564 Diseases occurring after Parturition in Cows and Sheep. 



system, a sufficient quantity of blood should be abstracted from 

 the jugular to produce an impression upon the pulse; but in 

 those cases in which the disease is more confined to the udder 

 itself, from four to six quarts of blood may be drawn from the 

 abdominal vein. Great care should be taken in securing the 

 opening by pin and ligature, as it is liable to be disturbed when 

 the animal lies down, allowing even fatal haemorrhage ; and, in- 

 deed, this venesection should not be intrusted to any but a prac- 

 tical operator. From a pound to a pound and a half of Epsom 

 salts should be administered ; and if the general inflammatory 

 symptoms run high, some sedative medicines must be given every 

 four or eight hours : these may comprise either opium or digi- 

 talis, in dram doses, or the extract of belladonna in two-dram 

 doses, with one dram of emetic tartar ; an ounce of the nitric 

 spirits of ether may occasionally be added. But if the symptoms 

 are less severe, two ounces of the nitrate of potash may be added 

 to the cathartic; and some diuretic agents, as the nitre with 

 resin, in the same doses, may be administered every day or every 

 alternate day, as the case may require. In those cases where pus 

 has formed, attention should be paid to keeping up the general tone 

 of the system, especially if the animal be emaciated, or feed deli- 

 cately ; half the quantity of diuretic medicine should be withheld, 

 and ginger and gentian in ounce doses may be substituted. If 

 gangrene commences, to these last must be added the tincture of 

 opium and nitric spirits of ether, in doses of from one to two 

 ounces each. The local treatment should comprise, in the early 

 stages, fomentations of warm water, persisted in for some time, 

 and repeated at least thrice in the day. After the udder has been 

 wiped, no more efficacious agent than goulard water, with a very 

 small quantity of spirits of wine, can be used ; with this lotion 

 the skin should be well saturated. The more pressing symptoms 

 having subsided, some stimulating compound should be applied 

 with friction after each fomentation, and perhaps the best is the 

 compound soap liniment, but this must not be used too soon. 

 If suppuration or gangrene appear likely to occur, the liniment 

 generally known as the black or Driffield oil may be used; the 

 receipt for its formation is as follows : — Take of olive oil, 1 pint ; 

 spirits of turpentine, 2 ounces ; sulphuric acid, 6 drams ; mix 

 these together, taking care to leave the cork out of the bottle for 

 some short time afterwards, or the heat evolved will cause it to 

 burst : if the consistence is too thick, it may be warmed a little 

 when about to be applied. Those quarters which are unaffected 

 should be carefully and gently milked, morning and evening ; 

 and so long as the secretion from the diseased quarters continues 

 thin, and can be readily abstracted, this should be done, but it is 

 bad practice to be continually forcing the curdled material 



