DISEASES OF CATTLE. 20 1 



must be pursued. But there is a species of indigestion, to which 

 cattle are liable in the spring, from eating voraciously of the young 

 sprouts of wood ; to which some woods are more conducive than 

 others. The symptoms are heat, thirst, costiveness, lessened urine, 

 quick and hard pulse, with heat and redness in the mouth and nose ; 

 the belly is hard and painful, and the stools, when they appear, are 

 covered with glare. When the mouth and nose discharge a serous 

 fluid, the animal usually dies. 



186. Treatment. Bleed at first, open the bowels by saline pur. 

 gatives (164.) After this give large quantities of nitrated water, and 

 clyster also largely. 



187. The hove or blown in cattle is also an inflammatory affec- 

 tion of the paunch, ending in paralysis and rupture of its substance. 

 From the frequency of its occurrence, it has become a subject of 

 investigation with almost every rational grazier, and a particular 

 matter of inquiry with every agricultural body ; from whence it is 

 now very successfully treated by the usual attendants on cattle, 

 when skilful ; but when otherwise, it usually proves fatal. It is 

 observed to be more frequent in warm weather and when the grass 

 is wet. When either oxen, cows, or sheep, meet with any food 

 they are particularly fond of, or of which they have been long 

 deprived, as potatoes, turnips, the different grasses, particularly red 

 clover ; they eat greedily, and forget to lie down to ruminate ; by 

 which means the first stomach or paunch, becomes so distended as 

 to be incapable of expelling its contents. From this inflammation 

 follows, and fermentation begins to take place : a large quantity oi 

 air is let loose, which still adds to the distention, till the stomach 

 either bursts, or by its pressure on the diaphragm, the animal is 

 suffocated. This situation of the beast is known by the uneasiness 

 and general swelling of the abdomen ; with the circumstances of 

 the animal being found with such food, or the presumption that i* 

 has met with it. 



188. Treatment. There are three modes of relieving the com- 

 plaint, which may be adverted to according to the degree of 

 distention, and length of time it has existed. These are internal 

 medicines ; the introduction of a probang of some kind into the 

 paunch by the throat: and the puncturing it by the sides. Dr. 

 Whyatt of Edinburgh, is said to have cured eighteen out of twenty 

 hoved cows, by giving a pint of gin to each. Oil, by condensing 

 the air, has been successfully tried. Any* other substance also, that 

 has.-a, strong power of absorbing air, may be advantageously given. 



