410 CATTLE. 



gin to form in the centre of these indurations, and should be speedily 

 evacuated, lest it should burrow in various parts of the bag, and, when 

 at length it does find its way to the surface and bursts through the 

 skin, irregular ulcers should be foimed, at all times difficult to heal, 

 and sometimes involving the loss of more than one of the quarters. 

 Whenever there is any appearance of suppuration having commenced, 

 (a minute observation will enable the practitioner to discover the very 

 spot at which the tumor is preparing to point,) the diseased part 

 should be freely and deeply lanced, and an immense quantity of mat- 

 ter will often be discharged. It is generally bad practice to cut off 

 the teat ; not only is it afterwards missed in the milking, but the 

 quantity of the milk is usually lessened to a greater or less degree. 



Should the tumor have been left to break, a deep and ragged ulcer 

 will then be formed, and must immediately be attended to, for the 

 neighboring part will be rapidly involved. Half of the bag has in 

 some cases become mortified in a few days, and diseased portions 

 have either dropped oflf, or it has been necessary to remove them in 

 order to stop the spread of the gangrene. The chloride of lime is an 

 invaluable application here. The wound should be well cleaned with 

 warm water, and then a dilute solution of the chloride freely applied 

 to every part of it; not only will the unpleasant smell from the ulcer 

 be immediately got rid of, but its destructive progress will be arrested, 

 and the wound will speedily take on a healthy character. When this 

 is effected, recourse may be had to the Friar's balsam ; but the 

 occasional use of the chloride will be advantageous until the bag is 

 perfectly healed. 



Chronic indurations will sometimes remain after the inflammation 

 of garget has been subdued ; they will be somewhat tender, and they 

 will always lessen the quantity of milk obtained from that quarter. 

 The iodine will seldom fail of dispersing these tumors. The ointment 

 just recommended should be well rubbed in twice every day, and if 

 the enlargement does not speedily subside, the hydriodate should also 

 be given internally. 



The causes of garget are various , the thoughtless and unfeeling 

 exposure of the animal to cold and wet, at the time of or soon after 

 parturition, the neglect of physic or bleeding before calving, or suf- 

 fering the cow to get into too high condition, are frequent causes. 

 So powerful is the latter one, that instances are not unfrequent of 

 cows, that have for some time been dried, and of heifers that have 

 never yieldt^d milk, having violent inflammation of the udder. The 

 hastily drying of the cow has given rise to indurations in the udder 

 that have not easily been removed. An awkward manner of lying 

 upon and bruising the udder is an occasional cause ; and a very 

 frequent one is the careless habit of not milking the cow clean, but 

 leaving a portion in the bag, and the best portion of the milk too, 

 aad yfhich gradually becomes a source of irritation and inflammation 



