134 THE farmer's veterinarian 



rough, a slight cough may be noticed and some- 

 times a rattling is heard in the head. For cattle 

 a mild dose of physic, consisting of one-half pound 

 Epsom salts and 4 tablespoonfuls of sweet spirits 

 of niter mixed in a pint of lukewarm water and 

 given as a drench, is about all that is necessary. 

 If the cold hangs on, mix together one-half pound 

 of nitrate of potash or saltpeter and one-half pound 

 of gentian root and give a teaspoonful of this three 

 times a day until the animal is better. Of course 

 good food should go along with this treatment. The 

 horse should be fed soft food like bran mashes and 

 be kept quiet in a well-ventilated stable. If the 

 cold hangs on with him, mix one-half pound of 

 saltpeter or nitrate of potash, one-half pound of 

 sulphur, and one-half pound of ground gentian root 

 and give a teaspoonful morning, noon and night. 



CATTLE SCAB.— See Scab in Cattle. 



CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS.— A disease 

 fatal in violent attacks and not well understood as 

 to cause. It is believed to be non-contagious, al- 

 though frequently extensive outbreaks occur, sug- 

 gesting that it may be contagious. The symptoms 

 are not well defined, due, perhaps, to the fact that 

 other diseases are included under the general name. 

 Horses of all ages of both sexes are affected, and 

 temperament and physical condition have nothing 

 to do with susceptibility to the disease. Likewise 

 mules are affected and the mortality among them 

 is equally as great as among horses. The most 

 acceptable belief as to cause centers around a 

 bacterial organism that works in the membranes 

 of the brain. However, some writers attribute the 

 disease to ergot, smuts and molds supposed to be 

 taken with the food. Moldy corn and moldy hay 

 are believed to be associated with the disease. The 



