284 CATTLE. 



the first has been ungenia and the latter wet. The pasture gene 

 rally possesses some degree of luxuriance, although its herbage may 

 be coarse, and the beast is usually in good condition when first at- 

 tacked. 



This disease has sometimes been epidemic and fatal to a dreadful 

 extent, occasionally assuming the form of, or being connected with, 

 epidemic catarrh ; at other times' accompanied by dysentery, but 

 frequently being, for many a day, or for some weeks, typhoid fever 

 witliout any local determination. 



The cause of typhoid fever is involved in much obscurity. It is 

 most prevalent on cold, wet lands, and during cold, wet, variable 

 weather. A long wet winter is sure to be followed by typhus fever 

 in every low, marshy district. In the higher pastures, where the 

 cattle seem exposed to greater cold, but have less wet, little of it is 

 seen. 



It is much to be doubted whether it is infectious ; but if one, then 

 all the cattle have been exposed to the same predisposing causes of 

 disease. It is well to remove the infected beasts from the sound 

 ones as soon as possible ; and the carcass of the animal that dies of 

 inflammatory or typhoid fever should be buried without delay. 



These are cases which puzzle, and, when treated in the best way, 

 they too frequently will not yield to medical skill. There is one rule, 

 however, which cannot mislead. If there he fire, it must he put out. 

 No apparent debility should mislead here. That debility may, and 

 often does, result from the presence of fever, and not from any dan- 

 gerous impairment of vital power ; and the incubus being thrown 

 ofi", nature will rally ; at all events, the debility is the consequence of 

 the fever, and is daily and rapidly increasing while the fever con- 

 tinues : therefore, first bleed, and bleed until the character of the 

 pulse begins to change. It should never be forgotten that one bleed- 

 ing of this kind will often do good, and cannot be injurious. It is 

 the fear of bleeding lest the animal should be more debilitated, or 

 the pushing on of the bleeding, in order to obtain a definite quantity, 

 after the pulse has begun to falter, that has done all the mischief. 



If the heat, and heaving, and disinclination to food should have 

 been relieved by this bleeding, but should threaten to return, more 

 blood should be taken, but with the same caution as to the pulse. 



Physic must follow, but with caution ; for there is a natural ten- 

 dency to diarrhoea connected with this disease, which is often trouble- 

 some to subdue. One dose of Epsom salts should be given with the 

 usual quantity of aromatic medicine, and its action secured and kept 

 up by half-pound doses of sulphur, administered as circumstances 

 may indicate. 



To this will follow the usual sedative medicine — digitalis, emetic 

 tartar, and nitre. The practitioner must not be deluded here. While 

 the mouth and horns are liot, and the pulse rapid, tonics would be 



