332 



EXTRAORDINARY COWS. 



Sib — In your Gazette of the Gfitli November 

 last, we see that at Worcester Cattle Show, Cov. 

 Lincoln of Massacluisetts has oftVrcil for exhibi- 

 tion a cow.which lias often given 97 qiiiirts of milk. 

 When visiting the Chalais of Grayers in Switzer- 

 land, thirty years ago, I have there seen numer- 

 ous herds of cows, which yielded from (JO to Gi 

 quarts of milk each and every day. Some time 

 after, when visiting the establishment of Mr Cha- 

 bert, the director of the veterinary school of Al- 

 fort, T saw the same species of animsl affording, 

 upon a soil far inferior to the former, as much as 

 three buckets or twelve gallons of milk, and nev- 

 er less than 8 gallons every day. 



Mr Chabert, in his publications, suid that he 

 had observed tliat cows, fed in the winter upon 

 dry substances, iiive less milk than those which 

 are kept upon a green diet, and also that theii' 

 milk loses much of its quality. He published the 

 recipe, by the use of which his cows afford him 

 an equal quantity and quality of milk duiina; the 

 summer. Take a bushel of potatoes, break them 

 while raw, place them in a barrel standing up, 

 •putting in successively a layer of potatoes and a 

 layer of bran, and a small quantity of yeast in the 

 middle of the mess, which is to be left thus to 

 ferment during a « hole week, and when the vin- 

 ous taste has pervaded the whole mixture, it is 

 then given to the cows, who eat it greedily. 



Phil. Gaz. 



fEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



May 1!, 182 



MURRAIN IN CATTLE. 

 A few years since, we copied from a Poughkecp- 

 ■lie (N. Y.) paper, what .was- considered a very ex- 

 traordinary circumstance, of an o.x which sickened 

 and died ; and how the butcher who assisted in 

 skinning him slightly cut one of his lingers ami 

 soon after died, with every appear.-iuco of Uaving 

 been poisoned ; and furthermore, that as many as 

 a dozen hogs which eat of the carcase, lived but 

 a few hours. This account lias been doubted by 

 many, and by some deemed incredible ; liut v.-e 

 are in possession of facts which, by their similari- 

 ty in circumstances and effects, must establish the 

 truth of the statement beyond a doubt. 



A gentleman of this city, who a few years aa^o 

 was engaged in shipping large numbers of cattle 

 to distant parts, informs us that among the thous- 

 ands which be has boug^ht and sold, one instance, 

 and but one, of a disease which bears any affinity 

 to that above stated, has come to his knowledge. 

 A lot of fine fat cattle was landed at Newfound- 

 land, and- permitted to remain in pasture or stall a 

 few days, to recover from the lassitude of the pas- 

 sage. In slaun-htering the first ox selected, one 

 "f the butchers suddenly became sick, and lived 

 but a short time. The others were alaTmed and 

 sent for a skilful physician, who on examining the 

 body could find no other marks than a small 

 scratch on one hand. It was concluded, therefore, 

 that his death was caused by poison being infus- 

 ed into his system, from the diseased ox, throug-h 

 •he wound on his hand. 



The carcase of the beast was sometime shun- 

 ned, tin one person, wishing to save at least the 

 tallow, made very careful attempts to extract it. 

 The time was not long, however, before he exhib- 

 ited the same symptoms of the fatal disease as his 

 companion, and in a few hours expired. The ex- 

 citement increased,- and no one ventured near the 

 •lead body of the animal. At length a bold, reck- 

 less fellow, of Irish origin, came along, " half 



seas over,-' and .Icclared his determination to eat 

 of the meat which olliers so cowardly avoided. — 

 In s|iite of counsel and resistance, he put his hand 

 to the infected flesh and partook of the poison, 

 which, before he had time to recover from his 

 state of intoxication, caused hira to close his eyes 

 forever. 



The death of three men, so suddenly, caused 

 great alarm in this vicinity ; the remainder of the 

 cattle were driven off, it being supposed that they 

 wore all fatally diseased ; and the best medical 

 counsel in the province was sought after and con- 

 sulted. Alter due deliberation and thorough in- 

 vestigation of the whole circumstances, the learn- 

 ed doctors gave it as their opinion, though we be- 

 lieve neither of them have before seen an instance, 

 that the disease was denominated the nuirrain or 

 plague in cattle. 



As the occurrences of this malady are so rare, 

 and in their effects so fatal, not only to the lives 

 of cattle, but those of our fellow men, we have 

 thought it would be interesting to agriculturists 

 nnd those engaged in b'jying and slaying oxen, to 

 give an account of its causes, symptoms and pre- 

 ventives, as far as our limited resource.^ will per- 

 rr.tt The disease is sometimes called the Gargh, 

 and is occasioned in various ways, but principally 

 by a hot dry season, or rather by a general putre- 

 faction of the air ; which begets an inflammation 

 in the blood .nnd a swelling in the throat, with 

 other symptoms. The disease soon proves mortal 

 to the beast, and is cbinmunicated from one to an- 

 i other. 



i The symptoms are generally a hanging down 

 i and swelling of the head, rattling in the throat, 

 j short breath, palpitation of the heart, staggering, 

 abuud.'inco of gum in the eyes, &e. breath hot, 

 and tongue sliiiiing. To prevent this fatal sick- 

 ness, the cattle should stand cool in summer, and 

 have plenty of good water ; and as their feeding 

 in wet places on rotten grass and hay, often occa- 

 sions the disease, particular care should be taken 

 that dry and sweet fodder be given them. The 

 most remarkable murrain we hear of is that men- 

 tioned in the Philosophical Transactions, wliicli 

 spread itself throug-h Switzerland and Germany 

 into Poland and other states. — Mational Journal. 

