the Animals of the Farm. 
255 
than the hyposulphite of soda, which, owing to its use in photo- 
graphy, may be obtained at all times and in all places. The 
dose for cattle is four ounces in a pint of water, and for sheep 
a fourth of that quantity. Accuracy in apportioning the dose is 
not of much moment. The chief consideration is that enough 
shall be given to arrest the process of fermentation without delay. 
After an attack of hoven, abstinence from all food for some 
hours should be enjoined, and then only easily digested aliment 
should be allowed, and even this should be restricted as to 
quantity, until the distended sac has recovered its tone. 
Diarrhcea (scouring), especially among calves and lambs, is 
an annoying disorder, which in many cases leads to serious 
loss. 
While the disease is confined to a few animals it will excite 
but little attention ; but its general existence in a flock of lambs 
or among a number of calves is an indication that there is 
some radical error in dietetics, which must be corrected, or 
some adverse climatic influences, from which the animals must 
be protected before any attempt is made to cure by the aid of 
medicines. 
The farmer is especially cautioned against the use of advertised 
specifics for this complaint. No medicines are of any real use 
until the causes of the disorders have been detected and removed, 
and the aid of an expert can hardly be dispensed with in this 
inquiry. 
As a guiding principle it may safely be assumed that scouring 
is due to something in the food, viz., either in the milk of the 
mother, when sucking animals are attacked, or in the herbage 
or other food which is supplied to older animals. When the 
milk is in fault, its pernicious qualities must be referred, as a 
rule, to the food which the cow or ewe receives. In fact the 
question will resolve itself in most cases into that of the quality 
of the food or water with which the young animal or the mother 
is supplied. 
Exposure to wet and cold will add materially to the adverse 
influences which have been referred to, and may in themselves 
act as exciting causes of the disease. 
Presuming that the causes of the derangement have been 
detected, and as far as possible got rid of by changing the 
position of the animals and correcting all discovered errors in 
diet, there will not remain much need for the aid of medicines. 
An old-fashioned mixture, which represents the chalk mixture 
of human medicine, may be kept at hand, and administered as 
required in cases which do not improve with the change of 
conditions in regard to food and locality. The mixture is 
termed in Morton's ' Pharmacy ' " sheep and calves' cordial," and 
