GARGET, OR SORE BAG. 409 



character : it attacks the internal substance of the udder — one of the 

 teats or the quarters becomes enlarged, hot, and tender — it soon 

 begins to feel hard, it is knotty ; it contains within it little distinct 

 hardened tumors or kernels. In a short space of time, other teats 

 or other quarters probably assume the same character. The milk 

 has coagulated in the bag to a certain degree, and it has caused local 

 inflammation where it lodges. This occurs particularly in young 

 cows, after their fii-st calving, and when they are in a somewhat too 

 high condition, and it is usually attended by a greater or less degree 

 of fever. 



The most eflfectual remedy for this, in the early stage of the com- 

 plaint, is a very simple one ; the calf should be put to the mother, 

 and it should suck and knock about the udder at its pleasure. In 

 most cases this wnll relieve her from the too great flow of milk, and 

 disperse all the lumps. 



If the inflammation continues or increases, or the bag should be 

 so tender that the mother will not permit the calf to suck ; and 

 especially should the fever evidently increase, and the cow refuse to 

 eat, or cease to ruminate, and the milk become discolored, and mixed 

 with matter or with blood, the case must be taken seriously in hand. 

 The cow should be bled ; a dose of physic administered ; the udder 

 well fomented ; the milk drawn gently but completely off, at least 

 twice in the day, and an ointment, composed of the following ingre- 

 dients, as thoroughly rubbed into the bag as the cow will permit. 

 (Rub down an ounce of camphor, having poured a tea-spoonful of 

 spirit of wine upon it ; add an ounce of mercurial ointment, and half 

 a pound of elder ointment, and well incorporate them together.) Let 

 this be applied after every milking, the udder being well fomented 

 with warm water, and the remains of the ointment washed off before 

 the next milking. 



If the disease does not speedily yield to this treatment, recourse 

 must be had to iodine, which often has admirable effects in diminish- 

 ing glandular enlargements. The only objection to iodine, and which 

 renders it advisable to give the camphoretted mercurial ointment a 

 short trial, is that while, by its power of exciting the absorbents of 

 the glands generally to action, it causes the dispersion of unnatural 

 enlargements, it occasionally acts upon and a little diminishes the 

 gland itself. This, however, rarely happens to any considerable 

 degi-ee, and will not form a serious objection to its use when other 

 means have failed. It should be applied externally, in the form of an 

 ointment, (one part of the hydriodate of potash being saturated with 

 seven parts of lard,) one or two drachms of which should be rubbed 

 into the diseased portion of the udder, every morning and night. At 

 the same time the hydriodate may be given internally, in doses grad- 

 ually increased from six to twelve grains daily. 



The udder should be frequently examined, for matter will soon be- 

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