) has been overcome.

RUMENOTOMY.

The opening of the paunch, or rumen, in cattle and the removal of a part or
the whole of the ingesta through said opening is termed rumenotomy. The
operation should be performed in severe cases only, where the rumen is
excessively overloaded and distended. The animal is placed with its right
side against a wall and firmly held in position by strong assistants. The
incision is made in the same place that the trocar is inserted for
puncturing that organ in cases of hoven. The opening is increased in size
until the operator's hand can be inserted into the rumen. Before any of the
contents are removed from that organ a linen cloth should be placed from
the outer wound into the rumen in order to prevent any of the ingesta from
getting into the abdominal cavity. Some practitioners, after removing a
portion of the contents of the rumen, introduce such medicine as may be
indicated before closing the wound. Clean the wound and close the opening
in the rumen with uninterrupted (Pl. XXVII, fig. 8) carbolized catgut
sutures. Next close the external wound, consisting of the integument,
muscle, and peritoneum, with stout, interrupted (Pl. XXVII, fig. 6)
metallic sutures. No feed should be given for several hours after the
operation, and then gruels only. (See "Distention of rumen or paunch with
feed," p. 26.)

TREATMENT OF ABSCESSES.

An abscess may be detected, if situated externally, by heat, pain, redness,
and swelling in the early stages, and, if further developed, by the
fluctuation which is present. When any of these symptoms are absent, the
suppuration should be encouraged by the means of hot fomentations and
poultices. Care must be taken that the abscess is not opened too soon, or
to some extent it may cause it to scatter, and the escape of pus will be
lessened. The time to open an abscess is just before it is ready to break,
and should be done with a sharp lance, a crucial incision sometimes being
necessary. The cavity should be syringed out with an antiseptic solution.
Care should be taken not to allow the wound to close too rapidly, to
prevent which a tent of lint or oakum should be introduced.

WOUNDS.

For the purposes of the present work wounds may be divided into three
classes: (1) Incised; (2) punctured; (3) lacerated or contused. In any
wound all that the most suitable applications can accomplish is, in the
first place, to prevent the access of those poisonous germs whic