CHAPTER XV. 

 DISEASES OF LIVE STOCK. 



While it is impossible within the limits of a short 

 article to cover all the diseases to which livestock is 

 heir, there are several which affect domestic animals 

 throughout the West. These might be called "standard 

 diseases" because of their general prevalence. Some of 

 the diseases from which stock suffer are caused by eat- 

 ing poisonous plants, and have been considered else- 

 where in this work. Not only should the Western man 

 be able to recognize the common diseases that affect 

 his stock, but he should also be able to administer or 

 suggest the necessary simple remedy. 



Where a veterinary surgeon is available, he should 

 be called. There was a day when the village "horse 

 doctor" generally was a "quack," with little or no scien- 

 tific or professional knowledge of the work which he 

 undertook to do; but the veterinarian of today is as 

 much a professional man in every sense of the word as 

 is any doctor of medicine. A graduate from any of 

 the well-known veterinary colleges is fully as competent 

 to take care of the health of dumb animals as the doc- 

 tor is to care for a family. 



Many a valuable horse or cow has been lost by its 

 owner following the advice of every one who came 

 along, thus burdening the poor animal's stomach with 

 a variety of remedies, all more or less antagonistic to 



