288 Western Live-stock Management 
drying powder. A suitable powder is made of two parts 
each of tannic acid, boracic acid, and zinc oxide, with 
one part of iodoform. Formerly it was thought well 
to tie the cord, but it has been found that this has a ten- 
dency to keep a jelly-like substance within the cord, 
forming a good medium for the action of bacteria. The 
proper treatment is to use some material that will tend 
to dry up the cord as quickly as possible, and at the same 
time keep out bacteria. The whole process is to prevent 
putrefactive germs from entering the raw navel, although 
it may happen that the germs entering through the 
mouth may cause the same effect. Scours is another 
disease that often comes from getting disease germs into 
the system. 
Another trouble that often affects foals during the first 
twenty-four to forty-eight hours is constipation. If the 
colt does not receive the first milk, known as colostrum, 
which is nature’s laxative provided to start the passage 
of the bowels, he may have serious difficulty. Many 
breeders do not notice that there is anything wrong with 
the colt until he begins to weaken and fails to take nourish- 
ment. When the trouble has progressed thus far it is 
often hard to treat successfully. The simplest treat- 
ment, if the colt fails to make the proper passage of the 
first excreta, which is dark brown in color, is a solution of 
soapsuds injected into the rectum. This treatment should 
not be given unless necessary, which will seldom be the 
case when the mare’s milk is normal and the colt healthy. 
The mare should now be allowed to rest. The working 
of the mare after foaling should be delayed as long as 
possible, preferably until after weaning. If kept up, the 
mare should have plenty of nourishing, rather laxative 
food, except for the first day or two, when she must be 
