ON THE SENSIBLE PHENOMENA OF RUMINATION. 339 
further by inquiries per rectum. With this view we have in¬ 
troduced our arm into the rectum of the cow at the time of feed¬ 
ing, and by carrying it towards the left flank have perceived 
the same movements as were visible to us in the palpitation 
of the flank externally. We have endeavoured to make the 
same inquiries during rumination, but no sooner has this been 
attempted than almost immediately has the act ceased. If the 
ear be applied to the cardiac region, extraordinary agitation ‘is 
heard in the great gastric cavities: a sound becomes very dis¬ 
tinguishable resembling a noise made by an oar splashing in the 
water, and that of the water afterwards dropping from it when 
raised. At the same time gaseous sounds are heard. If it be 
true that the salivary glands be remarked to be swollen at the 
time of rumination, it could not fail to interest us to know if 
such turgescence be greater during preparatory mastication than 
while ruminating. We have prevailed on M. Clement, chef de 
service of chemistry, to make for us an analysis of the ruminatory 
cud obtained through compression of the oesophagus; and the 
following is the result:—• 
Ruminatory Cud. 
Water.93,21 
Organic matter . . .'.5,25 
Soluble alkaline salts.0,22 
Insoluble salts.1,32 
100,00 
By way of sequel to the above, we collected from the reti¬ 
culum of a bullock, about to be slaughtered, some of the fluid 
contained in it, which likewise M. Clement has had the kind¬ 
ness to analyze. 
Water of the Reticulum. 
Water.93,08 
Organic matter.6,46 
Soluble alkaline salts.0,24 
Insoluble salts.0,22 
100,00 
Recueil de Med. Vet. November and December 1851. 
