684 THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF THE OX. 



less easily acted on than the corresponding organs in horses. 

 Now it is very important to remember that sheep are affected 

 very much like cattle by most medicines. They generally take 

 about one-fourth or one-fifth of the doses which are necessary 

 for cattle. These animals may be backed into a corner, and the 

 head should beheld firmly between the knees, while the medicine 

 is carefully administered. Great care is necessary in giving 

 drenches to sheep, and also, of course, to oxen and any other 

 animals. We may here repeat that all the prescriptions which 

 follow are made up as for adult oxen, except in those cases in 

 which the contrary is stated. If it is desired to find prescrip- 

 tions for sheep, the body of the book must be searched ; or if 

 the reader possesses the requisite special knowledge and skill, he 

 may gather hints from the following formulae. An adult sheep 

 will usually take about one-fifth of the dose necessary for an ox. 

 For lambs the dose is very much less. The younger the animal, 

 the more easily is it affected by medicine, and hence the dose 

 required must be smaller in proportion. According to Bourgelat, 

 a one-year-old colt requires one-third the quantity of any 

 medicine necessary for an adult horse, a two-year-old one-half, 

 a three-year-old two-thirds. In the case of cattle, and 

 especially in that of sheep, the dose ought to be relatively less 

 than this. 



One more remark we have to make before proceeding syste- 

 matically, and that is that it must be understood than when 

 more than one prescription is given under the same disease the 

 different draughts are to be considered alternative. The reader 

 will, after perusal, decide which mode of treatment he thinks 

 best in any given case, or perhaps he may like to vary his 

 treatment in accordance with the hints he may gather from a 

 consideration of the various formulae. When the contrary is 

 the case, and two or more different draughts or therapeutic 

 measures are requisite, the fact is stated. With regard to the 

 letters V.P. whenever they are used, the reader will understand 

 that The Veterinary Pharmacopoeia, by Messrs. Gresswell, is 

 referred to. For instance, tincture of aconite in that work is the 

 same as that of the British Pharmacopoeia, and is a very different 

 tincture from that known as Fleming's tincture, which is, we 

 believe, about five times as strong, and therefore requires to be 

 used with the greatest possible care. In order to be on the safe 



