ON THE EPIZOOTIC DISEASES OF CATTLE. 571 
animal is now discharging saliva from the lips, which hangs from 
the outer angles of the mouth, and he is constantly sucking 
his under lip with a peculiar smacking noise, difficult to be de- 
scribed. In a few more hours the membrane covering the blis- 
ters becomes loose, so that it can be easily forced off, but not 
without pain to the animal. The disease is now fully established, 
for the animal will not feed. Then comes loss of cud, and the dung 
rather softer than usual, with a slight greasy appearance. The 
disease, in general, runs its course rapidly. In from ten to sixteen 
hours after the first appearance of disease, the membranes on the 
tongue often come off, but I have frequently found they are better 
let alone, until we can get the membranes to slough entirely off. 
Treatment, particularly the question of bleeding and physic. — 
When first called in, I commenced my treatment by administer- 
ing a mild dose of cathartic medicine. I then removed all the 
portions of detached membrane from the tongue and roof of the 
mouth, and ordered them to be drenched twice in the day with 
linseed cake gruel. If they were much lame, I applied poultices 
to the feet, and in a few instances bled to three quarts, and gave 
them a mash of bran when they would eat it. On the follow- 
ing day l gave a tonic draught, and dressed the feet with a 
solution of zinc or copper, and turned them into the field during 
the day. I ordered them to be milked thrice instead of twice 
during the day, and found that by this mode of treatment they 
invariably recovered in three or four days. 
Such was my treatment two months ago. I now commence 
by the tonic draught, and repeat it daily. I do not dress the 
feet, feed them extra on linseed cake and gruel, turn them into 
the field during the day, and feed them upon turnip-tops and hay. 
The following are my conclusions as to the treatment of this epi- 
demic : — feed the animals upon the same food as previously to be- 
ing attacked, only allow them an increased quantity of cake, which 
if they cannot eat may be given them in the form of gruel, so as 
to force them. Give no opening medicine, unless you find the 
bowels costive, which is very seldom the case in the commence- 
ment of the disease, as I consider it is on account of the bowels 
being so much and so frequently acted upon that we have it 
terminating in mammitis and lameness of the feet. I have found 
by giving the tonic medicine only, even where the animals were 
lame, and in some cases severely so, that they have soon reco- 
vered (in three or four days) without any application to the feet. 
This is a great consideration in labour alone, without expense, 
as forty or fifty cows could not have their feet dressed without 
the assistance of two men at least. Where they have not been 
previously housed I have found that they have not required it ; 
