DISEASES OF CATTLE 



143 



breast, hock joints, flank or rump; and when these are pressed they give 

 out a peculiar crackling sound on account of the gas accumulated by the 

 diseased condition of the blood. Death comes quickly and after death the 

 diseased place shows a dark color, although the blood is not dark. This 

 black color gives the name Black Leg or Black Quarter. 



Treatment is not practical, because of the danger from infection as in 

 the case of Anthrax, but the same preventive measures 

 described under Anthrax can be applied to this disease, disinfecting with 

 Conkey's Nox-i-cide Dip and Disinfectant, changing pasture, etc. Separate 

 the well animals from the sick, give each a 6 ounce dose of Epsom salts 

 to clear the system, and feed on easily digested food for at least two 

 weeks, with Conkey's Stock Tonic mixed with the feed to insure proper 

 working of bowels and bladder and to rid the body of all impurities 

 generated. Disinfect the whole premises thoroughly, remembering that 

 there is extreme danger in the dust itself, which often harbors infection. 

 Considerable success has followed vaccine treatment, and many state colleges 

 or experimental stations send out Black Leg vaccine direct to stockmen on 

 application. They offer to do this at a nominal charge for the actual cost 

 of preparing the vaccine. It can also be had from the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Address Chief of the Bureau of Animal 

 Industry. 



BLOAT OR This is an accumulation 

 HOVEN of gas in the first stom- 



ach or paunch. The 

 cause is usually a sudden change of food, 

 especially an agreeable change, such as 

 from dry to green fodder. Too much 

 grain, or indigestion from any cause 

 may produce bloat. But the most corn- 

 man cause is grazing on wet grass, al- 

 falfa or clover, in warm weather, when 

 fermentation takes place quickly. 



Symptoms Swelling of the left side, 

 over the paunch. Restless- 

 ness, anxiety; the animal stops feeding, 

 breathes hard with nostrils distended. 

 Relief must come quickly or the animal will die from rupture. 



Treatment Act quickly. A 

 stream of cold water 

 thrown on the left flank will often 

 start muscular contraction, expell- 

 ing the gas naturally. Rubbing the 

 left side vigorously will sometimes 

 serve the same purpose. But if 

 the swelling is very great and gets 

 worse, the quickest and best way is to use the trocar and canula (a stylet 

 or dagger in a hollow tube sheath, see cut). Plunge this instrument into 

 the upper part of the swelling between the last rib and the 

 angle of the haunch, about a hand's breadth down from the 



Trocar and canula 



