370 DYSENTERY, 



stitute malt mashes. AVhen the inflammatory symptoms 

 run very high, the belly may be fomented with hot water, 

 and a new sheepskin, if at hand, may be applied to the 

 loins. Or the mustard poultice is by no means an improper 

 application to the belly, when the inflammation of the bowels 

 appears considerable. Warm clothing is proper, with a 

 moderate temperature ; and when convalescence approaches, 

 every care must be taken to give easily digested food. 



ROT, OR DYSENTERY, IN CATTLE. 



In oxen and cows this is called scouring rot, scouring cow, 

 hraxy, bloody ray, and slimy flux. Some of these names 

 are peculiar to this complaint. The dysentery is charac- 

 terised by a peculiar discharge from the bowels of a frothy 

 slimy nature, of an olive colour, and with much bad smell : 

 sometimes it looks red or brown, and sometimes more 

 yellow, with stringy patches of mucus in it ; and if ob- 

 served when voided, it is very hot, and smokes. These 

 appearances of the matter discharged should be particularly 

 attended to, as well as the evident straining both before and 

 after passing the dung, as they will serve readily to charac- 

 terise the disease ; also to distinguish it from simple diarrhoea, 

 in which there is nothing more than a liquid discharge of 

 dung, composed of nutrient matter, in a state of solu- 

 tion, expelled by the stomach. Dysentery in cattle seems 

 to hold the place of glanders in the horse ; to be the wind- 

 ing up of every thing that impairs the constitution, and 

 of every hopeless disease. The disorder needs every atten- 

 tion from the attendant, • whose industry must not be in- 

 fluenced by what he thinks about the animal getting well. 

 He must have a good stomach, not an over-sensitive nose, 

 and he must be content to labour continuously. " The 

 disease," we are told by Mr. T. W. Mayer, V.S., of New- 

 castle, Staffordshire, " was ushered in by a dull anxious 

 appearance ; the eyelids and dewlap w^ere of a yellow tinge, 

 and in dairy cows there was a total suspension of the secre- 

 tion of milk ; a slight muco-purulent discharge from the 

 nostrils was also observed ; the appetite was indifferent ; the 

 bow^els costive ; the dung of a dark colour, having portions 

 of blood diff"used through it ; but the urine was not much 

 affected. The pulse for the first twenty-four or forty hours, 



