Diseases of the Organs of Generation. 327 



bowels and bladder. Both forms are exceediagly fatal, 

 almost all attacked within two days after calving perish- 

 ing, and a large proportion of those taken ill during the 

 first week. 



Prevention. Spare diet (starvation in the plethoric) for 

 a week before and after calving, an active purgative (Ep- 

 som salts) to act as soon after calving as possible, plenty 

 of fresh, cool air, milking, if necessary, before calving and 

 thrice daily after. In the full flush of grass it is needful 

 to keep plethoric parturient subjects in-doors, upon dry 

 hay with plenty of salt and water, or on a very bare past- 

 ure. Even if attacked a week after calving they usually 

 recover. 



Treatment. If the animal is seen before it goes down, 

 bleed four or six quarts from the jugular, but never after 

 the pulse has lost its fullness and hardness; apply ice- 

 cold water, bags of ice or a solution of an ounce each of 

 nitre and sal ammoniac in a quart of water to the head 

 round the base of the horns, give a powerful purgative, 

 (2 lbs. Epsom salts, \ oz. carbonate of ammonia, ^ dr. 

 nux vomica,) apply friction to the limbs, draw the milk off 

 at frequent intervals and repeat the ammonia and nux 

 vomica every four hours. The nux vomica may be re- 

 placed by strychnia, 1 grain with 2 or three drops of vin- 

 egar in a teaspoonful of water and injected under the skin 

 twice with four hours interval, or ergot of rye may be used 

 instead. The fever may often be materially reduced by 

 enveloping the whole body in a sheet wrung out of cold 

 water, and covering up with one or several dry ones ac- 

 cording to the season. 



In the second or torpid form of the disorder there is 

 often no call for cold applications to the head, while pur- 

 gatives and nnx vomica are especially demanded. 



