Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

362 CATTLE.
the beast having been gored by one of its companions. The external
wound may probably be small, or, m some oases, the skin may not be
broken at all, but the internal wall of the belly is injured, and partially
or entirely ruptured. In consequence of this, a tumor soon
appears, varying in size according to the extent of the injury. It is
a portion of the intestine that is protruding. The enlargement is
tender when pressed upon, but it does not seem to interfere with the
health of the animal, and a fortnight or three weeks elapse before any
serious consequence is observed ; at length the tumor begins to
increase very rapidly ; the animal expresses considerable pain on
being moved, and is only comparatively easy when lying down, and
even then it moans occasionally ; the breathing is quickened ; the
countenance is anxious ; the pulse is quick and small ; rumination has
stopped, and the usual evacuation of faeces is diminished. It is
plainly a protrusion of the bowels, and now attended with some
degree of strangulation, or pressure of the edges of the wound upon
them, and thus obstructing the passage of their contents. The tumor
is generally soft and yielding, and, on pressure, a gurgling noise is
heard within it. On inspection of the cut, p. 330, and observation
of the loose manner in which the small intestines are attached to the
edge of the mesentery, it will be easy to account for the occasional
enormous size of the tumor, and the quantity of intestine which is
protruded.
It is rarely possible, by any manipulation (taxis), to return the
bowel ; - ' and if it could be returned, it would immediately escape
again. It is therefore loss of time to endeavor thus to treat the case..
It would be worse than loss of time, for considerable inflammation
may be set up by a long^continued and rough handling of the part.
The beast must be thrown and held on his back, with the hind
parts somewhat elevated. An incision must be made through the
skin, corresponding with the length of the tumor, especial care being
taken that the protruded intestine, which will be found immediately
underneath, be not wounded. Then, if there be any strangulation of
the intestine, whi6h in most cases there will be, the first and second
fingers of the left hand must be introduced between the bowel and
the edge of the wound ; a crooked knife (a bistoury) must next be
passed cautiously between the fingers, and the wound enlarged sufficiently
to enable the protruded mass to be returned. The bowel
having been thus replaced in its natural cavity, the edges of the
wound through the walls of the belly must be brought together and
retained with stitches ; the skin, if necessary, being dissected back a
little, in order to get at the whole of the wound. Stitches must then
be passed through -the skin, the divided edges of which should be
brought together in the same manner. In a few cases it will be
practicable, and always advisable when practicable, to include the
skin and the muscular wall of the belly in the same stitch. A pled-