f IT 



CATTLE DOCTOR. 



88 



ferent species of hemlock, and particularly water-hem- 

 lock, I he fox-glove, the dropwort, and some of the species 

 of crows-foot. These plants are not useful for any pur- 

 pose, and it is to be lamented that the farmer is not able 

 to recognize them, and root them all up. Young calves 

 and iambs, until they have added some experience to 

 the guidance of instinct, are occasionally lost in very 

 great numbers. 



The yew is a deadly poison, and many cattle have 

 been destroyed by it ; but they seldom browse upon it 

 when green. The mischief, in the great majority of 

 cases, is done by the half-dried clippings of some formal 

 hedge-row^ or fantastic tree. In this state cattle are very 

 apt to eat great quantities of the leaves or shoots. 



The symptoms of empoisonment vary with the plant 

 that has been devoured. In general the animal moans 

 sadly, as if in dreadful pain ; or a sudden stupidity 

 comes upon it — or violent convukions. After eating 

 the yew-clippings, cattle are often perfectly delirious ; 

 and in almost every case the belly more rapidly swells 

 than it usually does in hoove. 



It is plain that there can be no case in which more 

 speedy and decisive measures are needed ; and yet very 

 little can be done, except that useful instrument, far too 

 little known, Read's patent pump, is at hand. The 

 pipe should be introduced into the paunch, so that the 

 extricated gas which causes the swelling, may escape. 

 After this a quantity of warm water should be thrown 

 into the stomach, sufficient to cause sickness, and thus 

 get rid of a part, at least, of the offending matter. 

 Then, by introducing the pipe only a part of the way 

 down the gullet, a physic-drink may be gradually intro- 

 duced, which will thus pass on to the fourth stomach, 

 and cause speedy purging. It will usually be advisable 

 to bleed moderately : drinks of vinegar and water, not 

 exceeding half a pint of vinegar at a time, should be 

 administered if it is suspected that the poison is of a 

 narcotic kind, and the purging should be kept up by re- 

 peated small doses of the aperient medicine. When 



