although the 
intestines were not primarily the seat of disease, yet all, even the 
most ignorant, are well aware that diarrhoea cannot exist for 
several days, let the exciting cause be what it may, without the 
villous coat of the intestines partaking, in a greater or less degree, 
of disease. Although Mr. F.' appears to think that super-purga¬ 
tion may be excited in the generality of cases without any dan¬ 
gerous consequences, yet I feel inclined to believe that all ..judi¬ 
cious veterinarians will concur with me in opinion, and in all 
cases avoid the slightest approach to it, particularly when the 
immense loss of cattle which this conntry annually sustains from 
diarrhoea alone is taken into consideration. 
It being a fact generally admitted, that purgatives do not ex¬ 
ercise their effects upon the stomachs, their administration in 
such and similar cases are, by me, strongly objected to: and 
their use, now so strongly recommended by Mr. F., is rather in 
opposition to an opinion ofhis given in The Veterinarian for 
April, page 201, where he says that it is to him problematical 
whether medicine can at all affect the first, second, and third 
stomachs.” Now with this as his opinion, I think he need not 
be surprised (when he has pursued the purgative treatment to the 
extent he so strongly recommends) at his finding, upon post¬ 
mortem examination, that the citadel had remained impregnable, 
and the outworks alone were forced, which in all probability 
had not, from the very commencement, required any great force 
to subdue. 
With these plain and open facts before his eyes, does it not 
enter into his philosophy, that his exertions would be more lauda¬ 
ble were he to direct the force of his artillery against the of¬ 
fending parts, viz. the paunch and manifolds ? and, that he can 
do so, in a direct manner too, I think I am fully prepared to 
shew him. When rumination is suspended, it is always my ob¬ 
ject to effect its restoration as quickly as possible; and when ef¬ 
fected, I generally find every untoward symptom gradually dis¬ 
appear. 1 have frequently witnessed it during the last month, 
which was pregnant with what is here termed fog fever,” a 
disease entirely confined at the onset to the first, second, and 
third stomachs. In several cases I found it absolutely necessary 
to abstract blood, from the distention of the stomachs interfering 
with the action of the lungs, and thereby causing an acceleration 
