462 CATTLE. 



from the nose in cattle, accompanied by little or no cough or fever, 

 and which is sometimes in a manner epidemic. The manner of ad- 

 ministering it is desciibed in p. 183. As a caustic, the blue vitriol is 

 altogether superseded by those mentioned under that head. 



Vekdighis is employed externally onb^ in one of the varieties of 

 foul in the foot, in order to repress fungous growths. It is mixed 

 with an equal portion of the sugar of lead, reduced to a fine powder^ 

 and sprinkled on the diseased suiface. 



CoKDiAi.s. — These are destructively abused by many cow-leeches, 

 but, as has been again and again stated, there is that in the structure 

 and constitution of cattle, which will excuse their administration 

 much oftener than in the horse. Except in extreme cases, and when 

 their use is sanctioned by the decision of a competent veterinary 

 practitioner, they should not extend beyond good home-brewed ale, 

 and ginger and carraways. 



CoRKOSivR Sublimate. — See Meticury. 



Croton Seeds. — These can scarcely be admitted into practice on 

 ordinary occasions, or as a usual purgative ; but in cases of phrenitis, 

 tetanus, inflammatory fever, and in tliose strange constipations which 

 so often puzzle and annoy, the Croton seed, in doses of from ten to 

 sixteen grains, may be allowed. The bowels having been opened, 

 the practitioner will keep up the purgative action by means of a 

 milder and safer aperient. The seeds should be kept in a close 

 bottle, and when wanted, should be deprived of their shells, and 

 pounded for use. The farina soon loses its power, and the oil is 

 shamefully adulterated. 



Diaphoretics. — The thick hide of the ox forbids us to expect 

 much advantage from those drugs which are supposed to have their 

 principal influence determined to the skin, and thus to increase the 

 sensible and insensible perspiration ; yet emetic tartar and sulphur 

 are, to a considerable extent, valuable in cases of fever — and the 

 latter most certainly in cutaneous eruption and mange, by opening 

 the pores of the skin, or exciting its vessels to healthy action. One, 

 however, of the best diaphoretics is that which has been compara- 

 tively lately introduced in the general management of cattle, viz., 

 friction applied to the skin. It needs but the slightest observation 

 to be convinced that the health of the stall-fed beast, a\id his thriv- 

 ing and getting into condition, are materially promoted b) the liberal 

 use of the brush, and sometimes even of the curry-comb. 



Digitalis (Foxglove.) — The leaves of this plant, gathered about 

 the flowering season, dried, kept in the dark, and powdered when 

 wanted, are most valuable in diminishing the frequency of the pulse, 

 and the general irritability of the system in cattle. A reference to 

 the treatment of almost every febrile disease will illustrate this. The 

 dose is from half a diachm to a drachm, with emetic tartar, nitre 

 and sulphur, and administered twice or thrice in the day, according 



