Diseases occurring after Parturition in Coics and Sheep. 561 



tion of linseed infusion. Great care should be observed in the 

 repeated administration of powerful stimulants to prevent their 

 passing into the windpipe, and indeed, if the animal is utterly 

 unable to swallow the medicine when fairly placed in her mouth, 

 it will be better to desist, and either await the eflfect of that 

 already administered or consign her at once to the butcher: any 

 fsecesthat maybe retained in the rectum should again be removed 

 and some more soap and water injected ; no solicitude need be 

 entertained as to the state of the bladder, whether full or empty. 

 Occasionally hoove will be present to a considerable extent ; the 

 animal should then be turned over, more especially if she be 

 lying upon her left side ; but if the swelling still increase it will , 

 be useless to interfere ; although it is easy enough to puncture the 

 paunch and evacuate the gas, yet the collapse immediately con- 

 sequent would be assuredly fatal. The subsequent treatment 

 will be but a continuation of that already laid down, varying the 

 stimulants according to the urgency of the symptoms ; the faeces 

 should be removed as often as the rectum is filled, and small 

 quantities of infusion of linseed should be repeatedly horned 

 dow^n the throat. If success attend the treatment, generally in 

 about forty-eight hours, or rather less, purging will commence, 

 and frequently in a few more hours the animal rises. The treat- 

 ment during the return to convalescence will comprise an allow- 

 ance as diet of a moderate quantity of hay, and a mixture of dry 

 bran and bruised oats. If the purging be prolonged beyond the 

 second day some bean-meal may be substituted for the bran ; the 

 drink should consist of wheat-flour gruel, or, if this is refused, a 

 very limited supply of boiled water ; if the purging is excessive, 

 two drams of powdered opium, with two ounces of chalk, and a 

 few drams of carraway-seeds, may be administered once during 

 each day in a small proportion of gruel. In some cases the 

 animal's appetite returns, rumination is re-established, and the 

 secretions and excretions are natural, but she is unable to rise; 

 care should then be taken to turn her over at least once each day, 

 and she should be comfortably bedded up with litter. If eight 

 or nine days elapse in this way it will be necessary to raise her 

 up and sling her on a couple of sacks : often after they have been 

 supported in this manner for an hour or two they will be able to 

 continue standing without further assistance ; but if she be un - 

 ruly in the slings^ and bear but little weight upon her legs, she 

 must be lowered down again, -and perhaps on the morrow she 

 may be raised with better success; hand-rubbing the legs for 

 several hours will also be attended with benefit in these cases. 

 It is a matter of great importance to the proprietors of cattle if 

 any preventive precautions can be taken against this affection ; 

 very limited feeding, both before and after calving, has been 

 VOL. XII. 2 o 



