344 CATTLE. 



once an astringent and an anodyne — rui astringent, because it is an 

 anodyne — and he determines to give it in doses of half a drachm, 

 and in the best form in which it can be administered, namely, in that 

 of powder, mixed with thick gruel. He likewise adds it to the gruel 

 of the injection, either under the form of powder, or he boils a few 

 poppy-heads in water, and then causes the gruel to be made with 

 the decoction. 



Here all practitioners seem to agree. Whether they prepare the 

 way for the opium by the administration of an aperient, or whether, 

 deceived by the state of purging, they give it at once, they are all 

 anxious to try the power of this drug ; but too many of them, either 

 forgetting or not knowing the nature of the disease, add medicines of 

 an opposite character, and that cannot fail of being injurious. They 

 administer astringents and tonics, which are useful and indispensable 

 in a later stage of the treatment, but, while the inflammation re- 

 mains unsubdued, are only adding fuel to fire. There are too many 

 practitioners who scruple not to give alum and sulphate of zinc as 

 soon as they are called in to such a case, and before the lining 

 membrane of the intestines is prepared for their action. These drugs 

 are acrid — they are caustic as well as astringent — they are astrin- 

 gent because they are caustic, and they too frequently set up an- 

 other and destructive inflammation. 



It is usual, however, to add something to the opium, in order to 

 increase or to regulate, or to modify its power; and that which is 

 without comparison the most serviceable is one of the mild prepara- 

 tions of mercury, viz., calomel, or the blue pill, or mercur}- triturated 

 with chalk. Mere theory might induce the fear that mercury would 

 add to the irritation already too unmanageable, and so it would, if 

 given alone ; but, combined with and guarded by the opium, it has 

 the most beneficial eff'ect : the opium does not produce costiveness — 

 the calomel does not gripe and purge, but irritation is allayed, while 

 the natural action of the bowels is promoted. 



In order that this mode of treatment may have a fair chance, the 

 beast should be housed and fed on bran-mashes, a little hay, and 

 plenty of well boiled gruel. While the patient continues at grass, 

 the practitioner has no chance, however skillful in other respects his 

 treatment may be. So much depends on the avoidance of all green 

 and succulent food, that many a beast, from whom every symptom of 

 dysentery had disappeared, has relapsed, and been lost, from having 

 been turned out too soon. The green food of one day has produced 

 irreparable mischief. 



There are other auxiliary measures which deserve consideration. 

 Setons in the dewlap have been strongly recommended. They may 

 be useful when much fever accompanies the early stage of dysentery, 

 for the}' will, in some measure, divert the current of blood from the 

 inflamed and irritated part, and thus lessen the local inflammation 



