RED-WATER—DROPPING. 
8b 
sided in Shropshire, I could trace it to two particular fields, although 
unable to discover the cause. I do not recollect more than one fatal 
case, but a cow is seldom herself again for the summer in which 
she has been attacked, and thus a loss is sustained. I have, how¬ 
ever, known several fatal cases; and I have reason to believe that 
its proceeding from a derangement of the digestive organs or liver 
is seldom dreamed of by common country practitioners. It is at¬ 
tributed to the kidneys only. 
Then again, in cattle practice, the affections of the spinal co¬ 
lumns are but little understood by the ordinary cow-doctor. For 
many years past I never attempted to buy a cow without pressing 
the thumb and finger along the spine, and, if she flinched, I left her 
alone. I learned this precaution, however, by mere accident, and 
do not think it is generally practised. My cows on one farm would 
become what is called, in Hampshire, ‘‘ tail-soaken.” They would 
be found down, and unable to rise; and the cure among our em¬ 
pirics was this ;—an incision was made into a particular part of the 
tail, and a bit of old bacon introduced; the part stitched together, 
and all was well. I do not recollect a fatal case in my own stock, 
but knew several in the neighbourhood. I am not aware that the 
disease now alluded to was considered in reference to parturition. 
During the last ten years of my residence in England, I must 
have had, at least, a hundred and fifty calves dropped from my 
own cows. I remember no case of puerperal fever, stated to he 
such ; neither did I lose a cow, or even a calf, in parturition. The 
well-doing of the cows I attributed to keeping them well and ivarm, 
not suffering them to be out on wet days in the winter. Although 
I have never practised it, I have long been of opinion that all neat 
cattle would derive much benefit from being well purged twice a 
year. 
As regards the form of, and aptitude to gather flesh in, cattle, I 
anticipate much benefit from the attention of scientific men being 
attracted to such points, and the result imparted to their agricultural 
neighbours. The anatomical knowledge of the regularly-bred vete¬ 
rinarian must serve him here; and the result of his researches into 
parts hidden to the common observer, added to the experienced 
touch of the grazier, must form a valuable guide in the purchase of 
animals to be fed. As far as my experience on the Continent has 
led me, butchers do not put a due value on the touch, which accounts 
for the too frequent hard nature of the beef from apparently well- 
formed and well-fed animals. I perceive, however, that the French 
government is about to ameliorate the native breed of neat cattle by 
the introduction of our short horns; and discussions on their re¬ 
lative merits have appeared in their Sporting Magazine, or Journal 
des Haras, as it is improperly called, inasmuch as it embraces all 
