THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 213 



suits of the action of diuretics or stimulants in the form of 

 improper food. It will generally be found that discolorations 

 in the urine are the symptoms of a disease located elsewhere, 

 hence the disease should be treated instead of the symptoms. 



If the disease appears to be located in the liver, indicated 

 by a yellow tinge of the visible surfaces, dark colored faeces, 

 yellow tinge of the urine ; the animal being dull and sleepy, 

 showing symptoms of febrile action, it may be proper to ad- 

 minister a dose of purgative medicine, combined with some 

 agent, calculated to restore the physiological action of the 

 liver, and I therefore recommend the following : — 



Epsom Salts, 12 ounces, 



Podophyllum Peltatum (mandrake), 2 drachms. 



Dissolve the salts in tepid water, one pint, then add the 

 podophyllum, and then administer the same by means of a 

 " drenching horn," or bottle. 



In administering medicine to cattle, our object is to get it 

 beyond the rumen or paunch into the digestive compartment of 

 their complex stomach, and in aiming to do this we pour the 

 medicine down the oesophagus slowly. 



After the bowels have responded to the action of the med- 

 icine, it may be proper to administer alteratives, which are 

 linown to change morbid action ; powdered sulphur and man- 

 drake may be given in small doses, not sufficient of either to 

 keep up the cathartic action of the salts, but merely to keep 

 the bowels in a soluble condition for a day or two, and if there 

 be any danger of superpurgation, neither mandrake nor sulphur 

 are indicated. In such case I should give an occasional dose, 

 2 drachms, of powdered goldenseal (hydrastis canadensis), and 

 the same quantity of carbonate of soda. The patient should 

 be fed sparingly, and if the season permit, a run in the pasture 

 will prove beneficial. 



