146 



CATTLE— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



recently affected, immediate recourse 

 should be had to bleeding, for otherwise 

 the lungs will probably become diseased, 

 and dangerous or consumptive hoose will 

 speedily ensue. 



5. In bruises, hurts, wounds upon the 

 head, strains in different parts, and all 

 other accidents that may occur to the 

 animal, and in which there is reason to 

 apprehend considerable inflammation, 

 bleeding will be proper. 



6. In violent catarrh or cold, bleeding 

 is employed; but, in slight cases, a few 

 fever drinks will restore the animal. 



7. The yellows, when attended with 

 feverish symptoms, or constipation of the 

 bowels, requires bleeding. 



The manner of performing this opera- 

 tion is too well known to require any de- 

 scription. 



The Fleam is an instrument in general 

 use for oxen, and the jugular or neck vein 

 is that which is mostly opened. Local 

 bleeding is, however, in many cases par- 

 ticularly serviceable. In inflammation of 

 the eye, the eye-vein is frequently cut ; in 

 foot-halt, we sometimes bleed at the toe ; 

 and in inflammation of the bowels, or ud- 

 der, or even of the chest, blood is advan- 

 tageously taken from the milk-vein. 



The quantity of blood that it may be 

 proper to take away at one time cannot 

 here be determined; but must be regulated 

 by the size, strength, and condition of the 

 animal, and the disease under which he 

 labors. In many inflammatory com- 

 plaints, too much can hardly be taken, 

 provided the bleeding is stopped as soon 

 as the patient appears likely to faint or 

 to fall down. A strong, healthy beast 

 will bear the loss of five or six quarts of 

 "blood, without the least injury. Larger 

 ■cattle, that are attacked with inflamma- 

 tory complaints, will profit by the abstrac- 

 tion of a greater quantity ; seven or eight 

 quarts may be taken away with decided 

 advantage : but when it is necessary to 

 repeat the bleeding, the degree of fever 

 and the strength of the beast will regulate 

 the quantity. The blood should flow from 

 a large orifice, for sudden depletion is far 

 more powerful in its operation, than when 

 the blood is suffered slowly to trickle 

 down. The blood must never be allowed 

 to fall upon the ground, but should be re- 

 ceived into a measure, in order that the 

 quantity taken may be known. No ab- 



solute quantity of blood should ever be 

 prescribed, but when extensive bleeding 

 is demanded, the stream should flow until 

 the pulse falters, or intermits, or the ani- 

 mal begins to heave violently, or threatens 

 to fall, or other circumstances show that 

 the system is sufficiently affected. The 

 beast should not be permitted to drink 

 cold water immediately after bleeding, 

 nor to graze in the field : the former has 

 sometimes induced troublesome catarrh, 

 and the latter may cause the orifice to 

 open again. If this operation is per- 

 formed in the summer season, it will be 

 most prudent to fetch the cattle out of 

 the pasture towards evening, in order that 

 they may be bled; and, after that, to let 

 them stand in the fold-yard all night, and 

 drive them back to the field on the follow- 

 ing morning. 



CATTLE, Diarrhoea, or Purging.— 

 Purging is produced by various causes: by 

 change of food, from dry to green meat, 

 or from short to luxuriant pasture; by 

 poisonous plants, bad water, or unknown 

 atmospheric agency. 



It is not always to be regarded as a dis- 

 ease, nor should the farmer be always 

 anxious to stop it. It may be an effort of 

 nature to discharge something that is in- 

 jurious ; it may exist while the beast enjoys 

 almost perfect health, and is even thriving. 



The farmer will not regard an occa- 

 sional fit of purging ; he will only attack 

 it if it is violent, or if it continues too long. 

 In the first case it indicates some disor- 

 dered state of the bowels, or the presence 

 of some offending matter in them, and he 

 will endeavor to remedy this ; not as is 

 too often done by attempting to arrest the 

 discharge as speedily as he can — not by 

 the exhibition of astringent medicine — 

 but by giving a mild dose of physic, in 

 order to assist nature in her effort to get 

 rid of some evil. Nothing so much dis- 

 tinguishes the man of good sense from 

 the mere blunderer as the treatment of 

 purging. 



From half to three-quarters of a pound 

 of Epsom salts should be given with the 

 usual quantity of ginger. The next day 

 he may probably administer a little as- 

 tringent medicine. The Astringent Drink 

 (see No. 17 Domestic Animals, Medi- 

 cines for) will be effectual, and not too 

 powerful. 



In the second case also, when purging 



