HiMm 
86 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
bt’t^rinar^ SBepartm^nt. 
DISEASE OF COWS. 
Messrs. Editors —A friend of mine lately lost a very 
valuable cow, soon after calving, under the following 
circumstances. She calved and did well to all appear¬ 
ance at first, but soon began to be affected in her fore 
quarters; if she attempted to walk, her fore feet remain¬ 
ed stationary, while her hind ones moved around circu¬ 
larly. She soon died. She had been kept well for 
three or four years, and was so fat, that when she died, 
100 lbs. of tallow were taken from her. As it is an un¬ 
common case among us, permit me to inquire of you, or 
some of your numerous subscribers, the nature of the 
disease, the remedy, &c. S. W. Bartlett. 
Scantick Village, Ct. 
The case noticed by our correspondent is one of puer¬ 
peral fever, or as it is termed by veterinarians, ‘‘ dropping 
after calving.’’ Cows in high condition are most subject 
to this disease, which usually appears in from one to five 
days after calving. The first symptoms are decidedly 
febrile; the animal is restless, shifting her feet, and 
breathing laboriously. The nose is hot, and the udder 
is inflamed, enlarged, and tender, from the very com¬ 
mencement. Bleeding, from six to ten quarts, to be re¬ 
gulated by the impression made on the circulation, must 
be resorted to at once, and the bleeding must be follow¬ 
ed by physic; for which purpose, a pound or a pound 
and a half of Epsom salts are best, and half pound doses 
every six hours, till the bowels are opened. If the dis¬ 
ease is not attended to in the outset, and it is too fre¬ 
quently neglected, the nervous system is speedily attack¬ 
ed, when the symptoms of staggering, &c., noticed by 
our correspondent, usually occur. It is occasioned by a 
partial paralysis of the fore or hind quarters, most com¬ 
monly the last; the animal soon falls, her head is bent 
back to her sides, and death soon supervenes. In the 
last stages, there is little hope or chance of relief; but 
if the pulse is such as to indicate fever, bleeding may be 
resorted to till the last, with a bare possibility of saving 
the animal; but great care is requisite, as the bleeding, 
carried too far, is fatal at once. In some papers in the 
Veterinarian, Mr. Friend relates several instances suc¬ 
cessfully treated by Epsom salts in large quantities, fol¬ 
lowed immediately by Croton seed and sulphur. 
LICE ON ANIMALS. 
If you have purchased any animals that were poor, or 
if you have most unwisely allowed any of your own to 
become so, now is the time to examine all such care¬ 
fully, and see that in addition to their being poor, they 
do not become lousy. There is not an animal that does 
not, under suitable circumstances, nourish in its hair, 
wool, feathers, or its skin, some kind,of louse; and 
sometimes more than one kind of these parasites lodge 
and prey on the same animal. In ordinary cases, they 
do not produce much mischief, but when they increase 
so much as to produce the disease called Phthiriasis, 
they become truly formidable. The cause of animals 
being troubled with lice, may usually be traced to a 
want of cleanliness. When the dust and sweat accumu¬ 
lated on the hair, and in contact with the skin of the ox 
or horse, are allowed to remain undisturbed by the comb 
or brush; when the stables are kept filthy, unventilated, 
and unwholesome; when animals, reduced in autumn 
by want of pasture, or by living in unhealthy ones, are 
suffered to take their chance for the winter without extra 
care or attention; or when a beast loaded with pediculi, 
is turned into the yards or the stables of those exempt 
from these parasites, it may be expected that they will 
multiply, and infest animals. When we see horses rub¬ 
bing their tails, biting their manes, and showing other 
signs of uneasiness and irritation; when cattle are ob¬ 
served to be rubbing their heads against posts or fences, 
and the hair coming off from the head and neck; or 
when sheep tear out tufts of wool with their teeth, and 
bite these, places till blood appears, we may expect that 
lice are present. On most animals, these parasites have 
some favorite place of resort; on horses, the mane and 
tail; on horned cattle, around the nose, base of the 
horns, and the neck; on sheep, they run over every 
part; and on swine, they do noi seem to be confined to 
any particular location. 
