EXPERIMENTS ON THE EFFECTS OF SPAYING COWS. 219 
scouring continued — they still however drank at the same 
pond ; they were shifted to a piece of very sweet pasture with- 
out arresting the disease. The farmer thought it evident that 
the pastures were not the cause of the disease; and, contrary 
to the advice of his friends, who affirmed that the spring was 
always noticed for the excellency of its water, fenced his pond 
round, so that the cattle could not drink; they were then driven 
to a distance and watered : the scouring gradually disappeared. 
The farmer now proceeded to examine the suspected pool, and 
on stirring the water he found it all alive with small creatures. 
He now stirred into the water a quantity of lime, and soon after 
an immense number of reptiles were seen dead on the surface. 
In a short time the cattle drank of this water without any inju- 
rious effects. 
There is no doubt but that some kinds of water produce de- 
rangement of the digestive organs of both man and animals : 
hence the worms that infest the alimentary canal of each. 
All decayed animal and vegetable matter tends to corrupt 
water. Hence, if you have the best spring, and the water 
shall flow from it through whole fields of dike or gutter, abound- 
ing in decayed matter, it will materially affect the health of 
your stock. I have dwelt on this subject longer than I in- 
tended, merely to shew you the importance of ascertaining the 
direct causes of disease, that, when they are once discovered and 
removed, the restoration to health generally follows. 
Maine Farmer. 
Foreign Extracts. 
EXPERIMENTS ON THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF 
SPAYING COWS. 
By M. Roche Lubin. 
The following experiments will shew that certain laws of 
nature resist the caprices of man, and that if they become al- 
tered they do not at all times and in all situations exhibit like 
benefits therefrom. 
First Experiment. — An Auvergne cow, four years old, 
gave on an average six quarts of milk a-day, even while heavy 
in calf. She calved favourably, a second calf, the 23d Aug. 
1838. On the 27th Sept, following she was spayed, according 
to the plan recommended by M. Levrat, of Lausanne. 
Altogether new in the practice of the operation, I was too 
long about it ; the consequence was a most intense peritonitis. 
