560 Diseases occulting after Parturition in Cows and Sheep. 



work of some little time^ requiring from the exhibitor the exer- 

 cise of a considerable amount of patience, as the power of deglu- 

 tition is much impaired in this disease, and there is danger of 

 suffocation to be apprehended from some portion of the draught 

 passing into the windpipe. The cow must now be raised and 

 maintained as much as possible, with the aid of trusses of straw, 

 <&c,, in a natural position, resting on her chest and belly, with an 

 inclination to one side ; the body should be clothed, if rendered 

 necessary by the lowness of its temperature, or the temperature of 

 the surrounding atmosphere. And here it may be remarked that 

 the disease will make its appearance at all seasons of the year ; 

 but, as in dairy counties almost all the cows calve in the spring 

 or early summer, so, as a matter of course, it is more prevalent at 

 that time in those counties. All the milk that can be abstracted 

 should be drawn from the udder ; the attendant should ascertain 

 if there be any faeces in the rectum, and if so, remove them with 

 the hand : a gallon of warm water, in which a little soft soap has 

 been dissolved, should then be thrown up with a clyster apparatus. 

 It is a customary practice to apply some powerfully stimulating 

 liniment to the spine, and this is certainly advisable, it being 

 remembered that every symptom points to functional derange- 

 ment of the brain and nerves ; the liniment may be composed of 

 spirits of turpentine four ounces, olive oil and water of ammonia 

 of each two ounces ; some fluid preparation of cantharides may 

 be added to an equal proportion of this liniment, if preferred ; an 

 ample quantity should be well rubbed on to each side of the 

 centre of the spinal column, from the poll to the setting on of the 

 tail. Some person should be appointed to attend constantly 

 upon the animal, and she should be changed from side to side 

 every four hours, the teats also being repeatedly drawn ; in the 

 early periods of the disease she should be induced if possible to 

 partake of plenty of water slightly chilled, but if she will not 

 voluntarily take fluid some infusion of linseed must be made, 

 and a couple of quarts given with the horn every three or four 

 hours. In those cases which have been referred to, where loss of 

 motive power is the only prominent symptom, it will yet be ad- 

 visable to administer a full dose of cathartics and stimulants and 

 apply the stimulating liniment as before directed : this will pre- 

 vent the inability to rise being prolonged, as would otherwise be 

 the case, for seven, eight, or more days ; bleeding, however, will 

 be altogether inadmissible. In from eight to twelve hours, if the 

 symptoms are unrelieved or the animal has become worse, more 

 restless, or more comatose, as the case may be, it will be advisable 

 to repeat half the dose or more of the cathartic medicine, com- 

 bined with the same amount of stimulants as before, substituting 

 for the water, as the menstruum for its administration, some por- 



