USE AND ABUSE OF STRONG PURGATIVES IN CATTLE. 4l0 
was not more than 64 or 65, neither was it much altered from the 
natural standard in any way ; the eyes were not quite so sparkling 
as when in perfect health; the horns, ears and extremities were 
warm; neither did she crouch much w'hen squeezed along the course 
of the spine : the skin had a harsh, dry, unnatural feel, and the hair 
stared a little, but there was not the slightest cough. Here then I 
thought was a fair field for the exhibition of strong purgatives, 
accordingly the magiies. sulph. Ihj w^as given; and the day but 
one following, as there was no alleviation of symptoms, another 
pound was given. On the fifth day she w^as much in the same 
state, and I, with my favourite object in view of relieving the ma¬ 
nifolds of their load, and not having the most remote idea of a 
fatal termination, still persevered with the purgative treatment, 
fancying that, when the stomachs w'ere fairly emptied, they could 
with ease be restored to their natural energy; but unfortunately 
lor the owner, and contrary to his expectations and my owm, she 
died on the sixth day. As I did not see her opened, I can 
only give the brief relation of the farmer, that there was a quan¬ 
tity of water in the chest, and the manifolds full, but of a softer 
consistence than the contents of the manifolds of the first cow 
presented. The following week the same farmer had another 
cow attacked in the same manner, diarrhoea, without one febrile 
symptom except the refusal of food : here again another field was 
opened, and not one solitary symptom to prevent the administra¬ 
tion of purgatives, which accordingly w'as done in like manner as 
the foregoing, and wdth exactly the same degree of success ; for 
she too died on the seventh day, and, upon opening her, the 
farmer informed me she w^as like the second case. 
Last year I was called to a cow in the red-water ; she had not 
voided any faeces for tw'enty-four hours, neither had she taken 
any food. I gave her ifej of magnes. sulph. and a clyster of 
w'arm water in w^hich I previously dissolved a large handful of 
salt, and left orders for one to be injected every three hours, 
until the intestines were briskly acted upon, and, as she would 
not drink any thing, to horn her with whey porridge frequently 
during the day. The day but one after, the owner came to say, 
the cow w'as much better, and the water changed, but in the 
evening he came in a great hurry, and said she w^as stopped ; 
I therefore sent Ibj magnes. sulph. and Jx of the ol, ricini, wdth 
particular injunctions to persevere in the use of injections until 
the bowels w'ere opened. The next morning he again came, and 
said the medicine had not operated, and that it was wuth diffi¬ 
culty she could sw^allow any thing : I sent Ifej magnes. sulph. di¬ 
vided into four doses, one to be given every two hours. Two days 
alterwards, being not very distant from his residence, I w'cnt to 
