51 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
Taking the cow, we find that exercis-e and food, amons: 
other thin;i:s, irreatly affect the qnaliiy of the miik. The 
milk of cows kept in the byre contains a larj^er amount of 
butyrine than is afforded by animals running at larjje, 
white the milk of the latter abounds more in caseine. So 
great, indeed, is the influence of food upon the secretions 
that, when cows are fed upon bitter or strong smelling 
grass or herbs, the taste and smell of such grass is impart- 
ed to the milk. 
Milk, we have already said, forms the chief diet of that 
unfortunate class of infants, who are reared by dry nurs- 
ing, and it is estimated that three-fourths of these die; in- 
deed, it has been said that, in London, this moitality 
anmunts to seven eighths of the whole number. Be this 
as it may, we do know the mortality to be very great, 
sufnciently so, at least, to demand the earnest attention of 
xsvery physician. 
Standard authors direct children, who are thus reared, 
or who have been early weaned from the breast, to be 
supported upon milk, largely diluted by water and sugar, 
without, however, any reference to the condition of the 
animal from which the milk is derived. This we hold to 
be a serious defect, to be e^peciaIly so considered, when 
the remedy is at hand yet seldom or never used, for lack 
of information upon the subject. 
Lusigne found that the miik of cows far advanced in 
pregnancy, contains neither caseine, sugar of milk or 
Lctic acid, but abounded in albumen and uncombined 
soda; while from the same animal, shortly after partur- 
ition, the three first named substances were found, and 
albumen was entirely absent. 
It is now the received opinion, that upon the accession 
of pregnancy, a woman should no longer furnish nourish 
ment to a former child, and that such continnance proves 
detrimental to the health of both parties. These views 
are confirmed by experience, and by the habits of inferior 
animals. 
If the milk of a pregnant woman afford improper nutri- 
ment to a child, surely the same fluid from a cow, in like 
«ondition, cannot be proper. Remembering, then that 
«ows, on average, are pregnant three- fourths of the whole 
year, the in^rence must be that the milk ordinarily derived 
from these animals is not of a proper character, to con- 
stitute the diet of infants. 
With a view to remedy this universally existing evil, 
I would suggest to the profession the propriety of having 
milch cows spayed, in order to procure milk of a uniform 
eonsisteocy. The act of spaying is performed with facil- 
ity, and is unattended with danger, the only precaution 
necessary being that no food be given for twelve to fifteen 
hours, and the milk drawn immediately before the opera- 
iion ; the animal becomes kindly disposed, is easily kept, 
wiil yield better, and a larger amount of milk in a given 
time, and is, with great ease, brought into a marketable 
condition. 
The steps of the operation upon the cows are the same 
as upon the calf or the sow, except that it is important to 
place her upon the right side, unless the operator be left- 
handed. The best time for operation is about four weeks 
after parturition, as the future amount of milk will depend 
npon the quantity given at the time of the operation. For 
some weeks after, the secretion of milk will be small, but 
will gradually increase until the amount previously given 
k furnished, which we have known continued, without 
interruption (of course less in winter thaa in summer) for 
fee space of 10 years. 
It is not expected that every father can be circumstanced 
fo keep a cow for the accommodation of his child ; but if 
physicians were to direct the attention of those who keep 
cows to the above facts, it would be found advantageous to 
keep the spayed instead of the ordinary animal, and the 
proprietors of milk-furnishing dairies would readily fur- 
nish the supply, if' the demand was made. The above 
facts briefly stated we think of sufficient importance to 
claim the attention of every medical practitioner, as fur- 
nishing him the means of preventing much suffering oa 
the part of advanced infancy and saving the domestic idol 
in the circle of many grateful friends. — fVcsic?^ LdiiciA. 
DEOPSY.-A REMEDY. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — 1 Tablespoonful of 
Copperas; 2 tablespoonsful of brown sugar ; 1 1-3 pints 
of spicewood tea. 
Put the copperas in a skillet and burn it ; then add the 
sugar and spicewood tea. Dose — a tablespoonful three 
times a day (morning, noon and night), and add to each 
dose 8 or 10 grains of salt petre, in solution. Eat no meat 
or grease. 
Having a famil)^ of negroes, the grand-mother and one 
of her daughters died, many years since, with that dis- 
ease, caused me to obtain this recipe froma lady of Louisi- 
ana. It has since cured one of my neighbors, a lady over 
80 years of age, and a negro woman of one of my neigh- 
bors. I have not yet had occasion to use it in my family. 
Mecklenburg. 
Como, Miss. ^ January, 1855. 
TOPPING COTTON.-EIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — The time has again 
arrived for me to present, through your journal, to the 
readers of the Cultivator, the fifth experiment on my place 
in Topping Cotton. This year it was conducted by a 
friend living near my plantation, a very correct man. 
Owing to rny having changed niy residence in March last 
I could not attend to it. Below I give his figures. One 
acre of land was selected, as usual, of the same quality and 
the stand the same. He had it topped the 1st of August 
— two rows topped and two skipped throughout the acre, 
which presents the following result: 
Topped rows, made of seed cotton 753 lbs. 
Rows not topped 6.59 
In favor of topping 94 
I will now bring forward and show the result of every 
years’ experiment, and bring it up to one acre instead of a 
half acre, that it may be more readily understood, os fol- 
lows : 
1851. — One acre of topped cotton.. 738 lbs. 
One acre not topped 689 
In favor of topping 49 
1852. — One acre of topped cotton. 1,026 IWs. 
One acre not tapped 924 
In favor of topping 102 
1853. — One acre of topped cotton. . .850 lbs. 
One acre not topped 720 
In favor of topping 130 
1854. — One acre of topped cotton ... 91 8 lbs. 
One acre not topped 878 
In favor of topping 40 
1855. — One acre of topped cotton. 1,505 Jbs. 
One acre not topped 1 ,3 1 8 
In favor of topping 168 
