540 CATTLE. 



usually accompanied with a general morbid state, with respect to 

 which we are to choose, among these several means, that which 

 suits best. Sulphur and amenicum are the principal remedies for 

 diarrhcea in calves. 



It is, however, with dysentery that the practitioner is most loth 

 to cope — a disease that destroys thousands of our cattle. This also 

 mav be either acute or chronic. Its causes are too often buried in 

 obscuritv, and its premonitory symptoms are disregarded or unknown. 

 There appears to be a strong predisposition in cattle to take on this 

 disease. It seems to be the winding up of many serious complaints, 

 and the found' don of it is sometimes laid by those that appear to 

 be of the mos^ trifling nature. It is that in cattle which glanders and 

 farcy are in the horse — the breaking up of the constitution. 



Dysentery may be a symptom and a concomitant of other diseases. 

 It is one of the most fearful characteristics of murrain ; it is the 

 destructive accompaniment or consequence of phthisis. It is pro- 

 duced by the sudden disappearance of a cutaneous eruption ; it fol- 

 lows the secession of chronic hoose ; it is the consequence of the 

 natural or artificial suspension of every secretion. Were any secre- 

 tion to be particularly selected, the repression of which would pro- 

 duce dysentery, it would be that of the milk. How often does the 

 farmer observe that no sooner does a milch cow cease her usual sup- 

 ply of milk, than she begins to purge ? There may not appear to 

 be anything else the matter with her, but she purges, and in the ma- 

 jority of cases that purging is fatal. 



It may, sometimes, however, be traced to sufficient causes, exclu- 

 sive of pi-evious disease. Unwholesome food — exposure to cold — 

 neglect at the time of calving — low and marshy situations — the feed- 

 ing on meadows that have been flooded (here it is peculiarly fatal) — 

 the grazing upon the clays lying over the blue lias rock — the 

 neighborhood of woods, and of half stagnant rivers — the continua- 

 tion of unusually sultry weather — over-work, and all the causes of 

 acute dysentery may produce that of a chronic nature — or acute 

 dysentery neglected, or badly, or even most skillfully treated, may 

 degenerate into an incurable chronic affection. Half starve a cow, 

 or overfeed her, milk her to exhaustion, or dry her milk too rapidly, 

 dysentery may follow. 



The following may probably be the order of the spmptoms, if they 

 are carefully observed. There will be a httle dullness or anxiety 

 of countenance, the muzzle becoming short and contracted — a slight 

 shrinking when the loins are pressed upon — the skin a little harsh 

 and dry — the hair a little rough — there will be a slight degree of 

 uneasiness, and shivering, that scarcely attracts attention — then (ex- 

 cept it be the degeneracy of acuie into chronic dysentery) constipa- 

 tion may be perceived — it will be to a certain degree obstinate — 

 the excrement will be voided with pain — it will be dry, hard, and 



