76 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



Symptoms. Lying apart from other stock, lameness, stiffness, swellings 

 on affected part, which swellings are full of gas and emit a crackling sound 

 if rubbed ; high fever, poor appetite. When one of the swellings is opened a 

 foul smelling fluid runs out, which is often streaked with blood. 



Treatment. Animals with black leg generally live several days, but few 

 recover. Put the well calves on new uninfected pasture or barns and give 

 uninfected water. This is a reliable and safe preventive and should be done 

 before the trouble occurs, if there is black leg in the country. 



Dissolve a scant teacupful of Glauber's salt and one-half to two-thirds 

 teacupful of table salt in a quart of water. Give this dose again from 4 to 

 6 hours and once a day for several days. This is one of the most effective 

 remedies known. 



Prevention for Black Leg. A safe and reliable prevention is to vaccinate 

 with a good black leg virus. 



Take three pounds each of air-slaked lime and saltpeter, six pounds of 

 sulphate of iron and ten pounds of sulphur, pulverize and mix thoroughly. 

 Instead of feeding salt alone, use a pound of this mixture to a gallon of salt. 

 This medicine is used to prevent black leg in many parts of the West. 



Bleeding. 



Slight hemorrhages may be stopped by the continual application of ice, 

 snow or cold water to the wound. Lint or sponges may be forced into a 

 wound and held with bandages. Tie a piece of string tight around the end 

 of a cut artery. When necessary saturate a bandage in vinegar or alum and 

 apply tightly to the wound. 



Blind Staggers. (See "Horse Department," Page 158.) 



Bloat. 



Bloat means an enlarged condition of the paunch caused by being filled 

 with gases of fermentation. Green food, choking, acute indigestion, gases in 

 the digestive tract are the causes of bloat. 



Symptoms. The animal has an anxious expression, moves uneasily and 

 is evidently distressed. Drum-like sounds are made when the fingers are 

 snapped against the left flank. The animal moves slowly, breathes with diffi- 

 culty, often emits a grunt or moan as it breathes. There is a dripping of 

 saliva from mouth, colicky pains are shown by kicking at belly or stepping 

 about uneasily. The animal may stagger and fall as bloating increases and 

 die if not relieved. 



Treatment. In a light case of bloat no medicine may be needed ; it may 

 be sufficient to walk the animal around for half an hour. When the life of 

 the animal is in danger, tapping should be resorted to since there is little 

 danger from this operation. This should be done, if the flank is drum-like, 

 in order to let the gas escape. After medicine is used the bowels should be 

 opened by injections of warm soapy water. 



