10 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



made. After all these precautions have been observed the milking 

 tube may be inserted and through it one-half pint of solution intro- 

 duced by gravity air pressure or by syringe. There is practically 

 no danger in this mode of treatment if it is properly carried out. 



Injections into the udder are sometimes made in the treatment of 

 garget, but so far with indifferent success. 



By the nostrils. — An animal may be caused to inhale medicine 

 in the form of gas or vapor or to snuff up a fine powder. Sometimes, 

 for the purpose of local treatment, fluids are injected into the nose. 



A medicine inhaled may have either a local or a general effect. 



Medicated steam, carrying the volatile products of compound 

 cresol solution, carbolic acid, balsam of Peru, compound tincture of 

 benzoin, tincture of iodin, etc., may be liberated beneath the nostrils 

 of a cow so that she must inhale these soothing vapors; but such 

 treatment is not so common for cattle as for horses. In producing 

 general anesthesia, or insensibility to pain, the vapor of chloroform 

 or ether is administered by the nostrils. As a preliminary to this it 

 is necessary to cast and confine the animal. Great care is necessary 

 to avoid complete stoppage of the heart or breathing. 



By the trachea. — Medicines are injected into the trachea, or wind- 

 pipe, in the treatment of some forms of diseases of the lungs, and 

 especially *in that form of bronchitis or pneumonia that is caused by 

 lungworms. For this injection a large hypodermic syringe, fitted 

 with a very thick, strong needle, is used. The needle is to be inserted 

 about the middle of the neck and between the cartilaginous rings of 

 the trachea. 



By the skin. — Although a number of drugs, notably mercury, are 

 so readily absorbed by the skin of cattle as to render poisoning easy, 

 medicines are not given in this way for their general or constitutional 

 but only for their local effect. 



Diseases of the skin and superficial parasites are treated or de- 

 stroyed by applications in the forms of washes, ointments, dips, and 

 powders. Liniments and lotions are applied to the skin for the relief 

 of some near-lying part, such as a muscle, tendon, or joint. Blisters 

 are applied to the skin for the purpose of obtaining the effect of 

 counterirritation upon a neighboring region or organ. Cold water 

 may be applied to the skin to reduce the temperature and to diminish 

 congestion or inflammation in a superficial area or to reduce the 

 temperature of the whole body. High fever and heat strokes are 

 treated in this way. 



By the tissue beneath the skin. — Hypodermic or subcutaneous 

 injections are often made for the purpose of introducing a drug, 

 reagent, or vaccine directly into the connecting tissue beneath the 

 skin. Introduced in this way, the substance is quickly absorbed, 



