TAIL-SLIP. 
189 
yielded scarcely any milk. A neighbour of his, an old farmer 
who was skilled in cattle doctoring, had seen her on the 22d, 
and was sure it was tail-slip, and, consequently, had made a cut 
in her tail, and thus had bled her well, and had dressed the wound 
with salt, &c. and had bound it up secundum artem , but still 
the animal was no better. I replied that I need not go, for I knew 
nothing about such a disease, and regarded it a delusion either 
of craft or ignorance. However, on being much pressed, I went, 
and found the patient lying down, moaning — the pulse quick — 
the bowels constipated, for the feces were hard, of a dark colour, 
coated with mucus, and mixed with grain — the paunch full and 
hard. 
I gave it as my opinion that it was a case of indigestion, and 
bled her, and threw up injections, and administered laxative 
i medicine. 
2 7th . — She was better — evidently more easy — beginning to 
cud, and eating a little; but her former appetite and secretion of 
milk were not returned. 
I did not see her again until February the 11th, when I was 
requested to visit her. On entering the byre, the mistress, 
begging my pardon, declared that she thought the cow was 
bewitched , or there was something wrong with her mouth. I 
found an cedematous swelling, with considerable deposition of 
fluid, on the brisket and sides, and the beating of the heart, 
though it was very singular, was apparently distant; yet I 
could almost fancy that I heard it. I ordered her to be well 
fomented occasionally until I saw her again, which would be on 
the 13th. 
Feb. 13M. — The enlargement has increased, and the beating 
of the heart can now be heard at a distance of some yards. On 
applying my ear to the side, I could plainly recognize the exist- 
ence of a fluid. I declared it to be a case of water in the chest, 
and that I had no hope of her recovery ; but if there was any one 
who thought he could cure her, he was at liberty to try, and I 
should be much pleased if my opinion turned out to be an incor- 
rect one. The owner of the beast urged me to do what I could, 
and I accordingly inserted a seton on each side of the chest, per- 
pendicularly, and punctured the oedematous enlargement, from 
which a considerable quantity of serum escaped. I also blis- 
tered the sides, and gave diuretic medicine. 
This course was pursued until the 16th, when a person who 
follows the business of making and retailing about the country 
blacking and ginger beer, and who also practises medically on 
the credulous biped, and also on horses and cattle, called on Mr. 
Ferguson in his regular round. The cow was shewn to him, and 
V£>L. IX. C C 
