136 THE farmer's veterinarian 



tablespoonful of sulphate of iron, 2 tablespoonfuls 

 of dried blood, and 2 tablespoonfuls of tincture of 

 opium with a pint of water. This is given in the 

 food in doses of i or 2 tablespoonfuls of this mix- 

 ture three or four times a day to each sick bird. 



CHOKING. — Horses frequently choke from too 

 rapid eating of oats, and cattle are very commonly 

 troubled on attempting to swallow apples, turnips, 

 or small pieces of ear corn. In either of these cases 

 much distress is occasioned and serious danger. 

 In treating the horse, the best treatment is to give 

 it a little oil, after which rub the hand up and down 

 the gullet to scatter the accumulated oats. Some- 

 times it is necessary to make an incision in the 

 gullet through which the material is removed. 

 Better have a veterinarian do this. When food 

 lodges in the gullet of cattle, suffocation soon fol- 

 lows if it is serious and in the upper part of the 

 gullet. When such objects have lodged near the 

 stomach end there is less immediate danger. Of 

 course the first treatment is to try to force the ob- 

 ject down by using the hand, if at all possible. If 

 this cannot be done a probang should be used. The 

 probang should be very limber, so as to bend easily, 

 and it should be used with great caution. Cattle 

 often are killed by the accidental puncture of the 

 gullet as the probang is pressed down toward the 

 mouth of the stomach. Consequently no unyield- 

 ing article like a broom handle or even a buggy 

 whip should be used. If a regular probang is not 

 available, a rope a little less than one inch in 

 diameter can be inserted and gently worked down 

 the gullet. Before using the rope, grease it well 

 and make a knob at the end to be inserted. This 

 knob can be made of cotton strings or muslin cloth. 



