226 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



In the violent attacks with high temperature and much prostration, 

 besides the salts agents must be given to lower the temperature and 

 counteract septic poisoning. Salicylate of soda one-half ounce, or 

 quinia 2 drams every four hours will help in both ways, or ounce 

 doses of hyposulphite of soda or dram doses of carbolic acid may 

 be given as often until six doses have been taken. Tincture of 

 aconite has often been used in 20-drop doses every six hours. If 

 the temperature rises to 106° or 107° F., it must be met by the 

 direct application of cold or iced water to the surface. The animal 

 may be covered with wet sheets and cold water poured on them 

 frequently until the temperature in the rectum is lowered to 102° F. 

 In summer the cow may be allowed to dry spontaneously, while 

 in winter it should be rubbed dry and blanketed. Even in the 

 absence of high temperature much good may be obtained from the 

 soothing influence of a wet sheet covering the loins and flanks and 

 well covered at all points by a dry one. This may be followed next 

 day by a free application of mustard and oil of turpentine. When 

 the animal shows extreme prostration, carbonate of ammonia (1 

 ounce) may be given to tide over the danger, but such cases usually 

 perish. 



In this disease, even more than in difficult and protracted parturi- 

 tion or retained placenta, the attendants must carefully guard against 

 the infection of their hands and arms from the diseased parts. The 

 hand and arm before entering the passages should always be well 

 smeared with lard impregnated with carbolic acid. 



MILK FEVER (PARTURITION FEVER, PARTURIENT APOPLEXY, OR 

 PARTURIENT COLLAPSE). 



This disease is not only peculiar to the cow, but it may be said to 

 be virtually confined to the improved and plethoric cow. It further 

 occurs only at or near the time of calving. Indeed, these two factors, 

 calving and plethora, may be set apart as preeminently the causes of 

 this disease. It is the disease of cows that have been improved in 

 the direction of early maturity, power of rapid fattening, or a heavy 

 yield of milk, and hence it is characteristic of those having great 

 appetites and extraordinary power of digestion. The heavy milking 

 breeds are especially its victims, as in them the demand for the daily 

 yield of 50 to 100 pounds of milk means even more than a daily in- 

 crease of 2 to 3 pounds of body weight, mainly fat. The victims ^re 

 not always fat when attacked, but they are cows having enormous 

 powers of digestion, and which have been fed heavijy at the time. 

 Hence the stall-fed, city-dairy cow, and the farm cow on a rich clover 

 pasture in June or July are especially subject. The condition of the 

 blood globules in the suffering cow attests the extreme ricliness and 

 density of (he blood, yet this peculiaritj^ appears to have entirely 



