NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



ublished every Saturday, by THOMAS \V. SHKI'AIU), Rojcra' Ijiuldins-, Coiiyrfss Street, Bosti^ii ; at $;!,W) pir ami. in ailvauce, or |<;",0U at the closi- of the yeai- 



Vol. I. 



BOSTOiN, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1822. 



No. 22. 



DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



BY THE EDITOR. 



In our paper of Nov. IGth, No. 16, p. 120, 

 »e proposed " to give articles from the most 

 ■pproveil authors, relating- to the diseases of 

 •attle, hordes, swine, sheep, &,c. and we now 

 )r<icoed to caiTV that proposition into effect. — 

 Ve would premise, however, that we have no 

 :noivledge of this subject derived from practice, 

 ind shall merely .«elect such articles as we think 

 nay prove useful, from treatises, which appear 

 have been correctly and judiciously written, 

 md hare met "ith the approbation of men of 

 cience on both sides of the .\tlantic. We shall 

 lometimes alter the language of the authors, 

 vhose ideas we may adopt, for the sake of b're- 

 ,-ity, and to make the subjects plain to readers 

 vho are not acquainted with medical and ana- 

 omical terms; but we hope to retain the mean- 

 ng whenever we vary the phraseology We 

 ■•hall, occasionally, intersperse our extracts with 

 •emarks of our own, derived, principal!}', from 

 conversation with practical farmers, and others, 

 vho possess the kind of knowledge which is 

 nost to be relied on, to wit, that which is de- 

 lved from experience. We are fully sensible 

 I )f the importance of the subject, and kno.v that 

 mproper prescriptions may not only cause the 

 OSS of much valuable property, but may fubjecl 

 naav poor animals to cruel as well as absurd 

 reatment. We shall therefore assert nothing 

 elative to the symptoms or cure for diseases of 

 attle which is not supported by respectable 

 luthority ; and should we be so unfortuuate as 

 lead our readers astray', it will be owing to 

 he fallibility of the most competent guides we 

 ouid fmd to direct our course. 



The following observations by Mr. Lawrence, 

 in English writer of reputation, might very well 

 )recede every treatise on Cattle Medicine or 

 Tarriery. " It should be considered that ani- 

 nals, living in a state of nature, regulated by 

 he reason and experience of man, might be 

 vhoUy exempt from disease — that their appe- 

 ites, unlike our own, may be held under con- 

 rtant control — that their diseases result purely 

 rom the negligence or erroneous treatment of 

 heir owners. They are either exposed too 

 nuch to the rigors and changes of the weather, 

 )r they are gorged with food, denied a sufficient 

 ]uantity, or supplied with such as is unwhole- 

 lome. Here we learn the chief causes of their 

 naladies. Lkarx to prevent them, instead ol 

 andertaking the tedious, unsuitabl-e, and often 

 Hopeless task of learning to cure them. I have 

 10 infallible receipts to offer ; on the contrary, 

 t wish to impress my readers strongly with the 

 idea, that all infallible receipts are infallible non- 

 leiwe.'" 



Inflammatory Fever, or general hiflammation ; 

 tailed also C^varter Kril, Black Quarter, or Spud. 

 -7This disease frequenll}' happens to young 

 cattle, generally between the first and third 

 ^ear, most commonly about the second \ear of 

 {heir age. It appears to be occasioned by feed- 

 ing them too hastily ; by putting them, when in 

 B lean state, into rich succulent pasture. 



The animal when seized with this complaint, 



becomes suddenly listless and stupid ; he hangs 1 

 down his head, refuses his food, and appears to 

 move with difltculty. Swellings soon appear in 

 ditl'erent parts of the body, which, when pressed 

 by the finger, make a crackling noise. Some- 

 times the joints are particularly aftected ; at 

 others, the swelling appears on the back, shoul- 

 der or belly. 



The disease attacks rather suddenly; and 

 often proves fatal, particularly when proper 

 remedies are not speedily employed. Bleeding 

 is the first remedy, and must be proportioned fo 

 the age and strength of the animal ; perhaps 

 from three to four quarts will generally be found 

 sufficient. The blood should always be meas- 

 ured. The following purgative should then be 

 given. 



Aloes - - - S dr. 



Potash - - - 2 dr. 



Sulphat of Soda [Glaubers Salts] 6 oz. 

 Warm Water - - 1 pt. 



ftlix for one dose. 

 This dose will generally be found sufficient 

 for an animal of two year's old. Should the 

 disease occur in situations, where these medi- 

 cines cannot be procured, give from four to six 

 ounces of common salt in a pint of water ; the 

 addition of four ounces of castor oil, sweet oil, 

 or even linseed oil, will make it more effica- 

 cious. Should the aniftial be relieved, by this 

 treatment, considerable weakness may follow ; 

 for which give the following twice a day : 

 Powdered Caraway seeds, 1 oz. 

