ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 125 



there is nothing we can do that will interfere with nature in this 

 respect. 



When this disease occurs in the form of inflammation or 

 hardening, the best method is to give Epsom salts. We generally 

 give I 1 /* lbs. and 1 oz. of ginger dissolved in one-half gallon of 

 water at one dose. It cools the system and has a beneficial effect 

 on local inflamation. Follow this up with y 2 oz. doses of 

 nitrate of potassium in drinking water or bran mash. It reduces 

 fever and stimulates the kidneys, all helping to reduce local in- 

 flamation. 



For acute cases, while the udder is hot and tender to the 

 touch and painful for the animal to move, rest is one of the 

 first principles. The best method to do this is to get a sack — an 

 ordinary sack will do — and cut four holes in it for the teats to 

 protrude through ; get four pieces of rope and attach to the ends 

 of the sack and tie them tight over the loins to support the 

 weight of the udder. We bring one rope behind the udder and 

 up by the edge of the tail and tie it to the nape on the loins and 

 you will find it is an excellent sling for the udder. It removes 

 the weight of the udder and reduces inflamation. Then we put 

 soft rags between the udder and the sack. Then mix up one 

 ounce of acetate of lead with a quart of water. Keep the cloths 

 on the udder constantly wet with this. Better have some one to 

 attend to this night and clay. Apply every half hour to do it 

 well, and continue for 24 hours, and usually by that time the 

 inflammation will be subdued and the udder in as good a con- 

 dition as before the inflammation took place. When it does take 

 place it causes coagulation of the milk in the cistern and also in 

 the teats. Therefore, when milking a cow in this condition, 

 there is nothing but whey and curds. We must keep the cow 

 milked out as much as possible. If we have the calf, let it suck 

 her, as it can draw away more milk than we can, and it will do 

 the calf no harm. 



If we find the udder is caked and hard without any inflam- 

 mation being present, the treatment needed here is to give the 

 animal Epsom salts to clean out the system, and then run the 



