e 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



blished every Saturday, by THOMAS W. 8HEPAR1J, Ro-c-rs' Building, Congress Street, Boston ; at $i,jO per ann. in ailvanee, or $:S,W) at the close of the year 



i^OL. I. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 182.5. 



No. 26. 



DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



,^CTED AND COMPILED FROM THE BEST ArTnORs, 

 BY THE EDITOR. 



Gripes, or Flatulent Colic. 

 f bis disease, in liorned cattle, is generally 



eflcct of costiveness, or a rcntention of foot! 

 the third stomach. Sometimes, liowever, it 

 ppens when the bowels are in a lax, or iiata- 

 I state. Cows that are fed upon grains are 

 ry liable to this complaint ; such, also, as are 

 pt upon dry food are often attacked by it. 

 hen colic takes place, independent of costiv«- 

 5S, it is generally occasioned by feeding grec- 

 ly upon fresh succulent grass, or by drinking 

 Id water when heated by exercise, and comes 



rather suddenly ; but when it is caused by 

 stiveness, the attack is generally more gra- 



al. i 



The symptoms are at first, art rippearance ^f 

 stlessncss in the animal, often lying down, 

 caning, or striking against the belly with tlie 

 nd feet or horns. The body is often swollei), 

 aich is most observable on the left side. The 

 ilse is generally in its natural state. If prop- 

 .emedies are not administered, the pain b«- 

 mes more violent, and at length inflimmaticn 

 ices place, which is indicated by the puhe 

 coming very quick, and the ears, horns ai|d 

 et cold ; when this happens the disorder mcfet 

 mmonly terminates in death. When the collr 

 pears to arise from costiveness, purging me- 

 :ines are of course the essential remedy ; b«l 

 ey should be combined with aromatics, or 

 mulants, as in the following prescriptions; 

 d if the animal is in good condition, or the 

 .ler surface of the eyelid is unusually red, it 

 ould be bled freely ; but if the complaint is 

 tended with looseness, or the bowels arc in 

 eir natural lax state, particularly if the ani- 

 al appears rather weak, and the inner surface 

 ■ the eyelid pale, the following carminative 

 •ink should be given, and no blood taken away. 

 'hen the purging drink is found necessary its 

 leration may be promoted by clysters. It 

 av not be unnecessary to observe that when 

 le'colic is caused by feeding greedily on grains, 

 r any other kind of tbod, the cow must be ki] 

 lutiously for several days after, and take the 

 omachic drink, hereafter mentioned, once or 

 vice a day, in order to restore the tone or eu- 

 rgy of the stomach. On the other hand, should 

 le disease have been occasioned by costiveness, 

 r feeding upon dry food, the state of the bow- 

 ls must be attended to after the animal has 

 een relieved by the operation of the purgative 

 rink; as the tendency to costiveness will pro- 

 ably continue, unless it be removed by a change 

 f food. When this cannot be done, some salt 

 hould be mixed with the food if the animal w^ii 

 at it; if not he should be drenched with thr.-'- 

 rfour ounces of salt dissolved in water daily , 

 hjf will serve to open his bowels in a slight 

 egrec, and increase his appetite for water, 

 vith which he should be freely supplied. 

 Purging Drink. 



Barbadoes aloes i oz. 



Carbonate of potash, or common 

 potash 3 dr. 



Powdered ginger 



Water 



Oil of turpentine 



Linseed oil 



Mix for one dose. 



4 oz. 

 1 pt. 

 1 oz. 

 8 oz. 



the tonic drench be given morning and evening, 

 and let the animal be kept in a warm sheltered 

 situation. It may be necessary to repeat, that 

 this, like most other internal diseases of cattle, 

 may generally be removed by timely attention ; 



When the above medicine cannot be procured ; ''"t in attempting a cure after they have exist- 

 in time, the following may be substituted for it. ed some time, a great deal ot unnecessary ex 



Common salt 



Sweet oil, linseed oil, or any 

 kind of oil which is not very 

 rancid, or even melted hog's 

 lard 



Flour of mustard 



Water 

 To this a glass of spirit may be added 



Stomachic Drink. 

 Powdered ginger 

 Powdered gentian 

 Carbonate of ammonia [volatile 



salts] 

 Infusion of camomile flowers 

 Mix for one dose. 



Carminative Drink. 

 Oil of turpentine 

 Tincture of opium 

 Spirit of nitrous ether 

 Water 



Mix for one dose. 



JVhile\ 



lb. 



lb. 

 oz. 

 qt. 



i OZ. 



i oz. 



