650 Transactions of the American Institute. 



Cuke of Sick Animals — Valuable Directions. 



Mr. T. B. Willson, Mason city, Iowa. — Concerning the fat cow with 

 fever after calving, give her two onnces of refined saltpeter twice in 

 twelve hours for two days ; if the fever does not abate, give her 

 another dose or more, until the fever leaves her ; it will do no harm 

 it" you give lier ten such doses in five days. My mode of giving it is 

 to mix four quarts or more of wheat bran with water, in which the 

 saltpeter has been dissolved ; mix to suit her taste as to moisture ; the 

 water should be temperate, not over sixty degrees Fahrenheit ; if 

 the fever is high, and the cow appears to be in much pain and bowels 

 loose, mix with the mess ten grains of opium, or any preparation of 

 opium dissolved, once a day ; card her gently and thoroughly ; keep 

 her w^arra and dry ; give her no water colder than forty-iive degrees 

 Fahrenheit, but give her all she will drink at that or at fifty degrees. 

 My mode of forcing animals of any kind to drink medicine is to mix 

 the medicine with water, put it in a long-necked bottle, tie the head 

 of the animal high and short, put a devise in the mouth, put your 

 hand through the devise, pull the tongue gently through, turn the 

 nose up a little, put the moutli of the bottle back of the devise, turn 

 it toward the throat, and pour out the contents, and it will find its 

 own way into the stomach. 



If you have aii}^ of the bovine tribe foundered by eating grain, espe- 

 cially oats, give them all the raw potatoes they will eat ; any other 

 roots are good, but not as good as potatoes ; cut the j)otatoes, or they 

 may choke the animal. 



If your cow gives bloody milk, as some good ones often do, give 

 alum, the same as saltpeter before-mentioned ; and, if mixed with salt 

 in equal quantities, if given in season, will cure the bloody murrain ; 

 mix a little laudanum for murrain, and give once an hour until the 

 animal appears easy. 



If your cow has caked udder, or garget, as some term it, give salt- 

 peter with salt as above ; it has always cured this disorder in a short 

 time for me ; the best cows are often ruined by this plague from hot 

 weather and high feed. It is so common that I feel it my duty to 

 divulge this sure cure, if applied in season and faithfully followed out. 

 I don't profess to be a doctor of medicine. I only give my experience ; 

 what I state herein I have tried with good success, none having failed 

 with me. 



