

THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 267 



lime-water" in readiness. Its preparation is directed as 

 follows : Take a lump of quick-lime of the size of an egg, and 

 pour on it in a convenient vessel as much water as will slake 

 it. This being done, then pour upon it one pint of boiling 

 water, stir the whole up, and cover close. While this is al- 

 lowed to stand for some time, take an eight-ounce bottle, and 

 put into it two ounces of subcarbonate of potass (salt of 

 tartar), and fill up the bottle with the lime-water already 

 made, pouring it off rather turbid than in a state of purity. 

 Cork this up and label it: it is now ready for use. Take of 

 this solution two teaspoonfuls, and add it to a little gruel or 

 warm water in which an ounce of Epsom salts has been dis- 

 solved in order to make the draught, which may be repeated 

 every six hours. If the calf suffers violent colic pains, a 

 teaspoonful of tincture of opium, with a scruple or half a 

 drachm of ginger, may be given ; and injections of gruel, 

 with a teaspoonful of tincture of opium (laudanum), adminis- 

 tered. It is not always that this solution is in readiness, or 

 that it can be quickly prepared ; we recommend under such 

 circumstances a drench, composed of a scruple or half a 

 drachm of carbonateof ammonia, or two drachms of carbon- 

 ate of soda, with two ounces of Epsom salts (sulphate of 

 magnesia), and a little ginger, in gruel. 



If the calf by these means be relieved, the next object is to 

 prevent a recurrence of the mischief. A lump of chalk 

 may be put into a trough near the young animal, and to 

 which it has free access. The calf will lick the chalk, and 

 the particles of this taken into the stomach will correct the 

 acidity which is so apt to be generated in that viscus. It is 

 a common plan to give chalk to calves under the idea that it 

 makes their flesh white ; this is a mistake, excepting so far 

 as good health in the calf produces whiter and better veal. 

 Three times a day only should the calf be allowed to suck, 

 and then not to repletion ; a bundle of sweet grass or good 

 hay tied up with a string may be hung before it ; it will be 

 allured to pick a little, and the flow of saliva being excited, 

 the digestion will be thereby assisted. If convenient, it may 

 be allowed the range of a paddock or small field with advan- 

 tage : the air, the exercise, and the smell of the fresh herbage, 

 even its attempts to nibble, will prove beneficial. Weakly 

 calves, and especially such as are fed by hand, often require, 

 on recovering from this distention of the stomach, a total 

 change of food ; a raw egg beat up in gruel, made of grits or 



