ox 



OXE 



the disease the water is red. This 

 must be combated by bleeding and 

 purging until the bowels respond. In 

 chronic rcd-watcr, the urine has a 

 brown tinge at first, but a red hue 

 gradually mingles with it. This is 

 didicult to treat. The principal 

 hope of cure consists in the exhibi- 

 tion of Epsom salts until thorough 

 purging is produced. Some mild car- 

 minative may then be given. Black- 

 water is only a variety, or the concju- 

 ding stage of red-water. 



*' Puerperal fever, or dropping after 

 calving, is a disease that has been 

 very much misunderstood. A few 

 days after calving, the cow suddenly 

 loses all power over her hind limbs. 

 She falls, and continues down three, 

 four, or more days, until the power 

 of voluntary motion returns, or she 

 dies It is inflammation of the womb 

 or of the spinal cord, which extends 

 to the organs of motion in the hind 

 extremities. She must generally be 

 bled, and always purged. No half 

 measures will do here ; the bowels 

 being once opened, the cow will fre- 

 quently get up, and there will be an 

 end of the matter. Injections will ma- 

 terially assist the action of the phys- 

 ic. Whatever apparent weakness 

 there may be, no tonic must be giv- 

 en until the bowels have been well 

 opened. 



" Garget is inflammation or ulcera- 

 tion of the udder. The milk coagu- 

 lates in the bag, and produces inflam- 

 mation there. In an early stage, the 

 sucking of the calf will afford the 

 greatest relief If this does not suc- 

 ceed, fomentation must be had re- 

 course to, and friction with an ungu- 

 ent composed of elder ointment, with 

 an eighth part of camphor, and mer- 

 curial ointment. To th;s, if necessa- 

 ry, iodine may succeed ; but it must 

 be a last resource, on account of its 

 absorbent power. 



"The treatment of cowpox will 

 consist in fomenting the teats, apply- 

 ing an emollient ointment, and giving 

 a little physic. 



" The diseases of the feet must not 

 be forgotten. Foul in the foot con- 

 sists in ulceration about the coronet 



648 



or between the claws, which produ- 

 ces great lameness, and occasionally 

 loss of the hoof It is very conta- 

 gious. The treatment is simple : ev- 

 ery pustule or collection of purulent 

 matter must be opened ; the horn 

 which is separated from the parts be- 

 neath must be carefully and wholly re- 

 moved ; a linseed-mcal poultice appli- 

 ed for a day or two. and then the sores 

 touched with the hitter of antimony. 



" Mange is a too frequent and very 

 troublesome disease among cattle. 

 An ointment, however, the basis of 

 which is sulphur, with a small por- 

 tion of mercurial ointment, daily and 

 well rubbed on every affected part, 

 will usually remove the complaint. 

 Sulphur given internally will be a 

 useful adjunct." — {Youatt.) 



For the medicines and their do- 

 ses, see the article Pharmacopoeia. 

 OXALATES. Salts of oxalic acid. 

 OXALIC ACID. See Acuh. 

 O X A L I S. The genus of wood 

 sorrels. "The 0. crcnala is a peren- 

 nial, ornamental plant, native of Chili. 

 The flowers are beautiful, of a yel- 

 low colour, and in umbels ; the stalks 

 and leaves are succulent, of an acid 

 taste, and useful as salads ; the roots 

 or tubes are produced, in clusters; 

 their taste, when boiled, somewhat 

 resembles a chestnut. They are rais- 

 ed from the tubers, are very produc- 

 tive, as easily cultivated as the pota- 

 to, and decidedly superior in flavour. 

 They require a rich soil, and, like the 

 potato, are stored during winter in 

 cellars." — {Kennck.) 



OXAMIDE. A white, insoluble 

 sublimate, rising in a dense vapour 

 when oxalate of ammonia is decom- 

 posed by heat ; formula, N H2 Cj 

 O2. It is a test of the goodness of 

 African guano. 

 OX BOOSE. A stall for oxen. 

 OXEN IN THE WEST. The 

 abundance of cattle sustained by the 

 prairies, and their cheapness, has led 

 to the introduction of various plans 

 for disposing of the carcasses. See 

 Ellsu-orth's Report, 1844. 



The hide is salted for the English 

 market, and netts four to five cents 

 the pound. The hoofs and horns are 



