Part 22

If nervous, symptoms are manifested by dilated pupils, blindness, congested conjunctiva, hot horns and ears, and drowsiness, or excitability apply cold water or an icebag to the head and continue as long as may be needful. If the patient should become violently delirious he may be fastened to a beam overhead in the centre of the stall so as to prevent him from injuring himself or others.

In these cases the more violent and irritant purgatives are to be avoided, and decoctions of slippery elm, linseed or gum may be given to sheathe and protect the irritated membrane.

Even though a free action of the bowels has been secured it is not to be assumed that all impacted material has been removed. A specially laxative diet of roots, ensilage, or succulent green food, with a liberal supply of salt, and free access to water should be kept up for some weeks to secure a complete softening and expulsion of the impacted material. Repeated small doses of laxative medicine may be requisite to bring this about. As a rule a course of tonics, and above all of nux vomica is valuable in re-establishing the normal tone of the stomachs and intestines.

INFLAMMATION OF THE OMASUM.

Involved in rinderpest, Texas fever, malignant catarrh, etc. Diphtheritis, Tuberculosis, Irritant poisons, Traumatisms, Impactions, change to green food, etc. Lesions: Congestion, ramified redness, petechiæ, desquamation, softening, necrosis, false membranes, ulcerations, pigmentation, papillary growths, impaction. Symptoms: those of impaction with fever. Course, Treatment: demulcents, laxatives, blisters, bismuth, eserine, veratrine, pilocarpin, electricity, careful diet.

Like the rumen the omasum is the seat of local inflammatory lesions in certain specific fevers. Thus in Rinderpest, and Texas fever it is almost always the seat of patches of congestion and blood extravasation, and in the latter of necrosis and perforation of the folds. Similar lesions sometimes appear in malignant catarrh and anthrax. Dieckerhoff describes exudates, ulcerations and even perforations in pseudo-diphtheritis, and Brückmüller, congestions and ecchymoses in connection with a cutaneous rash. Tuberculosis of the organ is somewhat rare and is held to be due to the swallowing of bronchial secretions in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Cases of primary inflammation are rare, in keeping with the soft finely divided condition in which the food reaches the organ. It may, however, occur in case of the ingestion of arsenic and other irritant poisons, or of goring, kicks and other injuries on the right hypochondrium, or from the irritation attendant on impaction, or again from the stimulus of a sudden change to rich green food.

The lesions in such a case are congestion of the folds with patches of ramified redness, blood extravasations, desquamation, softening or even gangrene. False membranes, perforating ulcers, and erosions are sometimes present. In the chronic forms grayish or slate colored pigmentation of the mucosa, congestions and papillary growths are common.

In both acute and chronic forms the congestion entails loss of contractility and thus impaction and drying of the ingesta between the folds of the organ are constant.

Symptoms. These are the symptoms of impaction of the manifolds, impaired appetite and rumination, formation of solid masses in the rumen, tympany, tenderness or pressure on the right hvpochrondrium, irregularity of the bowels, arching of the back and grunting when made to walk. The addition of fever, as evidenced by rectal hyperthermia, hot horns, ears, legs and muzzle, serves to diagnose it from simple impaction.

The course of the malady is the same as in impaction, but with an even greater tendency to aggravation and a fatal result as the inflammation entails a paresis of the walls of the viscus which favors a constant accumulation and dessication of the interlaminar material.

Treatment. This must be largely on the same line as in impaction, laxatives of sulphate of soda, a diet of flaxseed or barley gruel, and drinking water rendered demulcent with slippery elm. These must be supplemented by a mustard or other blister to the right hypochondrium, by soothing doses of nitrate of bismuth (½ ounce), and hypodermic injections of eserine (1½ grain), veratrine (1 grain), or pilocarpin (3 grains). A current of electricity sent through the right hypochondrium once or twice a day, will further be desirable. When convalescence has set in, mashes of wheat bran and middlings may be allowed, to keep up the flagging vigor, and the patient should be returned to solid, fibrous food by slow degrees only.

TUMORS OF THE OMASUM.

Papilloma. Sarcoma. Actinomycosis.

Tumors of the omasum have been seen only as papilloma, and sarcoma.

