DISEASES OP THE OX AND SHEEP. 387 



»f lime in sufficient abundance, and phosphates and lime salts 

 ire in small amount in both soil and water. The animals 

 apidly lose flesh, and move about sluggishly and stiffly; the 

 appetite is bad, and the pulse becomes frequent in number and 

 eeak. Soon the poor creatures have difficulty in standing ; the 

 oints swell, and so brittle do the bones become, that fractures 

 ,re very common in these cases. The milk as a rule becomes 

 bin and watery, and very deficient in solid constituents; though, 

 n those instances where the cows eat a good quantity of food, 

 t may maintain for some time a fair quality. 



In the treatment of this disease, the first thing necessary 

 s to remove the animal to a different soil, and, if possible, to 

 ibtain water which contains earthy salts in fair quantity. Good, 

 lutritious food is essential ; that containing phosphates is 

 specially valuable. The salts of iron are valuable as tonics ; the 

 ulphate or carbonate of iron is useful, but the citrate of iron 

 •nd ammonium is even better. The latter may be given in two- 

 Irachm doses twice daily. Vegetable tonics and the phosphate 

 >f calcium are also valuable additions ; especially the latter. 

 )ur knowledge of this disease seems to indicate that soft water 

 s bad for cows, especially milch-cows. 



The last disease of which we have to speak here is goitre, a 

 Qalady which attacks man and animals alike, in districts where 

 he water supply is obtained from the magnesian limestone. 

 X is common in Derbyshire, and is known generally as *' Derby- 

 hire neck." It is also common in Switzerland and many other 

 !Ountries, and, although more common in man and sheep, it is 

 lometimes met with in oxen. It consists of an enlargement of 

 he thyroid gland, and the tendency to overgrowth of this struc- 

 ure may be inherited. The treatment of goitre consists in 

 akingthe animals from the district in which they have contracted 

 he disease, or by supplying rain-water, or water acted upon by 

 he addition of carbonate of sodium, which precipitates the 

 nagnesium salt. 



ANCIENT MEDICINES— SUPERSTITIONS— CHARLA- 

 TANRY— POISONS. 

 Those of our readers who have perused our work on The 

 Diseases and Disorders of the Horse (London : Bailliere, 

 Cindall & Cox), will remember that we commented upon some 



26 * 



