NEAT OR HORNED CATTLE. 293 



ter, are good purgatives, and if the animal neglects drinking 

 after taking them, he should be drenched with copious 

 draughts of water. These should be repeated every few 

 hours if ineffectual. Injections are sometimes useful when 

 medicine fails to act. These may be made of soap and wa- 

 ter ; or take 2 or 3 gills of oats boiled, 3 drachms salt petre, 

 1 J oz. linseed oil, mix and use them when warm. The 

 opening of the bowels may be followed with a pint of linseed 

 oil, as an additional and gentle laxative. When the animal 

 begins to recover, gentle astringents and tonics may be given. 

 Preventives. We have more confidence in preventives than 

 in remedies. Good keep, shelter, dryness, and good 

 health, will generally prevent attack. The cattle should at 

 all times be supplied with two or three troughs under cover, 

 and on the sides and bottoms of which, tar should be plenti- 

 fully spread. Let equal portions of salt and slacked lime be 

 in one ; salt and wood ashes in another ; and salt and brim- 

 stone in a third. Many farmers have entirely avoided this 

 disease while using one or more of these, when they annually 

 lost many by it previously. 



HOOF AIL is indicated by lameness, fever, and a soft 

 swelling just above the hoof. Remedies. Carefully wash 

 the foot in warm soap suds, and while still damp, apply be- 

 tween the claws on the affected part, from one to three grains 

 of corrosive sublimate. If it does not fully adhere, it must be 

 mixed with hogs lard, but it should be so applied as to be out 

 of the reach of the animal's tongue, as it is a powerful poison, 

 and the extreme irritability of the feet will induce him to lick 

 them. The claw is efficiently cleansed by drawing a cord brisk- 

 ly through it, when either of the above applications, or blue 

 vitriol put on two or three times a day ; or spirits turpentine, 

 will effect a cure. It is sometimes cured by putting the ani- 

 mal in the stantials and applying a sharp chisel three fourths 

 of an inch from the toe, and striking it with a mallet till it is 

 cut off. If it does not bleed freely, cut off shavings till it does. 

 If the animal is refractory, let a person hold up the opposite 

 foot. Keep them in the stable two or three days, and out of 

 the mud for a week. 



Loss OF CUD is loss of appetite, prostration, and general 

 ill health. Remedies. Give a warm bran mash, with good 

 hay, and warm water with salt. An aloe tincture, made 

 with brandy and ginger, is good. Afterwards, good, dry, 

 nourishing food ; and bitter infusions, chamomile flowers, 

 hoarhound, oak bark, &c., in beer. 



