THE OX AND THE DATBY. 265 



they are large and round, with a central depression, and ac- 

 companied by more or less of fever and general derangement. 

 In both, however, they are filled with a limpid fluid, which by 

 degrees becomes opaque and purulent. A scab is then 

 formed, which in a short time peels off, leaving the skin 

 sound beneath. If, however, the pustules are broken, they 

 degenerate into ulcers larger, deeper, and more difficult to 

 heal in the genuine than in the spurious cow-pox. To dis- 

 tinguish between these two species of pustular eruption is 

 important : the true disease may be known by the large size 

 of the pustules, their depression, the decided ring of inflam- 

 mation around them, and the constitutional disturbance of 

 the animal. In both cases the treatment is simple ; an 

 aperient draught and a cooling lotion are all that is needed. 

 If ulcers are produced they may be occasionally washed with 

 a weak solution of chloride of lime, and powdered with a 

 little calamine, or dressed with the calamine cerate of the 

 London Pharmacopoeia. 



DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF CALVES. 



From those diseases which more immediately concern the 

 cow, we may now turn to those which peculiarly affect the 

 calf, and which, setting accidents aside, are nearly all more or 

 less connected with a deranged state of the digestive organs. 

 In the calf, as we have said, while feeding exclusively on its 

 mother's milk, the first three stomachs are undeveloped, the 

 abomasum or true digestive stomach alone being required ; 

 but as it begins to partake of vegetable food the first three 

 stomachs gradually increase, and begin to labour in the per- 

 formance of the duties now imposed upon them. In both 

 states the powers of digestion are often overtaxed ; for the 

 calf is apt to take more than it can properly digest, especially 

 if not allowed free exercise, or if the bowels have not been 

 cleared of the black excrementitious matter (meconium) with 

 which they were loaded after birth. Some farmers refuse the 

 first milk or beastings to the calf, ignorant that it is a pur- 

 gative expressly intended by nature for this purpose ; the 

 consequence of which is that, early as it is to begin with medi- 

 cine, some aperient is rendered absolutely necessary, recourse 

 to which might have been prevented had nature not been inter- 

 fered with. The mischief, however, is done ; and the only 

 question to be settled is, what purgative must be chosen ? Two 

 or three ounces of castor oil, mixed up with the yolk of an egg 



