257 
CONSULTATIONS. 
No. XXI. 
On Drenching Cattle. 
1st March, 1841. 
Sir, — I trust your position at the head of the veterinary pro- 
fession in Scotland, and your well-known desire to improve it, will 
induce you to pardon me, a perfect stranger, in thus addressing 
you, and requesting your attention to the following facts: — 
About a month ago I had a fine quey calf, nearly five months 
old, that the servant told me in the evening she had observed 
passing water of the colour of sherry wine. I ordered half a pound 
of Epsom salts to be dissolved in a bottle of lukewarm water, and 
given to it, with two or three bottles of water-gruel immediately 
afterwards. The calf was eating hay when the servants went to 
the byre; they had not well left it ere I heard it roar; and on 
sending them back it was dying, and died in less than five mi- 
nutes, without a struggle. 
I caused it to be opened. We could discover nothing wrong 
with the kidneys, liver, gall-bladder, or any where, until, on 
opening the lungs, I found the tubes filled with frothy liquid, 
some of which I had also seen about the nostrils. I have no 
doubt that it was killed by part of the salts or gruel going down 
the windpipe. The servant-man, in holding it, stated that he 
had pressed his finger or thumb on the point of its tongue within 
the mouth while the liquid was being put into it. 
As I supposed the holding or interfering with the tongue to 
be the cause of its death, I desired the servants never to do so 
again. 
Two days ago I had an Ayrshire cow, ten or eleven years old, 
that had been at pasture throughout the day. 
After being brought home she refused her turnips in the even- 
ing, but ate some hay. She also ate a little more hay after being 
milked. 
At supper time, 8 p.m., she was lying, but rose like the rest, 
yet did not begin to eat any of the straw that was then put be- 
fore her. 
At 9 p.m. she was still standing, but had not eaten any of the 
straw ; nor is it probable that she ate any of it afterwards. 
At 7 on the following morning she was lying more on her belly 
than her side, with her feet and legs under her. The servants 
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