THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 



half an ounce of carbonate of ammonia, and half an ounce of 

 ginger, in thin gruel or warm water. 



After the first drench, smaller doses should succeed at in- 

 tervals of six or eight hours, with a repetition of the injec- 

 tions; until the bowels act freely. Mr. Harrison states, that 

 he has seen a scruple of calomel, given in a pint of yeast, 

 produce purging when other remedies have failed, the life of 

 the animal being thus saved when there was little hope. 



After the bowels have been well purged, tonics and diuretics 

 may be given ; as a drachm of ginger, a drachm of gentian (in 

 powder), and an ounce of spirit of nitrous ether in a little 

 gruel twice a day. 



As the animal improves the skin will become clear, the 

 breathing easy, and appetite will return : still the urine, from 

 previous irritation of the kidneys, may continue dark coloured 

 or black. Under these circumstances, a few doses of oil of 

 turpentine and laudanum (of each one ounce) in linseed tea 

 may be given with advantage. Great attention must be paid 

 to the diet, which should consist of mashes, gruel, linseed 

 tea, and fresh vetches or meadow-grass, but never in large 

 quantities at a time. 



CONCRETIONS IN THE STOMACH AND MECHANICAL OBSTRUCTIONS OF 

 THE ALIMENTARY CANAL. 



Cattle are very apt, urged by some morbid condition of the 

 stomach, to swallow various strange articles, as linen, leather, 

 pieces of iron, &c., and such for example as handkerchiefs and 

 other parts of dress, shoes, gloves, scissors, pieces of wood, 

 bits of coal, and the like. Numerous instances of this nature 

 are on record, and many farmers, no doubt, could supply 

 others from their own personal experience. 



Occasionally no mischief appears to result from this un- 

 natural act, but generally the presence of these matters in the 

 rumen produces irritation ; the due performance of rumina- 

 tion is interrupted, the animal is dull, aperients have no 

 beneficial effect, it becomes worse, and at last dies ; when, the 

 stomach being opened, the cause of the mischief is discovered. 

 Scissors and other sharp instruments will sometimes work 

 their way through the coats of the rumen, and protrude be- 

 tween two of the ribs ; frequently they pierce the pericardium 

 and cause death. Large substances interfering with the action 

 of the rumen, while the animal still continues to feed, conduce 

 to the distention of that viscus, and occasionally, on the per- 



