Catti^b. 



297 



row triangle of iron, or leather put around 

 a piece of wood cut to the right shape, 

 these devices being held in place by ropes 

 fastened to the surcingle and collar same 

 as above. 



Milk Fever. 



This disease while peculiar to the cow, 

 seldom attacks any of the common stock, 

 and is chiefly confined to the improved 

 and highly fed animal. It occurs only at 

 or near the time of calving. The blood is 

 extremely dense. The red corpuscles 

 are reduced in size. If water is added 

 to blood, reducing its density, ihe cor- 

 puscles increase in size, but if salt is 

 added to blood, increasing its density, the 

 corpuscles decrease in size; hence the 

 smallness of the corpuscles prove the 

 density of the blood. 



This disease never occurs with the first 

 calving, rarely m the second, and usually 

 after easy calving in which there has been 

 but little loss of blood, proving that ab- 

 straction of blood is demanded, provided 

 the animal is seen before going down. 

 From four to six quarts may be taken. 

 As the blood is withdrawn its place is 

 taken by liquids drawn from all parts of 

 the body, and thus the blood is diluted. 

 Give the animal plenty of water to drink. 

 It is a good practice to give a strong dose 

 of purgative medicine as follows: 



Epsom salts 2 pounds. 



Carbonate ammonia _ % ounce. 



Nux vomica ^^ dram. 



Injections of warm water (three quarts), 

 with soap or oil, may be beneficial. Ice 

 water or bags of ice on the head are of 

 great value in cases where the horns, 

 ears, and head are very hot and the eyes 

 red and swollen. In such cases large 

 and frequent doses of tincture of aconite 

 (20 drops every four hours) are indicated. 

 Keep the head of the cow, tied above the 



level of the body by passing a rope over 

 a beam above. 



If the body is very hot wrap the whole 

 body in blankets saturated with cold 

 water. 



Cases often recover rapidly and are a. 

 surprise. A cow insensible only a few 

 hours before is found up and eating. 

 Others recover more slowly and require 

 careful attention, and restricted feeding 

 followed by a daily dose of saltpetre and 

 nux vomica for several days. 



" For such fatal disease prevention is of 

 far more consequence than treatment. 

 Among the efficient preventives may be 

 named a spare diet for a week before 

 calving and at least four days after. A 

 free access to salt and water is most im- 

 portant, as the salt favors drinking and 

 the water serves to dilute the rich and 

 dense blood. A dose of epsom salts (one 

 to two pounds) should be given twenty- 

 four hours before calving is due, so that 

 it may operate at or just before that act. 

 In case calving has occurred unexpectedly 

 in the heavy milker, lose no time in giv. 

 ing the purgative thereafter. If epsom 

 salts are not at hand use saltpetre (one 

 ounce) for several days. If the udder is 

 greatly engorged before calving it may 

 be milked for several days before, and 

 should be not less than thrice a day after. 

 A hungry calf is a good auxiliary, but for 

 a very heavy milker the new-born calf 

 gives but very imperfect relief, and must 

 be supplemented by the hand of the 

 milker. Daily exercise is also of im- 

 portance. In summer an open shed or 

 shady grove is better than a close, stuffy 

 stall. A rich pasture (clover especially), 

 in May, June, or July, is to be carefully 

 avoided. Better keep the cow indoors on 

 dry straw with plenty of salt and water 

 than to have access to such pastures. 

 It is safest to avoid breeding again froic 

 a cow that has once suffered." 



