8o COURSING 



epidermis. Here we recommend a strong dose of sulphur or 

 fluid magnesia to begin with, and a teaspoonful of concentrated 

 essence of sarsaparilla placed in the water daily, whilst all meal 

 must be removed from the food, which should consist of lean 

 meat and gravy mixed with brown bread, and well boiled and 

 mashed carrots, turnips, beetroots or tomatoes, the two last for 

 choice. In many cases eczema proves a stubborn enemy, 

 and its cause and cure vary so that fixed rules for treatment 

 are impossible, and the breeder must be guided by circum- 

 stances. 



Constipation is often present in pregnancy and during 

 nursing, and here the camomile pill or sulphur may be em- 

 ployed; but if obstinate and continual an enema of glycerine 

 and Castile soap may be administered. Other ailments may 

 trouble the breeder ; but, as a rule, a brood-bitch, if constitu- 

 tionally strong, is exempt from serious contagion. It is always 

 as well, however, to give a bitch a worm powder in the middle 

 of her pregnancy, for we are strongly of opinion that internal 

 parasites are often contracted in the womb, and not always 

 acquired with the food after weaning. 



The bitch should be left almost entirely to herself during 

 parturition : in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred Nature 

 is far the best midwife, and any interference is calculated 

 to do more harm than good, though exceptional cases may 

 occur when the veterinary surgeon should be called in, as any 

 attempt at an operation by an inexperienced hand is to be 

 deprecated. After she has pupped and has made herself 

 comfortable, the bitch should be quietly provided with a bowl 

 of gruel, and no attempt should be made to count or over- 

 haul her whelps. Gruel, sheep's-head broth, beef-tea, or 

 some extract of beef should form the sustenance for the 

 first week, during which time no solid food should be given ; 

 but after that the diet may be varied, though very little, if 

 any, meat should be included. If there is a scarcity of milk, the 

 gruel must be continued ; fresh fish carefully freed of all bones 

 will be found very beneficial, and half a teaspoonful of cod- 



