SECRETARY'S REPORT. 85 



Mr. Barnard, of Worcester. — Of late years I have used an 

 application of about equal parts of spirits of turpentine and rum 

 for foot-ail. I have never had a case last more than three days. 

 I have had oxen and cows, so bad they could scarcely get out of. 

 the barn, cured perfectly in three days. I keep my oxen in the 

 barn the year round. When I kept my cows treading around 

 in the mud of the barn-yard, I had more of the disease than I 

 do now. I have treated it successfully with spirits of turpentine 

 and rum for twenty years. 



Mr. Hadwen, of Worcester. — My treatment of garget and 

 swelled bag is to rub the bag well with the hand when it first 

 begins to swell. In a short time the swelling will go down. 

 The rubbing should be continued several times a day before 

 heifers come in, and often with old cows it may be necessary. 



I use turpentine and alcohol for foot-ail, and by a little 

 application in its early stages it can be cured immediately. 



Mr. TiDD. — Another subject has been broached, of which 

 nothing has been said. It is the abortion of cows. Dairymen 

 in our vicinity, and in other States also, I believe, are suffering 

 much from this cause. If any one can suggest the cause or the 

 remedy he will confer a great benefit upon us. It seems to me 

 to be increasing. Some dairymen lose many cows in a season, 

 and they have not been able to discover any cause for it, or any 

 remedy. ,• 



Mr. Thompson, of Nantucket. — Among all the suggestions for 

 the cure of swelled bag, I have not heard that mentioned which 

 I received from Hon. John Brooks, of Princeton, late member 

 of this Board. I once asked him for his method of treatment, 

 and he told me he never found anything to succeed so well as 

 a heavy dose of salts immedi-ately after calving. It struck me 

 very favorably. We all know that at the time of parturition in 

 the human family there is a great deal of excitement in the 

 system, and much fever. If we can allay that fever before it 

 takes any definite form it will be of advantage. The dose may 

 be a pound or a pound and a half, according to the size of the 

 animal. In this way the fever is reduced, and we reduce the 

 amount of food at the same time. When I have adopted this 

 course, and fouiid a small amount of swelling, I have taken lard 

 and applied it pretty hot, with manipulation. The result has 

 been as favorable as anything I have ever known. I have 