 Ginger - - 2 dr. 



To be given in a pint of oat-meal gruel [or 

 any other gruel] or ale. 



The swollcij parts, particularly if the joints 

 are affected. Should be I'ubbed with the follow- 

 ing liniment : 



Take of linseed oil - 4 oz. 



Oil of turpentine - 2 oz. 



Liquid ammonia, or spirit of sal 



ammoniac - - 1 oz. 



Mix. 

 Mr. Lawrence has very properly advised that 

 a piece of short or inferior keep should be re- 

 served, as a digesting place, where cattle may 

 occasionally be turned, to empty and exercise 

 themselves. This is better than bleeding, or 

 any medical preventive ; and as this disease 

 frequently proves fatal, preventive measures 

 should never be lost sight of. 



Murrain or Pest. — These terms correspond 

 with that of plague in the human species, (and 

 the diseases are said to have a similar origin, 

 to wit, in putrid miasmata,) and like the plague 

 ia attended with boils or buboes. The plague 

 of horned cattle is said to be of a peculiar na- 

 ture, and not communicable to other animals. 

 Yet in a contagious disposition of the air, it 

 may chance that various species of animals may 

 be affected at the same time. The infection is 

 first denoted by a decretise of appetite, difficulty 

 of swailowiug, shaking the head, hanging down 

 of the ears, and dulness of the eyes. Constant 

 diarrhoea, or scouring, foetid breath, nauseous 

 steams from the skin, infecting the surrounding 

 air. The blocd is florid, hot, and froth; , and 



the urine high colored. Pvoof of the mouth ul- 

 cerated. Tumors or biles are felt under the 

 fleshy membrane of the skin ; eruptions all 

 along the limbs, and about the bags of the cowy-. 

 Milk dries up suddenly. The anim'als groan 

 much, and are? worse towards evening, mo'llv 

 lying down. These symptoms continue increas- 

 ing until the seventh day, in wliich,- generafly, 

 although sometimes protracted to the ninth, tin- 

 crisis or turn takes place. 



Dr. Darwin proposes, when this d;.-tcmper 

 liiakes its apjiearancO. to slaughter all the cattle 

 within five r.iiles of the infected place, wliich 

 a])pears to be a very harsh mode of |)roceed 

 iiig ; and although " death's a cure that never 

 fails," such a remedy is commonly thought to 

 be as bad as the dis-asc. Mr, Lawrence ad- 

 vises, on the appearance of the distemper, to 

 place the whole herd under the best shelter 

 that circumstances will allow ; to separate those 

 which are in the most advanced stage of the 

 disease, and slaughter such as good judges shall 

 deem to be in a state too dangerous for any at- 

 tempt to euro, an<l bury them pretty deep in 

 the ground. In a disease so highly putrid, 

 bleeding should ho moderate, yet in the begin- 

 ning, he thinks it will be necessary, as als6 se- 

 tons and rowels. " If costiveness prevail, the 

 body must be kept open by clysters, or the 

 most moderate purges, but a scouring is the 

 most usual symptom. The sick-house must be 

 sufficiently airy, yet well defended from wet 

 and cold. Acid fumig'ations will purify the at- 

 mosphere of the house, and probably the fumcS 

 being inhaled by the beasts will have a favora- 

 ble effect." 



" The emphysema, windy aticess, or puffing 

 up of the hitle, filled with a thin putrid matter 

 and foul air, which nature furnishes in the last 

 stage, as a mean of throwing offihe disease, 

 must be opened at full length, wherever situat- 

 ed, and llie matter discharged. The cavity to 

 be filled with pledgets of toiv, dipped in tinc- 

 ture of myrrh, or of an ointment composed of 

 powdered ■■Dentine and yolk of eggs. Poul- 

 tices of oia:..'.;;l, stale beer, &.C. may be nece-i- 

 sary to bring the ulcers to a proper digestion. 

 Nitre has, of late, been successfully used in 

 gangrenous ulcers, the cavities being filled with 

 it. The approach of mortification is indicated 

 by the dark and flabby appearance of the inside 

 of the mouth, coldness, insensibility, blackness 

 and ill scent of the dung, sauious and foul dis- 

 charge from the mouth and nose, and dulness of 

 the eyes. On the return of health, mild, clean- 

 sing purges will be necessary, but the danger 

 of mortification inust be fairly passed. The re- 

 covered beast must not be suddenly exposed to 

 the air, but only turned out a few hours in ,the 

 middle of the day, particularly throughout win- 

 ter. Sudden exposure has sulijccted many con- 

 valescents to a vertigo of giddiness, and to con- 

 sumption." 



M. Sauvages, the Celebrated professor of Med- 

 icine at Montpelier, was an accurate observer 

 of this disorder, when it raged with great vio- 

 lence in many parts of Europe. He calculated 

 that of twenty who were attacked by it nine- 

 teen died ; that no certain remedy had been 



