CATTLE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



153 



lows may be given at night (See No. 14 

 Domestic Animals, Medicines for.) If, 

 on pressing the sides, the animal evinces 

 pain, we may suspect some inflammation 

 of the liver; and a blister on the sides, 

 but particularly the right side, will be 

 useful. 



After the yellowness is removed, and 

 the beast restored to health, the tonic 

 drink (No. 13) should be given twice in 

 the week, for a month. This will con- 

 tribute to restore the weakened appetite, 

 and particularly will bring back to the cow 

 the proper flush of milk. 



CATTLE, Inflammation of the Brain in. 

 — This is not a very frequent, but a most 

 frightful disease. It is commonly known 

 by the names phrenzy or sough. It is most 

 prevalent among well-fed cattle, and par- 

 ticularly in the summer months. In the 

 early period of it the beast is dull and 

 stupid. He stands with his head protruded, 

 or pressed against something for support. 

 He refuses to eat, ceases to ruminate, and 

 is in a manner unconscious of surround- 

 ing objects. Now and then he will stand 

 motionless for a long time, and then sud- 

 denly drop ; he will start up immediately, 

 gaze around him with an expression of 

 wildness and fear, and then sink again 

 into his former lethargy. All at once, 

 however, his eyes will become red, and 

 seemingly starting from their sockets ; the 

 countenance will be both anxious and 

 wild ; the animal will stagger about, fall- 

 ing and rising again, and running uncon- 

 sciously against everything in his way : at 

 other times he will be conscious enough 

 of things around him, and possessed with 

 an irrepressible desire to do mischief. He 

 will stamp with his feet, tear up the 

 ground with his horns, run at every one 

 within his reach, and with tenfold fury at 

 any red object; bellowing all the while 

 most tremendously, and this he will con- 

 tinue until nature is quite exhausted; a sud- 

 den and violent trembling will then come 

 over him, he will grind his teeth, and the 

 saliva will pour from his mouth ; he will 

 fall, every limb will be convulsed, and he 

 will presently die. 



Causes. — It proceeds most commonly 

 from a redundancy of blood in the sys- 

 tem, called by farmers an overflowing of 

 the blood; and this is induced by cattle 

 thriving too fast when turned on rich pas- 

 ture grounds, or their being fed too quickly 



in order to get them into condition for 

 show or sale. It is sometimes occasioned 

 by the intense heat of the sun, when cattle 

 have been turned into the fields where 

 there has been nothing to shade them 

 from its influence. It may be brought on 

 by severe contusions on the head, or by 

 the cattle being harassed and frightende, 

 when driven along the road, or through 

 large towns. 



The chief or the only cure is bleeding. 

 The neck vein should be opened, on each 

 side, if possible, and the blood should be 

 suffered to flow until the animal drops. 

 It is absurd to talk of quantities here ; as 

 much should be taken as can be got, or 

 at least the blood should flow until the 

 violence of the symptoms is quite abated. 



To this a dose of a strong physic 

 drink (see No. 15 Domestic Animals, 

 Medicines for) should follow. 



If the violence, or even the wandering, 

 should remain, another bleeding should 

 take place six hours afterwards, and this 

 also until the pulse falters, and the purging 

 should be kept up: dosec of 1 ounce 

 epsom salts, and y^ drachm each of calo- 

 mel and opium, mixed in y 2 pint linseed 

 oil, should be given twice a day. 



Although it is very difficult to produce 

 a blister on the thick skin of the ox, it 

 should be attempted if the disease does 

 not speedily subside. The hair should be 

 closely cut or shaved from the upper part 

 of the forehead and the poll, and for six 

 inches on each side down the neck, and 

 some of the Blister Ointment (See No. 16 

 Domestic Animals, Medicines for,) 

 well rubbed in. 



When the blister is beginning to peel 

 off green elder or marshmallow ointment 

 will be the best application to supple and 

 heal the part. A little of it should be 

 gently smeared over the blistered surface 

 morning and night. 



A seton smeared with the above oint- 

 ment may be inserted on each side of the 

 poll in preference to the application of a 

 blister. 



Although the violence of the disease, 

 and of its remedies, will necessarily leave 

 the beast exceedingly reduced, no stimu- 

 lating medicine or food must on any ac- 

 count be administered. Mashes and 

 green meat, and these in no great quanti- 

 ties, must suffice for nourishment, or, if 

 the animal, as is sometimes the case, is 



