THE COW-HER DISEASES AND MANAGEMENT.-NO. 4. 
237 
INSTRUMENTS FOR ASCERTAINING THE 
FINENESS OF WOOL. 
At the agricultural school of Von Thaer, I saw 
two very simple instruments for measuring the fine¬ 
ness of wool; one was to ascertain the number of 
curves in a wool hair within an inch. 
Fig. 59. 
This instrument consists of a round fiat piece of 
brass, or other metal, the circumference is divided 
into five or six inches, and each inch forming fine 
printed teeth ; when the number of curves of a hair 
is to be determined, the hair is placed over it, in 
such a manner that the number of curves of the 
hairs corresponds to the number of teeth on one of 
the sides of the plate. 
Fig. 59, represents such a brass plate. 
To ascertain the fineness 
of a given wool hair, there 
is used a piece of ebony 
or other highly-polished, 
black wood, in the shape 
of a four-sided pyramid. 
Upon this is placed a fine 
wool hair from a known 
celebrated flock, which 
serves as a standard ; the 
given wool hair is placed 
near by and secured with 
beeswax. When prepared 
in this way, the pyramid 
is removed from the obser¬ 
ver until the fine wool hair 
has vanished from his 
sight, the distance is then 
marked, and the pyramid 
again moved until the 
other hair has vanished. 
The distance between the, 
first mark and the place 
where the last observed 
one has vanished, is like¬ 
wise marked, and' this in¬ 
terval between both marks 
serves to compare the fine¬ 
ness of other hairs by. 
Fig. 60 represents such an 
instrument. — C. L. Fleischmann , in Patent-Office 
Report. 
THE COW—HER DISEASES AND MANAGE¬ 
MENT.—No. 4. 
An affection in the cow, which is regarded ol 
much importance, is inflammation of the stomachs. 
From the complex structure of these parts of the 
animal, they cannot fail frequently to be the sub¬ 
jects'of disease, .as she has no less than four of 
these for the preparation of her food, each of 
which may occasionally be disordered ; but the first 
and third stomachs are oftener the seat of attack 
than the other two. 
Inflammation of the First Stomach. — This disor¬ 
der is often difficult to ascertain ; being slow in its 
progress, and therefore, is the more alarming, as the 
danger may proceed too far before it is discovered. 
It generally arises from the food of the animal not 
undergoing a proper rumination (chewing of the 
cud), by which the process of digestion is inter¬ 
rupted, and it does not pass off as it should do. By 
this means, too great a distention of the organ 
takes place, and the contents being acted upon by 
heat and fermentation, inflammation unavoidably 
ensues. This disorder is more common in winter 
than in summer, when dry food is used, which is 
so apt to lay long in the stomach. 
The first symptoms of the disease are a swelling 
with heat ; the animal walks, or rather moves, 
with uneasiness and fear. Her breath is hurried, 
and smells strong; the skin fits tight to the ribs ; 
and she feels much pain on pressing down, or 
pinching, the fore part of the back with the hand. 
In curing this disease, the first object is to clear 
the stomach of its contents; and this will best be 
done by administering the following close, well 
mixed together, and given to the cow in two quarts 
of whey, or water gruel, with a pint of ale, or beer, 
and a half pint of molasses : — 
Epsom salts, | Jb.; saltpetre (nitre), 02 .; 
cream tartar, | oz.; anise seed, | oz. ; coriander 
seed, | oz. ; fenugreek, | oz.; laudanum, 3 
drachms; linseed oil, 3 gills. 
Before this operates, in order to excite the action 
of the bowels, a laxative clyster may be given, 
formed of the following ingredients :— 
Epsom salts, 2 oz.; common salt, a handful; 
sweet oil, | pint; water gruel, 3 pints. 
In this inflammation, bleeding forms a principal 
means of cure, and should be performed as soon as 
the disease is discovered, in a quantity proportioned 
to the urgency of the case ; though it should not 
be less than three pints, or two quarts. 
When the more alarming symptoms are thus 
abated by a repetition of these remedies, as far as 
may have been proper, then some invigorating plan 
must be had recourse to, though it must be con¬ 
ducted with judgment and discretion, and medi¬ 
cines of a heating nature not carried too far. Gen¬ 
tle stimulants are therefore most proper, which will 
promote digestion, and not excite too powerfully 
the action of the stomach. Such, for instance as 
the following : — 
Epsom salts, 3 oz.; saltpetre, | oz. ; valerian, 
| oz. ; gentian, | oz. ; ginger and long pepper, 3 
drachms each. 
To be given in a pint and a half of camomile 
tea, and three gills of mild beer, or ale, and repeat 
ed once a day till the animal recovers. 
Much attention must be paid to the food an 
