Diarrhea 275 



of light sorrel, buckskin or dun color are more subject 

 to diarrhea than those of more decided colors. 



As diarrhea is an effort of nature to remove an 

 irritant, it follows that it should not be checked too 

 suddenly. First, locate and remove the cause. A small 

 dose (about two ounces for horses and cattle, and a 

 half ounce for calves) of castor- oil combined with an 

 ounce of laudanum, and given as a drench with a little 

 linseed gruel is excellent. For calves and lambs, a 

 small quantity of dried blood (one teaspoonful to one 

 tablespoonful), given in dilute milk or gruel three times 

 daily, will usually stop the trouble. For calves, it is 

 usually a good plan to dilute the milk with one -third 

 lime-water, and to feed them frequently, but only small 

 amounts at a time. Parched flour added to boiled or 

 sterilized milk is also advisable. Lime-water can be 

 made by pouring water on fresh lime. After the 

 lime is slaked and settled, the water can be poured 

 off and used. Equal parts of essence of Jamaica ginger, 

 laudanum, and tincture of asafetida, mixed and given in 

 hot water as a drench, is excellent. The dose is from 

 two teaspoonfuls to two tablespoonfuls of the mixture. 

 In persistent cases, use an astringent, such as oak -bark 

 tea. This is made by steeping the inner bark of white 

 oak. For a horse, a teacupful of this tea combined 

 with an ounce of laudanum should be given as a drench 

 twice daily. Horses that are subject to diarrhea while 

 on the road should be watered sparingly before and 

 during the drive. Prepared chalk in one-half to ounce 

 doses twice daily is useful in such cases. 



