FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 247 



Change position every 4 to 6 hours. This trciitment, if begun when the din. 

 ouso has not advanced more tluin two or tlirce hours, porliaps will in a majority 

 of cases cure. It is wonderful how rapidly tlie animal will recover after re- 

 turning to consciousness. In the case of a Jersey cow treated iix November, 

 she began to show signs of returning consciousness at about 8 A. M., at 12.30 

 P. M. she was able to get up and stand upon her feet, although with some 

 difficulty. Efforts to get up were made as early as 10.30 A. M. At 3 P. M. 

 she was eating, and shortly after rumination began. For several hours she 

 appeared dull and languid and did not eat readily or largely. Excretion, both 

 liquid and solid, took j)lace and the animal was, to all appearances, well, but 

 looked haggard. At this date (Jan. 24) she is as well as any cow in our herd. 



Prevention. 



As there is so much difficulty in discovering the animal in time to bring the 

 foregoing treatment to a successful issue we are reminded that *' An ounce of 

 prevention is worth a pound of cure." Hence if "we can prevent the attack, it 

 is much better than to cure it. As the trouble arises with the overloading of 

 the stomach and consequent indigestion, or largely from that cause, then it 

 would naturally follow that we can prevent tliis by depriving the animal of a 

 portion of the food ration a few days before parturition is to take place. 



This has been practiced in Great Britain, in France, and also in this 

 country, with good success. In addition to the foregoing I would recommend 

 the feeding of laxative mashes two or three times previous to the date when 

 parturition is expected. In addition to this, shut the animal in a yard or stall 

 where there is no straw litter, as the animal may conclude to gorge herself on 

 this when she has been on short allowance for a week. This was the case with 

 the last case we had in charge. The cow had been on half rations for 10 days 

 and had feeds of turnips as a laxative. But when signs exhibited showed that 

 parturition was near, she was turned loose into a box-stall well littered with 

 oat straw. She at once gorged herself, and in 12 hours time was stricken with 

 the disease. This disease would not seem so bad if it attacked and carried off 

 only the poorer members of the herd. But when the destroyer comes and 

 selects the fattest and best of the flock matters seem doubly worse. 



A year ago I delivered a lecture before the farmers in several localities in 

 this State on " The need of more veterinary science among farmers," wiien I 

 found a strong desire for more light and education in the management of those 

 diseases that are most common to our domestic animals. I sadly felt the need 

 of more knowledge and experience in the management of our own herd. 

 During the year I have made some progress in some directions, and have tried 

 in this effort to give you some of the benefit of my investigation and study. 

 Hoping that some parts of it may be of benefit to you, as it certainly has to 

 me, I close, thanking you for your kind attention. 



DISCUSSION". 



Prof. Robert Jennings, V. S., was present, and on being called for, made the 

 following remarks in regard to the treatment of Puerperal or Milk Fever : 



This disease is one which our farmers should fully understand. Its fatality 

 is due to neglect or ignorance in detecting the early symptoms of the disease. 

 Careful observation will soon enable the farmer to determine at once its 

 approach, in time to ward off the attack, or render it comparatively mild. 

 "Prevention is better than cure." The old method of bleeding and purging 



