DICTIONARY OF THE VETERINARY ART. 273 



the animal often dies a victim to the treatment instead of the 

 malady. 



11 This form of disease is considered to be epidemic ; yet all 

 animals are not likely to be attacked, although exposed to the 

 same atmospheric influence ; for if there is a perfect physio- 

 logical equilibrium between the solids and fluids, the nervous 

 system, and the circulation, then the animal is safe. The 

 indications to be fulfilled in the treatment of the disease, are to 

 excite the liver and intestines to action, which are in a tor- 

 pid state ; next, to change morbid action ; and lastly, to tone 

 up and invigorate the whole system. There is every reason 

 to believe that this malady will yield just as readily as any 

 other to the proper remedial agents. Your correspondent quotes 

 from a work published in this city, that ' red-water is most 

 common in cows of weak constitution, a general relaxation, 

 poor blood, &c, that the urine is brown and tinged with 

 yellow.' " 



This shows that the system abounds in morbific matter, and 

 Nature is making an effort to rid herself of it, and will do so 

 unless you interfere by using remedies opposed to the vital 

 principle. Many of the drugs used to cure red-water would 

 kill a well animal, whatever they might do the diseased. " In 

 a few days a natural diarrhoea comes on, and the animal is 

 better." This is the manner in which nature attempts to 

 cure : the diarrhoea carries off a large amount of morbific fluid, 

 which could not remain in the system without producing seri- 

 ous consequences. " After the diarrhoea, the animal often gets 

 well." Here Nature speaks in a language too plain to be mis- 

 understood ; we must open the sluices of the body. One 

 pint of linseed oil should be given, and its operation assisted 

 in a few hours with injections of warm soap-suds, each in- 

 jection containing a spoonful of powdered ginger ; after the 

 bowels are evacuated, the Distemper Powder — sold by Messrs. 

 Stimpson & Reed, 26 Merchants Row, Boston — is the only 

 article we use in this form of disease. The animal should 

 be allowed a drink composed of boneset and pennyroyal, one 

 ounce of the former to two of the latter, infused in half a 

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