Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

DISTENSION OF THE STOMACH FROM GAS. 305
enter the paunch, and produce a disposition to vomiting'or purging
or, if the whole passes on into the fourth-stomach, and so into the in-
testinal canal, a sympathetic but inverted action is excited in the rumen,
and a portion of its contents is sent, by an unusual passage,
from the rumen through the third and into the fourth stomach, and
so relief is obtained. In this way purging is occasionally established,
either in consequence of a stimulus applied immediately to the coats
of the first stomach, or from sympathy with the action going forward
in the intestinal canal, and a portion pf the food is carried from the
rumen into the intestines without being returned to the mouth to be
remasticated. The grassy and harder fibres, sometimes found in the
dung in considerable quantities, prove that that portion of it could
riot have undergone rumination. This, however, is not striking at the
root of the evil.
The object to be accomplished is the extrication of the gas, and
the prevention of any fresh quantity of it being developed. If the
farmer or the practitioner, at a distance from home, sees any of his
cattle so dangerously hoven or swelled as to threaten speedy death,
he adopts a summary mode of getting rid of the gas : he takes a
sharp-pointed knife, and plunges it into the left side, underneath, and
in contact with which the rumen is found. The gas rushes violently
through the aperture, carrying with it steam, and fluid, and
pieces of food. The belly falls, and the beast is immediately relieved.
The safest place for this operation is the following :— Supposing a
line to be drawn close along the vertebrce, from the haunch-bone to
the last rib, and two other lines of equal length to extend down the
flank, so as to form an equilateral triangle, the apex of the triangle,
or the point where these lines would meet, would be the proper place
for the operation, for there is no danger of wounding either the spleen
or the kidney.
It may also be suggested, that a small trochar is far preferable to
a knife for this operation, and might very conveniently be carried in
the instrument-case of the surgeon, or the pocket of the farmer. It
consists of a short strong stilett, terminating in three cutting-edges
converging to a point, and having a handle that may be grasped
with some force. To this is accurately fitted a silver tube, reaching
from the termination of the three edges to the handle. This is
plunged into the flank ; the stilett is then withdrawn and the tube
remains as long as the operator pleases, grid may be secured by tapes
attached to two rings at the base of it, and tied round the body of
the animal.
The gas is certainly extricated by the knife or trochar, and generally
successfully so. When gas ceases to escape, it may be taken
for granted that the manufacture of it has ceased in the rumen ; the
trocar may then be withdrawn, and the wound will speedily heal.
There are, however, occasional bad consequences, which are altogether
;