Pure air, room for exercise, plenty of food, and above 
all, cleanliness, are the first things to be attended to in 
the cure of this evil. Currying, brushing and washing 
should be resorted to, as, except in bad cases, this treat¬ 
ment will be usually sufficient to free the animal from 
these insects, without recourse to other remedies. Where 
these fail, it will be necessary to have recourse to such 
external or internal applications as shall operate directly 
on the vermin. 
One of the most common remedies is the mercurial 
ointment, unguentum; but this, though effectual, cannot 
be used without some danger, as numerous instances 
have occurred in which valuable animals have been de¬ 
stroyed by its use. When its use is necessary, care 
should be taken to prevent the animal from biting it¬ 
self where the ointment is applied, until it has had time 
to take effect. A decoction of tobacco leaves, in a strong 
lye, forms a very good wash; but this, too,' owing to the 
narcotic poison of the tobacco, has caused death. Va¬ 
rious vegetable remedies have been resorted to, among 
which are the seeds of the Delphinium staphysagria; and 
the leaves and.fiowers of the Ledum palustre, or marsh 
tea. The roots of the black hellebore, oi a decoction 
made from them, have been used with success; and it is 
said that the water in which the skins or parings of po¬ 
tatoes have been boiled, will effectually destroy lice by 
a few washings. The internal use of sulphur is an ex¬ 
cellent remedy, and if given to animals occasionally, is 
one of the best preventives. 
It is more difficult to apply remedies for lice to sheep, 
than to any other animals. The English shepherds make 
use of a salve compounded of while arsenic and corro¬ 
sive sublimate, carefully parting the wool, and applying 
the ointment in small quantities ilirectly to the skin, and 
rubbing it down with the finger. Tessier prefers tobacco 
smoke to this ointment, as involving less tlanger in its 
use. The sheep is held in such a manner that tobacco 
smoke is forced from a bellows among the wool to the 
skin in all directions. After this fumigation, the sheep 
must be placed in the open air, that the vapor may have 
room to pass off without being inhaled by them. Per¬ 
haps the best remedy for lice in animals, where they 
have not become so numerous as to produce the disease 
phthiriasis, is to rub any oil, such as whale oil or melted 
lard, on such places as they most frequent, or on parts of 
the animal Where they will be most likely to come in 
contact with it. All the pediculi breathe through what 
are termed spiracles or openings in their bodies, and the 
least particle of oil spread over their bodies, by causing 
suffocation, at once effects their destruction. This is also 
a perfectly harmless remedy. But prevention in this 
case is better than cure; and neatness, cleanliness and 
good keeping, by insuring comfort and health, leaves no 
opportunity for the attacks of vermin. 
COLIC IN THE HOESE. 
There are few diseases more troublesome or danger¬ 
ous to the horse than the colic; and it is usually in the 
winter that its appearance is most frequent. One of the 
best descriptions of the disease and its mode of ti’eat- 
ment, is to be found in Stewart’s Stable Economy, from 
which we have condensed the following. 
“ The horse is usually attacked by the colic suddenly. 
In the stable, he paws the ground with his fore feet, lies 
down, rolls, sometimes quite over, lies on his back, but 
at times, when the distension of the belly is not great, 
will sometimes lie still for several minutes. When the 
distension is great, he neither lies or stands still a mi¬ 
nute, but lies down and gets up incessantly, strikes his 
belly with his hind feet, and looks wistfully at his 
flanks. When standing, he makes many and fruitless 
attempts to urinate, and the keeper or owner generally 
imagines there is something wrong with the water.” 
Sometimes in the worst cases the swelling is very incon¬ 
siderable; but in all cases, as the disease proceeds, the 
pain becomes more and more intense; the horse dashes 
himself about with frightful violence; the perspiration 
runs off" him in streams; his countenance betrays ex¬ 
cessive agony, and his contortions are not suspended for 
a moment. 
Sometimes he is attacked on the road. “ If his pace 
is fast, he should be stopped at once. To push him on 
beyond a walk, even for a short distance, is certain 
death. The bowels are displaced, twisted and strangu¬ 
lated, partly by the distension, but aided a great deal by 
the exertion, and no medicine will restore them to their 
proper position.” When death ensues, the bowels are 
found inflamed, twisted, and generally ruptured. 
