55 
ON THE PATHOLOGY AND GENERAL TREATMENT 
OF CATTLE. 
By Mr. Robert Read, Creditim. 
The anatomy and pathology of cattle and other domestic 
animals will not in itself form the completion of the study. 
The tyro who steers from the College with a full share of 
the knowledge of the diseases of cattle, and launches forth into 
country practice, will have to surmount many obstacles ; more 
especially if he has not, in his younger days, been accustomed 
either to agriculture or to the habits of every kind of stock. To 
the young beginner or aspirant for country practice, who has 
scarcely, if ever, wandered from the busy city or fashionable 
town, a few hints may not, I hope, prove unwholesome. Opi- 
nions will be formed among farmers or their hinds as to your 
merit or demerit in your profession — your being or not being apt 
in all the mechanical operations belonging to cattle ; therefore it 
behoves every young man, under such circumstances, to learn 
the way to hold a bullock by the nose and horns ; to be able to 
cast him ; how to take up his feet ; how to head-rope him ; and, 
likewise, how to milk. This latter circumstance will be required 
in every case of udder-ill or mammitis, in order to ascertain the 
state of the secretion ; for should you attempt to handle the teat 
and not draw any milk, or go to the wrong side of the cow, the 
milk-maid standing by, the laugh would be against you ; and the 
words to the mistress would be, “ A pretty sort of a cow-doctor: 
he didn’t know the milking side of the cow.” 
Farmers imagine you ought to know the quality of stock and 
likewise be a judge of it, if you profess the healing art with regard 
to those animals. It will, therefore, be necessary for you to learn 
how to handle, as well as be able to judge the weight — how 
many score lbs. per quarter this or that bullock may be now, or 
will be at such a time ; whether he is good in this point or bad 
in another; whether his horns or his tail are set on right or not; 
and many other little but essentially important particulars of 
this kind. If you excel in these points, farmers will anxiously 
seek after you for your opinion. 
You should also learn the common rudiments of agriculture, 
so that when you walk over his farm you may be able to give 
your opinion on the soil, the average of his yearly crops, the uses 
of manure, the nature of the diseases of corn, the manner in 
which chemical manures act, such as ammonia and potash : by 
such steps you will endear yourself to your employer, and be- 
come a useful member of society. Make yourselves, also, ac- 
