274 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



powdered bone meal or crude calcium phosphate at each meal. Ordi- 

 nary lime dissolved in drinking wat«r (limewater) will also be found 

 efficacious in combating this disease, and can be provided at slight 

 expense. A change of pasture to a locality where the disease is 

 unknown and a free supply of common salt and bone meal will be the 

 most convenient method of treating range cattle. 



The most common accident occurring to bones and joints is a 

 sprain of the ligaments uniting the bones, or the tendons uniting the 

 muscles and bones. A sprain is the result of a sudden forcing of a 

 joint in an unnatural direction; or, if in a natural direction, beyond 

 the power of the ligament or tendon to restrain it properly, so that 

 part of the fibers of either are ruptured. AVhen such an accident 

 occurs pain is immediately inflicted, varying in degree with the 

 extent of the injury, which is soon followed by swelling, with more 

 or less heat and tenderness. If the seat of the injury be in any of 

 the limbs, lameness is likely to result. Of the causes of sprain, slip- 

 ping on ice or a wet floor, playing, or fighting with another animal 

 are the most common. 



SPRAIN OF THE SHOUI.DKB .lOINT. 



This is likely to occur from any of the causes mentioned above or 

 from the animal slipping suddenly into a rut or hole. When such an 

 accident occurs, sudden lameness will attract attention. The animal 

 will be noticed to drag the leg when walking and to carry it in a cir- 

 cular direction, outward and forward, at each step. The leg should 

 be carefully examined, pressure over the joint causing the animal to 

 evince pain. If the person making the examination is in doubt, it is 

 well to make a comparison between the shoulders by pressing first on 

 one and then the other. After such an accident the animal should 

 be tied up so as to limit so far as possible the use of the injured joint. 



Soft food should be given with a view to keeping the bowels acting 

 freely. 



Treatment. — During the first three days the treatment should con- 

 sist of cold-water irrigation to check the inflammation and relieve the 

 pain. Hot fomentations may then be applied to hasten the absorp- 

 tion of the inflammatory fluids. When the pain has somewhat 

 abated, equal parts of mercurial ointment and green soap may be 

 rubbed into the swollen tissue. Should lamene&s continue after the 

 tenth day. good results will be obtained from the application of a 

 blister. This may be done by carefully clipping the hair off over 



