DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 37 



rupture of a part of the small intestine. In both of those cases the ani- 

 mals were compelled to trot forward and back, and it seems reasonable 

 to infer that this treatment was the cause of their death. 



INDIGESTION IN CALVES GASTRIC CATARRH DIARRHEA WHITE 



SCOUR. 



Sucking calves are subject to a form of diarrhea to which the above 

 designations have been applied. 



Causes. Calves which suck their dams are not frequently affected 

 with this disease, though it may be occasioned by their sucking at long 

 intervals and thus overloading the stomach and bringing on indigestion. 

 Calves which are separated from their dams and which receive consid- 

 erable quantities of cold milk at long intervals are liable to contract 

 this form of indigestion. Calves fed on artificial food, which is some- 

 times used as a substitute for milk, also frequently contract it. 



Symptoms. The milk which passes into the fourth stomach becomes 

 curdled and acts as an irritant on the surface of the stomach and bow- 

 els, so that a catarrhal condition of their mucous surface is set up. The 

 passages have a thin, yellowish- white appearance and become very fre- 

 quent. The calf becomes dull, whisks its tail as if in pain whenever 

 there is a passage from the bowels, loses its appetite, becomes weak, 

 and unless the disease is checked dies in a few days from exhaustion. 



Treatment. The calf should have from 1 to 2 ounces of castor oil 

 and a tablespoonful of laudanum. A mild dose of purgative medi- 

 cine is given to remove the curdled milk from the stomach and bowels. 

 The object of the subsequent treatment is to allay the irritation of the 

 stomach and bowels and to restore the digestive functions. We rec- 

 ommend the following to be compounded and divided into twelve pow- 

 ders: Powdered rhubarb, 1 ounces; carbonate of magnesia, 3 ounces. 

 One of these powders should be given four times a day; each powder 

 to be shaken up with two wineglassfuls of new milk, to which two tea- 

 spoonfuls of whisky should be added. A little fresh milk should be 

 given five or six times a day, or the calf allowed to suck about six times 

 a day, but the quantity should be limited. In applying treatment the 

 mother should always be examined as to the condition of her health, 

 diet, etc., as the disorder may sometime* bo traced to some disease or 

 mismanagement affecting the mother. 



GA8TRO-ENTERITI*. 



This consists of an inflammation of the mucous surface of the fourth 

 stomach and of the bowel. The inflammation is seldom limited to the 

 mucous surface of the fourth stomach, but almost always involves the 

 mucous surface of the bowel to a greater or less extent. 



Causes. Long intervals between times of feeding; sudden chocking 

 of perspiration; putting working oxen to severe work immediately 



21 S2S,*5 1 



