Diseases occurring after Parturition in Cows and Sheep. 579 



animals are all folded at nis^lit, but the shelter of the ailing one 

 should extend even to the day ; it will only cause a little extra 

 inconvenience. The diet may consist of turnips, hay, and a few 

 bruised oats. After the operation of the physic, provided the 

 disease be not checked, some medicine of a diuretic and febrifuge 

 nature will be exhibited. From two to four drams of nitre, 

 with two drams of cream of tartar, may be given once each day, 

 dissolved in a few ounces of chilled water. If the swelling of the 

 gland is stayed, and there is less heat, the teats should be drawn 

 twice or thrice in the day, provided there be a secretion of fluid 

 milk ; but the lamb should not be too soon returned to her. If, 

 on the other hand, the heat is very great, some portion of the 

 gland will soon be found to soften ; pus is forming here ; and as 

 soon as a fluid can be distinctly felt, the part should be well laid 

 open ; but in the mean time the soap liniment, or, what is better, 

 sonie black oils, may be diligently rubbed in twice in the day, 

 after fomenting. If the pus evacuated is of a white colour, it 

 should be well squeezed out, and the wound dressed with the 

 digestive (pus in neat stock is always of a more tenacious nature 

 than in man or the horse); but if a fluid or thick grumous 

 matter is discharged, and the wound appear of a livid hue, with 

 foetor, gangrene is about to or has already commenced ; the wound 

 may be washed out with the chloride of lime, and afterwards 

 dressed with the compound tincture of myrrh : the contiguous 

 portions, which may rot or become a dead stinking mass, may, 

 without fear, be removed with the knife, stimulants afterwards 

 being freely applied. These wounds will often heal with great 

 rapidity. If the whole of the udder be a mass of disease, it may 

 be removed by tying a sufficiently stout ligature tightly around its 

 base, close to the surface of the belly. If the constitution suffer, 

 as evidenced by loss of appetite and rumination, with quickened 

 breathing, it is to be feared that the gangrene is extending to the 

 system, and the restorative plan of treatment, under the head of 

 gangrene of the womb, should be resorted to. The ewe that has 

 suffered from any disease of the udder, leaving the slightest hard- 

 ening or alteration of its structure, should be fed for the butcher; 

 and it is even prudent to draw those that have apparently per- 

 fectly recovered, unless it be particularly desired to breed again 

 from them on account of youth or good points. Sore teats with 

 cracks, &c., may be cleansed, and dressed with the simple 

 unguent recommended for the cow ; and when these are present, 

 the shepherd must narrowly observe that the lamb sucks as regu- 

 larly as he should do ; for the ewe will be disinclined to suffer 

 pain, and hence double mischief may result — inflammation of the 

 udder from retention of the milk, and an inefficient supply of 

 nutriment to the lamb : in these cases the lamb had better be 

 taken away for a day or two, and suckled from the can ; the ewe 



2 p 2 



