CATTLE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



185 



secret, however, of properly treating them 

 is to pass a seton through the very bot- 

 tom of the ulcer, in order that the matter 

 may flow freely out : then, in the major- 

 ity of cases, the wound will readily heal, 

 or if it should not, the diabolical scalding 

 •mixtures of the farrier are never wanted. 

 If we allowed any scalding mixture, it 

 would be boiling tar, because tar boils at 

 a very low degree of temperature. The 

 surface of the wound would be sufficiently 

 stimulated, and the life of the part would 

 not be destroyed; but he who pours in 

 his boiling oil, or his corrosive sublimate, 

 deserves never more to possess, or to be 

 permitted medically to treat, a beast. In 

 obstinate cases diluted acid (one part of 

 nitric acid and two of water) may be ap- 

 plied over the surface of the ulcer, with 

 a pencil or sponge. 



When a tumor is forming on the shoul- 

 der from the pressure of the collar, every 

 attempt should be made to disperse it. A 

 saturated solution of common salt will 

 •often be useful, or sal-ammoniac dissolved 

 in eight times its weight of water; but 

 the best discutient application is the Dis- 

 cutient Lotion (See No. 50, Domestic 

 Animals, Medicines for). 



The part should not only be wetted 

 with this embrocation, but gently yet 

 well rubbed with it. 



. Should the swelling still increase, and, 

 on feeling it, matter should evidently be 

 formed, the sooner the tumor is opened 

 the better, and the best way to open it is 

 to pass a seton from the top through the 

 lowest part of it. 



Oxen are very apt to be wounded in 

 the feet. If this is soon discovered, all 

 that will be necessary is to apply a 

 pledget of tow wetted with tincture of 

 aloes, confining it between the claws with 

 a bandage, or to touch the part lightly 

 with the butyr of antimony. When the 

 application of the caustic is necessary, 

 there is no need to apply it with the se- 

 verity used by some, so as to corrode the 

 parts to the very bone. 



If the wound is extensive, and accom- 

 panied by much swelling, heat, and pain, 

 and especially if the beast should begin 

 to lose its appetite, and to heave at the 

 flanks, it will be prudent both to physic 

 and to bleed. 



If much contusion or bruise attends 

 the wound, and which is very likely to 



happen when cattle are gadding about 

 and breaking out of their pastures in 

 summer, and especially when strange 

 beasts are intermixed, the previous fo- 

 mentation will be more than usually 

 necessary, in order to prevent inflamma- 

 tion, and to disperse or favor the escape 

 of the effused blood. The fomentations, 

 should be continued during half an hour 

 at each time, and repeated three or four 

 times in the day. The flannels should be 

 applied dripping wet, and as hot as the 

 hand can bear them. 



If the wound penetrates the cavity of 

 the chest, as it sometimes will when one 

 beast gores another, it will be necessary 

 to bring the parts more accurately to- 

 gether, and to confine them by closer 

 stitches; a piece of adhesive plaster 

 should then be placed over the wound, 

 and secured by the application of proper 

 rollers or bandages. If the air is suffered 

 to pass in and out of the wound for any 

 considerable time, the edges of it will be 

 indisposed to unite together and to heal, 

 and the pleura or lining of the chest will 

 probably become inflamed by the un- 

 natural presence of air in the cavity of 

 the chest. 



Should the belly be wounded, and a 

 portion of the bowels protrude, it will be 

 necessary to calculate the probability of 

 being able to return them into their prop- 

 er situation, and healing the wound ; for 

 in many of these cases the best thing the 

 farmer can do is to send the animal at 

 once to the butcher. If a cure is at- 

 tempted, all dirt and clotted blood should 

 be carefully removed from the protruded 

 intestine with a sponge and warm water. 

 It must then be cautiously returned into 

 the belly, and the edges of the wound 

 brought together and secured by the 

 close stitches. After that, rollers or band- 

 ages must be passed round the belly, and 

 which, being removed only while the 

 wound is dressed, must remain until a 

 cure is completed, and for a few days af- 

 terwards. 



In all these cases a veterinary surgeon 

 should be consulted. He alone is able to 

 give an accurate opinion as to the proba- 

 bility of a cure, and to guard against a 

 thousand accidents and annoyances that 

 are likely to occur in the treatment of 

 such a case. 



Many persons are frightened when 