The =papillomata= result from hypertrophy of the normal papillæ, and their general appearance resembles those of the pharynx, gullet and paunch. They sometimes grow to the size of the fist or larger, with a cauliflower appearance, their increase and the formation of pedicles being favored by the active contractions of the muscular coat of the manifolds. They may be red and vascular if recent, are usually white if older, and may become somewhat horny on the surface, but soft and friable within. When they attain a large size they may obstruct the passage to the fourth stomach, tending to impaction of the manifolds and arresting digestion and nutrition.

=Sarcoma= of the third stomach has been recorded by Paule, Kitt and Schütz as developing in the subserous tissue and forming a layer on the surface of the organ. This bulges out in rounded swellings of irregular sizes, and may show various degenerations—caseous, calcic or necrotic. The structure shows fusiform and rounded cells more or less numerously imbedded in a fibrous stroma.

ACTINOMYCOSIS OF THE ABOMASUM.

This has been seen once by Professor Axe. Its true nature is unrecognizable during life, but if other formations of the same kind betray the nature of the lesion, the treatment by iodide of potassium may be resorted to with good hope of success.

INDIGESTION OF THE ABOMASUM.

Causes: excess of water—ice cold, or after privation. Symptoms: colicy pains, local perspirations, right flank gurgling, diarrhœa, arched back, anorexia, or nervous symptoms. Prevention: Treatment: stimulants, carminatives, exercise, electricity, friction, stimulants of peristalsis.

This has been observed as the result of ingestion of an excess of water, and especially ice cold water, by work oxen, or overdriven animals which have been long exposed to the heat of the sun and subjected to violent exertions without drink. The habit of allowing water only at long intervals, though it is being abundantly eliminated not only by kidneys and bowels, but also by the accelerated breathing and the sudation, causes consuming thirst, and when brought to the drinking place, the subject drinks inordinately before eating. Much of this liquid is passed at once into the abomasum, which with a capacity of 20 to 25 quarts, becomes overdistended and irritated. Much of the water passes speedily into the bowels, rousing these also into unwonted action. The sudden distension appears to cause spasmodic contractions of the abomasum, which are aggravated if the liquid is cold, and a violent though transient suffering is induced.

Symptoms. These appear suddenly after the drinking of the cold water and consist in the most violent colicy pains, twisting of the tail, kicking at the belly, lying down and rising at short intervals, moaning, looking at the flanks, anxious countenance, and the breaking out of perspirations around the ears, on the neck or belly. There is no tympany of the rumen but there are some fullness and active gurgling on the right side of the abdomen. The attack does not usually exceed one or two hours in length, and a profuse diarrhœa brings relief, the alvine discharges being very watery with considerable mucus and some undigested food principles.

In exceptional cases it has lasted for six hours and even in the more transient cases, there is liable to remain for a time dullness and prostration, advancing of the hind legs under the body, anorexia and suspended rumination. Cruzel records two cases in which the small intestine was ruptured as the result of too vigorous driving of the patients. Other cases have perished from the coexistent diarrhœa. Nervous symptoms also may appear as in other gastric disorders. The usual result is recovery after a very transient illness. This short and favorable course, and the evidence of cause and symptoms sufficiently identify the disease.

Treatment. Prevention should be sought by avoidance of cold water in excess, when the animal is heated, fatigued and thirsty. A little food, an occasional mouthful of water, or a drink of warm water and meal will act prophylactically. When the animal is attacked alcoholic drinks, ammonia, carminatives (pepper, ginger, fennel, caraway, peppermint, chamomile) or even strong tea or coffee may be used to advantage. Careful walking exercise is also useful with friction to the abdomen, or the use of electricity. Cadeac advises stimulants of the peristalsis—eserine, veratrine or pilocarpin subcutem; senna, podophyllin, or castor oil by the mouth.

INDIGESTION OF THE FOURTH STOMACH IN THE YOUNG.

Causes: Symptoms: Dullness, recumbency, inappetence, colic, acid eructations, abdominal tension, costiveness, diarrhœa, emaciation. Lesions: Sour coagula in stomach, puffy or congested mucosa, undigested casein in bowels and fæces. Prevention as in infector gastro-enteritis. Treatment: Elimination, antacid, antiseptic, carminative, stimulant, rennet.

While the fourth stomach in the mature animal is protected against danger by the preparatory work of the first three, and by their action in retarding the food in its progress, and allowing it to pass into the fourth only when thoroughly comminuted and then only in small quantity at a time; in the suckling on the other hand the milk passes at once into the abomasum, which is thus rendered as susceptible as in the monogastric animal.