Non-rotated midgut in a dog.

Macroscopic observations of the partly-dissected abdomen of the preserved cadaver of a Labrador bitch were recorded and photographs taken. Neither the duodenum nor the colon looped around the root of the great (jejuno-ileal) mesentery, but both were long enough to have done so. The abdominal organs appeared to be otherwise normal, as did the other parts of the body. The condition appeared to have resulted from non-rotation of the midgut during embryonic development and to have no adverse effect on the animal.

The use of a shotgun for the emergency slaughter or euthanasia of large mature pigs.

The isolated heads of a Friesian bull and three large, Large White pigs were shot from various aspects with a 12-gauge shotgun using both a single 28 g solid lead projectile and buckshot, the latter consisting of nine individual lead pellets with a combined mass of 28 g. The sites of impact to the skull included the conventional frontal region, an occipital site and immediately behind the ear. A live mature Large White sow was shot with buckshot in the depression just caudal to the right ear, resulting in immediate insensibility and death. The damage caused to the isolated heads indicated that similar effects could be expected if the heads had been part of intact living animals. It is suggested that buckshot (nine lead pellets with a combined mass of 28 g) fired from a 12-gauge shotgun may be suitable for the emergency slaughter or euthanasia of a wide variety of domestic livestock and other species of animal.

Development of cleavage line patterns in the skin of the ovine fetus.

In fifty six ovine fetuses of both sexes, ranging in length from 20 mm to 41 cm crown-rump length, the developmental features of the cleavage lines of the skin over the whole body were examined by the stab-wound method using a metal probe with a sharp conical point. 1). Cleavage lines were observed as early as the 20 mm fetal stage. During each fetal stage, the various regions and areas of the ovine body were represented by individual cleavage line patterns. 2). The cleavage line patterns changed as the occurred the various structures elongated or thickened during fetal growth. 3). Among the fetuses, similar cleavage line patterns recurred in particular regions or areas, e.g., the flank, the antebrachium, the crus and fore- and hind-digits. 4). This recurrence of cleavage line patterns reflected the alterations with occurred with the growth of the whole body, in accord with the so-called functional-morphological rhythm of development.

Neurophysiologic maps of the cutaneous innervation of the external genitalia of the ewe.

The area of skin supplied by the afferent fibers in a peripheral nerve is called the cutaneous area (CA) of that nerve. The CA responsive to movement of wool or hair in the genital regions were mapped in 17 ewes, with the identifications of the peripheral nerves and of the spinal nerves contributing to the pudendal plexus being checked at necropsy. Differences were found in the origins and extent of CA of the cutaneous branches from the sacral plexus. The CA of the caudal rectal nerves and of a nerve that passed caudally between the caudal vertebrae and the ventral sacrococcygeus muscle lay lateral to the anus and in the adjacent skin of the tail. The CA of the proximal cutaneous branch and of the distal cutaneous branch from the pudendal nerve (or plexus) overlapped craniocaudally (by approx one-half) the CA of the distal cutaneous branch extending ventrally and ending just caudal to the ipsilateral mammary gland. The deep perineal nerve innervated the skin immediately lateral to the anus and vulva. The dorsal nerve of the clitoris innervated hairs on the ipsilateral half of the vulva. Other fibers in the pudendal nerve were presumed to pass into the mammary branch of the nerve. They innervated the skin ventral to the vulva, the ipsilateral mammary gland, and (in some ewes) areas of the skin cranial to the mammary gland. The CA of the genitofemoral nerve included the ipsilateral teat and the inguinal fossa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Neurophysiologic maps of cutaneous innervation of the hind limb of sheep.

The area of skin supplied by afferent fibers in a peripheral nerve is called the cutaneous area (CA) of that nerve. The CA of hind limb nerves that were responsive to movement of wool/hairs were mapped neurophysiologically in 25 barbiturate-anesthetized sheep. The CA of the dorsal cutaneous branches of the caudal lumbar spinal nerves and of the sacral spinal nerves extended over the lateral aspect of the thigh. The CA of the lateral cutaneous femoral nerve was restricted to the stifle region, that of the saphenous nerve did not reach the digits, that of the deep peroneal nerve lay between the 3rd and 4th digits, and that of the lateral plantar nerve was confined to the lateral aspect of the 4th digit. The CA of the superficial peroneal nerve enveloped the dorsal, medial, and lateral aspects of the distal portions of the hind limb. In some sheep, the boundaries of the CA of the superficial peroneal nerve were juxtaposed caudally in such way that the medial plantar nerve did not have an autonomous zone. Differences in sizes of the CA resulted in corresponding differences in the overlap between adjacent CA and concomitant differences in the sizes of autonomous zones.

Neurophysiologic maps of cutaneous innervation of the external genitalia of the ram.

The area of skin innervated by the afferent fibers in a peripheral nerve is called the cutaneous area (CA) of that nerve. Mapping of those areas that were responsive to movement of wool/hairs in the genital region of 18 anesthetized rams, combined with subsequent identification of spinal nerves and dissection of the pudendal nerve plexus, indicated considerable differences in the extent of the CA and the origins of cutaneous branches from the pudendal plexus. The CA of the proximal and distal cutaneous branches of the pudendal nerve (or plexus) overlapped craniocaudally by approximately one-half, and the latter included most of the skin of the ipsilateral half of the scrotum. The CA of the deep perineal and caudal rectal nerves lay immediately adjacent to the anus. The CA of the scrotal branches of the pudendal nerve were restricted primarily to the scrotum. Fascicles in the dorsal nerve of the penis irregularly supplied CA along the length of the prepuce and consistently supplied the cranial free end of the prepuce. The CA of the ventral cutaneous branches of the caudal thoracic spinal nerves, the first 2 or 3 lumbar spinal nerves, and the genitofemoral nerve extended to the midline of the prepuce. Overlapping of CA was extensive, especially on the prepuce.

Treatment of a strandling whale (Kogia breviceps).

A stranded young pygmy sperm whale was nursed for four days in a pool, fed an artificial diet via a stomach tube and injected intramuscularly with antibiotics and corticosteroids. Initially unable to maintain her balance or to swim, she showed progressive improvement and by the third day could swim and dive quite strongly. Early on the fifth day her condition rapidly worsened and she died. An autopsy revealed extensive deep bruising in the head and mid-abdominal regions consistent with injuries sustained during the stranding.

Descending and segmental inhibition of transmission through the spinocervical tract.

1. Micro-electrode recordings were made from axons of the spinocervical tract in unanaesthetized decerebrate-spinal cats.2. The effects of stimulation of (1) descending systems at the level of the upper cervical spinal cord and (2) hind limb cutaneous nerves, on discharges of spinocervical tract neurones were examined.3. Effects were obtained from bilateral spinal cord regions in the dorsolateral funiculi and the most medial and ventral parts of the ventral funiculi and also from the dorsal columns in the upper cervical region even though the columns had been transected at low thoracic and upper lumbar levels.4. Stimulation of either descending or segmental systems inhibited spontaneous and evoked responses. Facilitation was not seen. The inhibition had a time course of up to 250 msec, with maximal action at 20-40 msec and was greatest for polysynaptic responses or those evoked from the smaller myelinated cutaneous axons.5. It is suggested that the descending and segmental systems converge on to common inhibitory interneurones.