124 DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



the process of fattening, and that have somewhat too suddenly been removed from 

 scanty pastnrago and low feeding to a profusion of herbage, and that of a nutritious 

 and sfimulating kind. Tiie disease sometimes occurs when the cattle have been re- 

 moved from one pasturage to another on the same farm : but more so when they have 

 been brought from poor laud at a distance to a richer soil. There are in the latter case 

 two preparatory causes — the previous poverty and the fatigue and exhaustion of the 

 journey. 



" This disease rarely admits of cure, but fortunately it may in general be prevented. 

 If the malady is discovered as soon as it makes its appearance, the beast should be 

 immediately housed, and then from four to eight quarts of blood taken away, accord- 

 ing to the ago and size. Two hours after bleeding give a purging drink, as follows : 

 Epsom salts, 1 pound; powdered caraway seeds, i- ounce; dissolve in a quart of warm 

 gruel, and give (which will be found of a proper strength for young cattle from the 

 age oiE one to two years). 



" The bleeding should be repeated in three or four hours, if the animal is not mate- 

 rially relieved ; and a third bleeding must follow the second, if the fever is unabated. 

 There must be no child's play here ; the disease must be knocked down at once or it 

 will inevitably destroy the beast. The physic likewise must be repeated until it has 

 had its full etiect. 



"As soon as the bowels are well opened the fever-drink No. 1 (tartar-emetic, 1 drachm : 

 powdered digitalis, i drachm ; niter, 3 drachms ; mixed in a quart of thick gruel) should 

 be administered, and repeated morning, noon, and night, all food except a little mash 

 being removed. 



"At the first appearance of the disease the part principally affected should be fomented 

 several times in the course of the day with hot water, and for at le.ist an hour each 

 time. For this purpose there should be two or three large pieces of llannel iu the 

 water, that after one of them has been applied thoroughly hot and dripping to the 

 part aftected, another equally hot may be ready when this gets cold. 



"As soon as the fever begins evidently to subside and the beast is more himself and 

 eats a little, the fever-medicine must not be pushed too far. It should be remembered 

 that this is a case of highly inflammatory disease which soon passes over and is often 

 succeeded by debility almost as dangerous as the fever. The ox therefore must not be 

 too much lowered; but, the fever abating, mildest tonic drink (gentian, 2 drachms; 

 emetic tartar, l- drachm ; niter, ^ ounce). Give in gruel. 



" If this does not bring back the fever it may be safely continued once every day until 

 the ox is well, or the quantities of the gentian maj^ be increased and the emetic tartar 

 lessened and at length altogether omitted, the niter being still retained. 



"A seton (of black hellebore root if it can be procured) should be inserted into the 

 dewlap, and if the beast can be moved it should be driven to much scantier pasture. 



" Should not the disease be discovered until there is considerable swelling and a crack- 

 ing noise in some tumefied part, a cure is seldom effected. Bleeding at this stage of 

 the complaint can seldom be resorted to, or at least one moderate bleeding only should 

 be practiced, in order to subdue any lurking fever that may remain. If a cure is in 

 these cases attempted, the tonic drink should be given, which may invigorate the sys- 

 tem by its cordial and tonic powers, and prevent the mortification extending. 



" The swelled parts should be frequently bathed with equal portions of vinegar and 

 spirits of wine, made as hot as the hand will bear ; or if ulceration seems to be ap- 

 proaching, slight incisions should be effected along the whole extent of the swelling, 

 and the part bathed with spirits ot turpentine, made hot. 



"If ulceration has commenced, accompanied bj^ the peculiar fetor that attends the 

 disease, the wounds should be first bathed with the disinfectant lotion (solution, 

 chloride of lime in powder, ^ ounce ; water, 1 pint ; mix). 



" The hot spirits of turpentine should be applietl immediately after this and continue 

 in use until either the mortified parts have sloughed off or the sore begins to have a 

 healthy appearance. The tincture of aloes or Friar's balsam may then follow. 



" Since so little can be done in the way of cure, we next anxiously inquire whether 

 there is any mode of prevention. The account which we have given of the disease 

 immediately suggests the prevention, namely, to beware of these sudden changes of 

 pasture ; now and then to take a little blood from, or to give a dose of physic to, those 

 beasts that are thriving unusually rapidly, and whenever the disease breaks out on 

 the farm to bleed and to purge and remove to shorter and scantier feed every animal 

 that has been exposed to the same exciting causes with those that have been attacked. 

 The farmer should be particularly watchful during the latter part of the spring and 

 the beginning of the autumn. He may thus save many a beast, and the bleeding and 

 the physic will not arrest but rather assist their improvement. He who will not attend 

 to a simple rule like this deserves the loss that he may experience." 



Mr. James C. Fairbank, Coucord, Morj^au County, Illinois, says : 



In cattle some heavy losses have been sustained from "Texas fever," so called. The 

 disease has been confined mostly to native cattle in this vicinity, and to these only in 



