ON THE INFLAMMATORY FEVER OF CATTLE. 1/ l 
quence, because rumination lias generally ceased, and the appe¬ 
tite has been quite suspended. 
I would avail myself of this opportunity to speak of the doses 
of the medicines used in cattle practice. The French write is 
state that double the quantity of almost every medicine usually 
given to the horse should be administered to the cow. My expe¬ 
rience is altogether the reverse of this. One pound of Epsom 
salts will rarely purge, and sometimes not aflect the bow els of the 
horse. That quantity will sufficiently purge the ox. Four drachms 
of aloes in solution will likewise pretty actively purge. I should 
say, half the quantity given to the horse ; but this, varying with 
circumstances of which the careful practitioner will be aw are. 
If these lowering measures fail of success, and the fever begin 
to assume a putrid or malignant type, the treatment will be ma¬ 
terially changed. The bleeding must be relinquished, except 
that, if you were called to a case in which the inflammatory stage 
seemed to be yielding to the malignant one, and the animal had 
not been previously bled, a single and perhaps copious bleeding 
would be advisable; but if the venesection has been pushed to 
fair extent, it must now be suspended. What, then, is to be 
done ? Some have spoken of antiseptics, as counteracting the ten¬ 
dency to putridity. The various barks have been recommended. 
I never saw an instance of decided good effect from them ; and I 
have seen cases in which, from the too early or injudicious use of 
tonics, the inflammation has suddenly returned, and the animal 
has been lost. I have usually given, and continue to give, gen¬ 
tian two drachms, with ginger half a drachm, and combined with 
nitre two or three drachms; but I have not always been certain 
that mischief has not been done. Ihe apparent debility, nay, 
even the swellings and crackling, may be the consequence of un¬ 
subdued and excessive vascular action. I he pulse will be the 
best guide : if it be hard, whether full or small, avoid stimulants ; 
if soft and weak, yet not oppressed, stimulants may be admitted, 
and may be useful. This distinguishing of the pulse requires 
both practice and tact. It is an indication as to the employment 
of remedial measures far too much neglected, both in horse and 
cattle practice. The tuberosity of the posterior maxilla is not so 
prominent in' cattle as in the horse, and does not commence so 
soon : the submaxillary artery, which is the most convenient for 
the examination of the pulse in cattle, as well as in the horse, is, 
therefore, placed considerably more posteriorly. 
When there are enlargements about the knee, elbow, stifle, or 
hock, fomentations of warm water, or of herbs, as a placebo, or 
stimulating embrocations, may be used. One of the most useful 
