MILK FEVER— DROPPING AFTER CALVING. '105 



then weakly creeping on again ? We must not bleed here. These 

 are indications of debility that cannot be mistaken — nature wants to 

 be supported, stimulated, not still further weakened. The abstraction 

 of blood would kill at once. 



Is the pulse small, but regular, hard, wiry, and quickened — or is 

 it full and quickened ? Blood should certainly be taken away. These 

 are as plain indications of secret and destructive fire as can possibly 

 be given. The practitioner should bleed, but with the finger on the 

 pulse, anxiously watching the effect produced, and stopping at the 

 first taker of the heart. Many a beast has been decidedly saved by 

 this kmd of bleeding in puerperal fever ; and many have been 

 lost through neglect of bleeding. Some may have perished when 

 the bleeding was carried too far, and some, if the animals were 

 bled when the pulse gave indications of debility, but ncne when the 

 pulse indicated power, and the possibility of febrile action. 



The propriety and impropriety of the abstraction of blood depends 

 on the state of the pulse and the degree of fever — circumstances 

 which vary in every case, and in different stages of the same case, 

 and which accurate observation alone can determine. 



Next, in order of time, and first of all in importance in this stage 

 of the disease, stands physic. The bowels must be opened, other- 

 wise the animal will perisli ; but the fever having been subdued by a 

 judicious bleeding, and the bowels after that being excited to action, 

 the recovery is in a manner assured. The medicine should be active, 

 and in sufficient quantity ; for there is no time for ti-ifling here. A 

 scruple of the farina of the Croton-nut, and a pound of Epsom salts, 

 will constitute a medium dose. For a large beast the quantity of 

 the salts should be increased. Doses of half a pound should after- 

 wards be given every six hours until purgation is produced. The 

 usual quantity of aromatic medicine should be added. Here, too, 

 the constitution of the stomachs of cattle should not be forgotten. If 

 twenty-lour hours have passed, and purging has not commenced, 

 even after the administration of such a drug as the Croton-nut, there 

 is reason to suspect that the greater part of our medicine has not 

 got beyond the rumen ; and on account of the cuticular and compa- 

 ratively insensible Hning of this stomach, strong stimulants must now 

 be added to the purgative medicine, in order to induce it to contract 

 upon and expel its contents. Two drachms each of ginger, gentian, 

 and carraway powder, with half a pint of old ale, may, with advantage, 

 be given with each dose of the physic. 



Warm water, with Epsom salts dissolved in it, or warm soap and 

 water, will form the best injection, and should be thrown up fre- 

 quently, and in considerable quantities. 



Should the constipation obstinately continue, it may be worth 

 while to inject a considerable quantity of warm water into the rumen, 

 and thus soften and dissolve the hard mass of undigrested food, and 



