Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

304 CATTLE.
tended. It is the relaxation of the muscular fibres which causes the
two pillars that constitute the floor of the canal and the roof of the
rumen to be easily opened, either for the admission or the return of
food ; but when the stomach is filled and elongated, as well as
widened, these fleshy pillars must be stretched, and in proportion as
they are distended, will they be brought closer, to each other, and
firmly held there. When the rumen is filling, there are occasional
eructations of a sour or fetid character ; but when the stomach is
once filled, there is no longer the possibility of escape for its contents.
The animal cannot long sustain this derangement of important
parts ; inflammation is set up, and the circulation becomes seriously
and dangerously disturbed by this partial obstruction. Affection of
the brain comes at last, characterized by fullness of the vessels, hardness
of the pulse, redness of the conjunctiva, and protrusion of the
eye. The tongue hangs from the mouth, arid the mouth is. filled
with spume. " The beast stands with his back bent, his legs as much
as possible under him ; and he gradually becomes insensible— 'immovable—moans—falls—struggles
with some violence, and as death
approaches, some relaxation of the parts ensues, and a quantity of
green sour liquid, occasionally mixed with more solid food, flows
from the mouth and nose.
' In order to save the animal, the gas must be liberated or otherwise
got rid of. Some persons, when symptoms of hoove appear,
drive the animal about, and keep him for a while in constant motion.
It is supposed, that in the motion of all the contents of the abdomen,
while the animal is moving briskly about, the pillars of the roof of
the paunch must be for a moment relaxed, and opportunity given
for the gas to escape into the cesophagean canal, and through the
gullet ; and this will, undoubtedly, be the case to a certain degree.
The ox cannot without much difficulty, and often not at all, be induced
to move with rapidity, which is necessary to produce concus-
sions sufficiently powerful to shorten and disunite the muscular pil-
lars. There must also be some danger of rupturing the stomach so
much distended, or the diaphragm, against which it is pressing, by
the very production of these concussions.
Alkalies have been recommended, as almost a specific. It may be
conceded that the alkali would be likely to neutralize the acid con-
tents of the stomach ; but there is one objection to it, viz., that the
same closing of the roof of the rumen, which prevents the escape of
the gas, would also prevent the entrance of the alkali, -which would,
consequently, pass on to the third and fourch stomachs, where there
is no acid for it to neutralize.
Oil (whether olive, or spermaceti, or castor, or common whale oil,
seems to be a matter of indifference) will sometimes prove serviceable
in cases of hoove ; but it is either at the very commencement, before
the muscular pillars are tightened, and when a portion of it can