90 THE KEEPERS BOOK 



with calf lymph has had many advocates, but the balance 

 of opinion is against it being of any value, though we 

 still live in hope that a serum will be found which will 

 do for distemper what antitoxin now does for diphtheria. 

 We would here point out to keepers that distemper is 

 a specific fever caused by the presence of a poison in 

 the system, that the symptoms vary according to the 

 virulence of the epidemic and the particular animal 

 affected that, therefore, to treat the patient intelli- 

 gently, one must not pin one's faith to So-and-so's ball 

 or powder, but rather skilfully prescribe for each step 

 of the disorder. When the animal is first affected it is 

 good treatment to give a dose of opening medicine, but 

 not a severe purgative ; to feed often with light, sloppy 

 food, chiefly of milk or broth. For medicine, half to 

 one tablespoonful of spirit of mindererus twice or thrice 

 daily, and even more often if fever is high. If powder 

 is preferred, then 5 to TO grains of nitrate of potash 

 may be given at several intervals. In the majority of 

 cases this is sufficient, and a recovery takes place. If 

 cough is troublesome, or the animal is " wheezy," 5 to 

 10 drops of ipecacuanha wine may be added to the 

 mindererus spirit. In bad forms you may get head 

 symptoms early, when the dog becomes restless, even 

 delirious, and to treat this you may give 10 to 30 grains 

 of bromide alone or with tinct. of hyoscyamus, 10 to 30 

 minims. Pneumonia is, however, the usual complica- 

 tion in fatal cases, occurring, too, most frequently after 

 the acute symptoms have subsided. The ignorant 



