340 
THE COW HER DISEASES AND MANAGEMENT. NO. iS. 
tonied to devour mice, as well as to chew their 
fallen antlers. 
In a similar manner, all horned cattle, particularly 
cows, from an instinct to supply the demands of 
nature, in the formation of hair, horns, bones, milk, 
and other parts of their systems, containing phos- 
phate of lime, &c, are often seen gnawing bones. 
Hence, bone meal, of late, has been fed to cows, 
with the view of preserving their health, and in 
sustaining the proper secretions necessary for the 
growth of the foetus, and the requisite qualities of 
their milk. 
THE COW-HER DISEASES AND MANAGEMENT.— 
No. 18. 
Black Leg, or Quarter. — This is a disease both 
very dangerous, and sudden in its attack, and gene- 
rally kills the animal in twenty-four hours, or less. 
The cause of this affection has been ascribed to an 
undue quantity of rich food ; while, at the same 
time, the cow is only in a growing state, as it very 
seldom attacks animals after two years of age. 
Hence it will appear to depend on too great an ex- 
citement of the system, which produces violent in- 
flammation of a part, which rapidly ends in mortifi- 
cation. 
The attack begins in the joint of a leg or thigh, 
and sometimes in a foot. It is first discovered by 
a lameness of the animal, and the part, when ex- 
amined, discovers a swelling, showing that air has 
made its way between the flesh and skin. Its pro- 
gress is to rise upwards and spread over that quar- 
ter which is first seized. When it rises to the back 
or kidneys, it then quickly proves fatal. 
From this view of the disease, bleeding is the 
principal remedy to be depended upon, which 
should be immediately begun, and carried to the 
same extent as in the more active inflammations 
already described. In doing this, the affected part 
must not be omitted, and " scarification," or cutting 
away, so as to unload the blood vessels, will be of 
great service. After this, the wounds should be 
dressed with equal parts of common salt and salt- 
petre finely powdered, by which means suppura- 
tion will be brought about, and the disorder put to 
a check. Some further assistance may be procured 
by well fomenting the part by the following pre- 
scription : — 
Take of camomile flowers. )i lb. ; wormwood, a large hand- 
ful ; juniper berries. 4 oz. ; bay berries, (Laurus nobilis,) 
4 oz. ; beer, or ale grounds, (emptyings,) 6 quarts ; vinegar, 
1 quart. 
The whole to be boiled for a quarter of an hour, 
and then applied by dipping into the liquid large 
pieces of flannel, and fomenting the affected part. 
As the success of a fomentation mainly depends on 
the heat it contains, it will be necessary to keep it 
hot by means of a chaffingdish, or pan of coals. 
When the fomenting is finished, the cloth should 
be allowed to remain, and the animal covered up so 
as to avoid catching cold. This process may be 
repeated twice a-day, as long as it may be found 
necessary. 
In this treatment, clearing the bowels should 
also be attended to, which will facilitate the oper- 
ation of the more active remedies. 
From the dangerous nature of this disease, it is 
of the highest consequence to be able to prevent it; 
I and to young cattle, which are placed in rich pas- 
tures, the following medicine may be given two or 
three times in the course of the year : — 
Take of flour of sulphur, from 3 to 5 oz. j nitre. J£ oz. ; grains 
of Paradise, 1}< drachms. 
To be given at one dose in three pints of water 
gruel, mixed with a gill of molasses. This remedy 
should be succeeded, each time, by bleeding. 
Jaundice, or Yellows. — The cause of this disease 
is evidently an obstruction of the regular passage 
of the bile from the gall bladder into the bowels, 
an obstruction which may proceed from various 
circumstances ; as the formation of stones in the 
gall bladder, that frequently stop up the passage. 
These stones seem to be connected, in some way, 
with the food of the animal, and the cure of this 
species of complaint is effected chiefly by a change 
in her diet, or placing her from dry fodder upon 
green, succulent pasture. The disease may also 
proceed from hard tumors, or swelling, in the 
neighborhood of the gall bladder ; as from an en- 
larged liver or spleen. In these cases, the cowt 
are generally old, and the malady is to be consi- 
dered as a mark of a worn-out constitution, and is 
therefore only an indication of a diseased state of 
one or more of their organs. 
This complaint is chiefly known by the white of 
the eyes, the inside of the ears, and the roof of the 
mouth, all of which, on examination, have a yel- 
lowish tinge. It is also attended with a sense of 
itching ; the urine is highly colored ; and the 
dung is generally hard and black, from the costive- 
ness which always attends the disease. There 
prevails, also, a great inactivity, or sluggishness, 
and the animal does not care to be moved about. 
As the disease advances, it is accompanied by a 
considerable fever. 
In directing the cure of this complaint, much at- 
tention is to be paid to the cause from which it 
arises. The first object is to promote a discharge 
of the bile into the bowels; and this is to be done 
by purging, which is the more necessary, as cos- 
tiveness is a leading mark of the disease, and tends 
to increase that heat, irritation, and fever that ac- 
company it. In this case, sulphur is the best pur- 
gative, which may be administered in the follow- 
ing manner : — 
Take of flour of sulphur, 9 oz.; saltpetre, (nitre.) \}i oz.; grains 
of Paradise, 5 drachms. 
To be mixed together and given at one dose in two 
quarts of water gruel, sweetened with half a pint ' 
of molasses. 
The operation of the sulphur may be succeeded 
by diuretic and opening medicines, like the follow- 
ing, to be given at one dose in two quarts of water 
gruel : — 
Take of flour of sulphur, 3 oz.; nitre, \% oz.; grains of Para- 
dise, 6 drachms ; valerian, % oz.; Castile soap, 1)4 oz. 
Along with these medicines, great attention 
should be paid to the diet of the cow. It should 
be of a soft, succulent nature, as warm mashea 
made of bran, malt, or Indian meal ; and these 
should be accompanied with a good deal of diluent 
drink, in which a handful of salt has been dis- 
solved. As soon as recovery takes place, if the 
season permit, the animal should be turned out to 