 I OH^A friend in West Cambridge, near Boston, 

 informs us that <(cj deaths have recently occurred 

 in that place, by persons who assisted in taking 

 , the skin from diseased animals. During the ope- 

 i' ration they cut or scratched the skin, so slightly 

 I as hardly to bo noticed, but the limb soon swelled, 

 I which terminated in death in a few days.-^En. 



I From the American Farmtr. 



ON THE DISEASE COMMONLY CALLED 

 THE HOLLOW HORN. 



Mr Skinmf.r — There is, perhaps, no disease in 

 this climate from which our neat cattle have suf- 

 fered so much as that commonly called the Hoi 

 low Horn ; and, unfortunately, h^N persons have 

 thought it necessary to give any attention to it, 

 or its cure, for we find but little said in any ag- 

 ricultural work relative to its treatment. 



The name appears to me, to be badly applied, 

 as the horn alone is not the seat of the disease ; 

 it pervades the whole system ; and cattle with- 

 out horns are quite as subject to it, as those witii 

 them ; having often seen those without horns 

 have it. 



The hQllowness of the horn, proceeds from the 



violence of the fever throughout the systd 

 have known cattle feeding in stalls to be atti 

 with it, as well as those in poor condition 

 no doubt those in poor plii;ht aic moie liaj 

 its attack, their sy.stem not being in a stal 

 resist any disease ; it occurs too at all sea: 

 the year, but more particularly in the spring.' 



The animal attacked with it looks rough ; 

 much in its coat, and falls ofl" very fast in 

 its food having but little effect in nourisliii 

 The eye looks very hollow and dead, and 

 with a yellow matter which collects in the 

 ers, and around them. Many persons rely 

 the feel of the horn, as the best indicative ol 

 disease, but this, I think, very uncert^iin 

 cases it is at the root, cold to the feci, wbi 

 others very hot. A very small gimblet will, 

 ever, remove all doubts, and the mark oi 

 horn not visible after a few days. If the dii 

 exists, the horn will be found without pith, 

 little or no blood will follov.' the boring ; whei 

 if the disease docs not exist, you will find b| 

 immediately upon entering the horn. The 

 blet used for boring should bo well washed 

 greased after using; for if it is not, and shi 

 be used to try the horn of an animal not acti 

 affected with the disease, it will most genei 

 give it to them. It is a disease that is highl 

 llammatory and infectious ; and the animal 

 ing it, ought to be removed from the herd uSti' 

 well. The follov,'ing modo of treatment, I hav 

 found very successful, and the beast soon rcstorei 

 to a thriving state. As soon as I discovere 

 animal affected with the hollow horn, I bli 

 from the neck (in the same vein in which a hi 

 is bled) from two to six or seven quarts, accordi 

 iy to its age, size and condition, and gave it 

 three quarts to one pound and a half glauber salts 

 with a middle size gimblet open the horns througl 

 and through, making the holes, so that they m«;. 

 be perpendicular in tlio usual position the aai 

 mal carries its head, so that the pu^ formed maj 

 have a free discharge as soon as the horns an 

 opened; put through the hole into each about a 

 table spoonful of strong vinegar, in which salt and 

 black pepper, ground, has been put. The day fol- 

 lowing, the horns must be again opened anc 

 cleaned from the pus, v.-hich generally is nS*- 

 formed, and about half u teaspoonful of spiriU 

 turpentine put into each horn, and a little on the 

 poll of the animal daily, during the continuance 

 of the disease. One bleeding is generally suffi- 

 cient; but I have known cases in which it was 

 necessary to repeat it three times, as also the salts. 



The food during the continuance of the disease 

 is important — corn in every shape is bad — potatoes 

 are of great use, (with a small quantity of Brew- 

 er's grains, if to be had,) and the animal ought to 

 have from one to one and a half pecks daily, with 

 hay in the vvinter, and grass if in summer. 



Potatoes have a wonderful effect on the anifflid 

 as soon as the bowels are well cleansed, the inp 

 portance of which, any person" will be convincefl 

 of, who observes the discharge from the animal. 

 In some obstinate cases I have given daily, from 

 a half to one ounce of nitre, sprinkled on the po- 

 tatoes. It is important at the first bleeding to 

 take as much blood as the animal will bear, as 

 the fever is more ea.sily checked by one large 

 bleeding, than two small ones, and the animal bet- 

 ter able to bear it. 



In many cases the bleeding and salts have been 

 sufficient, without opening the horns ; and when 



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