THE MALIGNANT EPIDEMIC— MURRAIN. 



the flanks are tucked up ; the tenderness on the loins is removed ; 

 insensibility is stealing over the frame ; and the faeces are more 

 loaded with mucus, and more fetid. The patient moans and lows, 

 and grinds his teeth almost incessantly ; the head is agitated by a 

 convulsive motion ; blood begins to mingle with the fseces ; the 

 breath, and even the perspiration, becomt;s ofi^ensive ; and the beast 

 staggers as he walks. 



Tumors and boils now, or often earlier, appear on various parts. 

 If thpy are to come forward, the sooner they rise the better, for 

 much depends on what becomes of them. If the animal has suffi- 

 cient strength for them to go through the usual process of suppura- 

 tion, although the sloughing and the stench may be greater than 

 could be thought possible, the beast will have a chance to recover ; 

 but if there is not energy to bring them forward — if they become 

 stationary — and most assuredly, if they recede and disappear, the 

 patient will die. 



The treatment of this disease is most unsatisfactory. If the farmer 

 could be brought to attend more to this cough in cattle — if, here, 

 he had recognized the violent and increasing cough, and, although 

 he had not dreamed of murrain, had bled and physicked the beast 

 on account of the cough, the disease would probably have been ar- 

 rested, or at least its virulence would Ivave abated. 



The early stage of murrain is one of fever, and the treatment 

 should correspond with this — bleeding. Physic should be cautiously 

 yet not timorously resorted to. For sedative medicines there will 

 rarely be room, except the cough should continue. Small doses of 

 purgative medicine, with more of the aromatic than we generally 

 add, will be serviceable, effecting the present purpose, and not has- 

 tening or increasing the debility which generally is at hand ; but if 

 the bowels be sufficiently open, or diarrhoea should threaten, and 

 yet symptoms of fever should be apparent, no purgative must be giv- 

 en, but the sedatives should be mingled with some vegetable tonic. 

 The peculiar fetid diarrhoea lanust be met with astringents, mingled 

 also with vegetable tonics. In combating the pustular and slough- 

 ing gangrenous stage, the chloride of lime wmII be the best external 

 application ; while a little of it administered with the other medi- 

 cines inwardly may possibly lessen the tendency to general decom- 

 position. 'J'he external application of it should not be confined to 

 the ulcerated parts alone, but it should be plentifully sprinkled over 

 and about the beast ; and the infected animal should be immediately 

 removed from the S(^und ones. 



Drink for Murrain. — Take sweet spirit of nitre, half an ounce ; 

 laudanum, half an ounce '■ choride of lime, in powder, two ounces ; 

 prepared chalk, an ounce. Rub them well together, and give them 

 with a pint of warm gruel. 



This may be repeated every six hours, urtil the purging is consi- 



