DISEASES OF THE STOMACH,BOWELS, eTC.
General [General]
Cattle suffering from this disease are said to be “Hoven or Blown.” It is generally met with when cattle begin to eat green fodder, of which they will often eat an enormous quantity, more than the stomach is capable of acting upon in the usual way; consequently the mass soon begins to ferment, and gas is generated, which distends the paunch to an immense extent, and oftentimes so rapidly does this take place, that the animal sinks and dies before any relief can be given. When an animal is discovered with the stomach so distended that death is apprehended, the first thing to be done, is to make an opening into the stomach, either with an instrument on purpose, or if nothing is at hand, a knife may be used; the puncture must be made on the left side, about four inches from and just below the hip bone. Colchicum autumnale, is the best medicine to be used, of which 10 drops of the first dilution may be given; this will often be sufficient to establish a cure, where the symptoms are not dangerous enough to warrant an opening being made into the stomach. It, after the violence of the symptoms is somewhat abated, the animal does not ruminate, give Nux vomica or Arsenicum.
Dose. Six drops of either remedy every two or three hours.
Sometimes from derangement of the digestive organs or from other causes, the stomach becomes distended from eating ever so small a quantity of green food, and the animal is obliged to be fed with the greatest care to prevent it; and this generally occurs during the season when scarcely anything but green food is given. Arsenicum and Nux vomica never fail to effect a cure in cases of this sort; one or two doses of each as above mentioned are generally sufficient.
