DISEASES OF HORSES AND CATTLE. 177 



from the absorption of matter from the abscesses 

 forming on the internal organs. About the ninth 

 or tenth day the animal ought to begin to improve. 

 On the other hand, if at that time the fever is in- 

 creased, appetite lost, breathing is fast and some- 

 what labored, and the temperature one hundred 

 and five to one hundred and six, there is occasion 

 for alarm, as it indicates that something is going 

 wrong inwardly. 



Treatment : In the early stages of distemper put 

 the animal in a warm, well-ventilated stable. 

 Clothe the body and bandage the legs. If the 

 throat is sore put a piece of camphor gum into a 

 pail of boiling water and put it under the animal's 

 head and throw a blanket loosely over it to keep 

 in the steam; continue this for fifteen to twenty 

 minutes and repeat it three times a day. Dissolve 

 two drains of chlorate of potassium in half a pint 

 of cold water and put in one teaspoonful of the 

 fluid extract of belladonna. Shake up and gargle 

 the throat. This is best done by holding the head 

 a little above the level and pouring a little into the 

 mouth ; rub the tongue to make the animal move it. 

 If the animal coughs, let the head down at once, 

 and after it ceases coughing pour in a little more, 

 and so on until it is all used; do this three times 

 a day. If there is any fever give half an ounce of 

 nitrate of potassium in its drinking water once 

 daily. Physic should not be given. If the bowels 

 are confined give injections of soap and warm wa- 

 ter. If an abscess forms, poultice it with warm 

 linseed poultice, changing it once a day. When 



