«48 CATTLE. 



and be lost in the rumen. Two ounces of aloes, and one ounce of 

 gum Arabic (in order to suspend the imperfectly dissolved portion of 

 the aloes) should be put into a pint of boiling water, and the mixture 

 frequently stirred during the first day ; then two ounces of tincture 

 of ginger are to be added, not only to prevent the mixture from fer- 

 jnenting, but because that aromatic seems to be so useful, and in a 

 manner indispensable in cattle purgatives. The dose should consist 

 of from half a pint to a pint of the solution, or from four to seven or 

 eight drachms of the aloes. Some persons boil the aloes in the 

 water, but the purgative effect of the drug is much lessened by this. 



Aloes is very useful in the form of tincture. Eight ounces ot 

 powdered aloes and one ounce of powdered myrrh should be put into 

 two quarts of rectified spirit, diluted with an equal quantity water. 

 The mixture should be daily well shaken for a fortnight, when it will 

 be fit for use. It is one of the best applications for recent wounds ; 

 and in old wounds especially, accompanied by any foulness of them, 

 or discharge of fetid pus, nothing will be more serviceable than equal 

 parts of this tincture and a solution of the chloride of lime. 



Alteratives. — These are medicines that are supposed to have a 

 slow yet beneficial effect in alteiing some diseased action of the 

 vessels of the skin or of the ortrans of circulation or dicrestion. To a 

 COW with yellows, or mange, or that cannot be made to acquire con- 

 dition, or where the milk is diminishing, small quantities of medicine 

 are often administered, under the tempting,^ but deceptive, term ot 

 alteratives. They had much better be let alone in the majority of 

 cases. If a cow be really ill, let her be treated accordingly ; let her 

 be bled or physicked, or both ; but let her not be nauseated, or her 

 constitution ruined, by continually dosing her with various drugs. 

 Ihe want of condition and thriving in cattle is far more connected 

 with a diseased state of their complicated stomachs, and particularly 

 with obstruction in the manyplus, than with any other cause ; the 

 alteratives, then, should be small quantities of purgatives, with aro- 

 matics, as Epsom salts, or sulphur with ginger ; or, what would be 

 still preferable, rock salt in the manger for them to lick, or common 

 salt mingled with their food. There can, however, be no doubt that 

 in many cutaneous affections, and especially where mange is sus- 

 pected, alterative medicines will be very beneficial. They should be 

 composed of ^thiop's mineral, nitre, and sulphur, in the proportions 

 of one, two, and four, and in daily doses of from half an ounce to an 

 ounce. 



Alum. — This is a useful astringent in diarrhoea, and especially in 

 the purging of calves. It is best administered in the form of alum 

 whey, which is composed of two drachms of powdered alum, dis- 

 solved in a pint of hot milk ; a drachm of ginger may be added ; 

 and, if the purging be violent, a scruple of opium. Alum is rarely 

 used externally in the treatment of cattle, unless for canker in the 