2 dr. 

 ipt. 



1 oz. 

 6 dr. 



2 oz. 

 ipt. 



Treatise. 



.', oz. 

 (J dr. 

 3 dr. 



2 dr 

 1 P< 



Indigesiio7i, or loss of the Cud. 



Mr. Lawrence says that in this disease, '• the 

 licast mourns, and has no appetite, or drops its 

 food without attempting to swallow it. Proba- 

 bly from defective irritability in the fibres, or 

 coiitractiirg muscles of the rumon or cud-bas^, 

 the animal is unable to throw up or rnminate, 

 of course the bag remains loaded and obstruct- 

 eil. The intention is to remove the obstruction 

 and re-invigorate the animal fibres. Let the 

 animal fast some time, then give a warm bran, 

 or pollard mash, with good hay and warm water 

 with salt. This treatment alone may succeed 

 with patience, even should the maw be obstruct- 

 ed by acorns or crab-apples. An aloes tincture 

 made with brandy and ginger or capsicum [red 

 pepper] might be of use in this case. After 

 conquering the obstruction, bitter infusions made 

 of camomile, hoarhound, oak bark, &,c. in beer, 

 may be required, as restoratives, although per- 

 haps good dry nourishing feed will have an 

 equally good effect." 



It is remarked by Mr. White that " the ear- 

 lier stages of this complaint are not marked by 

 very striking symptoms. The animal has a 

 dull, or languid appearance ; and generally, a 

 rough unhealthy coat and tight skin. The ap- 

 petite is diminished, and at length he ceases to 

 chew the cud. The eyes and mouth have gen- 

 erally a yellow appearance. 



« To cure this disease, it should be attacked 

 at an early period ; for when the liver has be- 

 come aflected in a considerable degree, it ter- 

 minates fatally. Should there be any appear- 

 ance of costiveness, the following warm laxative 

 is first to be gi\en ; more commonly, however, 

 the Lowfcis are in a loose state, and the dung 

 has an unhealthy appearance ; in this case, let 



pense is often incurred. 



Warm Luxativr. 

 Barbadoes aloes 

 Castile soap 

 Ginger 



Cascarilb bark 

 Warm water 



Mis. 

 After the operation of the laxative, the tonic 

 drench may be given, should it be found nec- 

 essary. 



Tonic Drench. 

 Cascarilla bark k. ginger, of each 2 dr. 

 Soda 2 dr. 



To be given in a pint of ale, beer, or warm 

 water;'' 



Jaundice, or Yellows. 

 This disease may be known, principally, by 

 yellowness of the eyes and mouth ; a dull or 

 languid appearance, and debility ; a loss of ap- 

 petite too is a common symptom It may be 

 distinguished from the former disease by the 

 costiveness, which uniformly attends if, and by 

 the animal appearing to be in more pain. At 

 the commencement of the disorder a cure may 

 generally be accomplished, by giving the warm 

 laxative, directed for the foregoing complaint, 

 and repea'ing it after an interval ot five 

 days, giving, in ttie intermediate time, 

 lowing drink, every morning 

 Castile soap 

 Venice turpentine 

 Ginger 



Powdered gentian root 

 Rub the soap and turpentine togetl\er, in a 

 mortar, until they are incorporated ; then add, 

 gradually, a pint of water, and afterward (he 

 ginger and gentian. 



In the more advanced stage of this disorder, 

 the liver is generally so injured as to render a 

 cure impossible. — IVhite's Treatise. 



Mr. Lawrence observes that " this disease in 

 cattle originates in hepatic, or liver-obstruction 

 from cold ; however, always from obstruction, 

 which is most effectually opened by mild mer- 

 curial purges, notwithstanding the beast may 

 appear weak and hide bound. The yellow 

 tino-e in the eyes and mouth, and tipon the 

 urine, sufficiently indicate the disease. Take 

 the patient to the house, the earlier the better, 

 and if he remain weak after two or three days, 

 give steel beer, milk warm, a pint twice a day 

 for a week, and good keep. One gallon good 

 beer, three or four ounces iron filings, intuse in 

 a stone bottle corked up three or four days ; 

 shake daily. Hard labor during great heats 

 was said by the old writers to produce the Gall 

 or Overllow of the Gall, ' ' "" "" 

 atcs in the Yellows." 



(to be contikced.) 



or six 

 the fol- 

 and evening. 

 7^ oz. 

 ioz. 

 3 dr. 

 1 oz. 



which often teruun- 



