AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
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Eutered accordiog to Act of Congress, in May, 1875, by the Oranoe Judd CoMrANY, at the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
VOLUME XXXIV.— No. 6. 
ISTE^V YORK, JUNE, 1875. 
NEW SERIES— No. 341. 
THE COW-DOCTOR. — Drawn and Engravei for the American AoricuUiirist. 
The above pieture tells its own story. A tiayel- 
ing cow-doctor has come across a credulous, ignor- 
ant farmer, who has a sick cow ; the farmer is one 
of a kind which we are glad to say is becoming 
rarer, though such still exist ; this style of farmer 
never reads the papers, and is ready to believe 
anything that a glib-tongued, loud-talUing quack 
may tell him. Perhaps the poor animal has been 
fed on straw or coim-stalks, and has passed the 
winter in a cold, uncomfortable shed, and shows 
by bet- tight skin, her arched back, her rough coat, 
and miserable appearance tliat she has been 
neglected. Careful nursing is all she needs, but 
that is too simple a remedy, and the cow-doctor, 
who knows nothing but what he has leanied from 
an ancient " Farrier's Guide," makes the farmer 
belicre that his cow has some dangerous disease. 
A pailful of filthy mixture is poured down the 
cow's throat, and she is ordered to be blanketed 
and bedded eomfortsibly, and fed with a warm 
mash, or some boiled oats. Some of the best hay 
is procured for her. and by and by she recovers. 
Of course, the physic and the cow-doctor get the 
credit of the cure, while the better food and care, 
which really deserve it, get none. But if, as often 
occurs, the cow dies in consequence of the dose, 
the result is laid to the disease, and not to the 
quack. Farm animals are naturally free from dis- 
ease, if properly fed and cared for. Sickness and 
accidents will rarely happen on a well-ordered 
farm. Good food, and plenty of it, clean, warm 
st.ables, pure water given frequently, and not much 
at a time, .at least a weeldy, but better a daily card- 
ing of the skin, a daily modicum of salt, and no 
physic at all, will be effective in keeping stock in 
good health. If, in spite of care, .in animal is ail- 
ing, a bran mash or drink of warm gruel, and a few- 
days rest will generally make .ill right. If not, it 
is best to tipply to a practiced and educated veteri- 
nary surgeon, or to the family doctor for advice, but 
never to the village cow-doctor, who is generally an 
ignorant person, and more likely to kill than to cure. 