In the treatment of colic, the first object is to arrest 
the fermentation that is the primary cause, and re-estab¬ 
lish the digestive powers. “ In mild cases, a good do¬ 
mestic remedy, in common use among old fashioned 
people, who have never heard of inflamed, spasmed or 
strangulated bowels, is whiskey and pepper, or gin and 
pepper. About half a tumbler of spirits, with a tea¬ 
spoonful of pepper, given in a quart bottle of milk or 
warm water, will often afford immediate relief. If the 
pain do not abate in twenty or thirty minutes, repeat the 
dose. Four ounces of spirits of turpentine, with twice 
as much sweet oil, is much stronger; but if the horse is 
much averse to the medicine, turpentine is not always 
safe.” 
“There is, however, a better remedy,which should al¬ 
ways be in readiness wherever several draft horses are 
kept. Take a quart of brandy, add to it four ounces of 
sweet spirits of nitre, and three ounces of cloves. In 
eight days this mixture or tincture is ready for use; the 
cloves may still remain in the bottle, but they are not to 
be given. Set the bottle by, and label it distinctly, 
“Colic Tincture.” The dose is six ounces, to be given 
in a quart of milk or warm water, every fifteen or 
twenty minutes, till the horse is cured. Keep his head 
straight and not too high when it is given. Do not pull 
out his tongue, as some stupid people do when giving a 
drink. Give him room, and if he will not stand till the 
drink be given, watch him when down, and give it, 
though he be lying, whenever you can get him to take 
a mouthful; but give the dose as quickly as possible. 
After that, rub the body with a soft wisp, walk the 
horse about very slowly, or give him a good bed and room 
to roll. In eight cases out of nine, this treatment will 
succeed, provided the medicine be got down the horse’s 
throat before his bowels become inflamed, or strangu¬ 
lated, or burst. The delay of half an hour may be fatal. 
When the second dose does not produce the relief de¬ 
sired, the third may be of double or treble quantity. I 
have given a full quart in about an hour, but the horse 
was very ill.” 
Bottles are generally used for giving medicine to 
horses, but unless the neck is wound with twine, there 
is danger of the horse breaking it with his teeth, and 
injuring himself with the pieces. A large horn, with a 
small point for insertion in the mouth, is preferred by 
many, as exempt from this danger. 
DISEASES OF SWINE.” 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —On looking over the 
last February number of your most invaluable agricultu¬ 
ral periodical, I find an article bearing the above “ in¬ 
signia,” by D. B.C., which had inadvertently escaped 
my attention, asking for information relative to a most 
peculiar amt singular disease affecting swine; and it is 
with pleasure 1 now recur to the subject, and will ex¬ 
tend to D. B. C. and all others, the experience, cause and 
cure of the disease, I hat'e had. 
D. B. C. states that “ upon opening the barrow, a 
whitish jelly like matter, upon both sides, and the whole 
length of the urinary passage, was found; the flesh much 
inflamed and apparently bloodshot.” In short, Messrs. 
Editors, 1 can say that all the cases I have seen or heard 
of, are precisely similar in symptoms, and all other re¬ 
spects to D. B. C.’s statement, and therefore will not con¬ 
sume your time in restating them, but Will come at once 
to the point in view. 
If D. B. C. had examined the entrance of the orifice 
of the urinary canal, I think he would have found a few 
coarse, long unnatural hairs, growing too far in and up 
the orifice or opening. When the animal makes an ef¬ 
fort to urinate, there is retained, in consequence of these 
hairs, by the animal, invariably, part of the urine invol¬ 
untarily, which by running on for some time, as was the 
case with D. B. C.’s hogs, collects and forms from putre¬ 
faction and other causes, the white jelly like substance 
abovenamed; and it is the large quantity retained in the 
urinary passage of this matter, which brings on the 
swelling and inflammation, and hence arises the difficulty 
of the animal to void its water. 
I cannot well account for this disease, or the causes 
which produce it, unless I attribute it to the hairs spoken 
of; and attributing it to this, I cannot give any well 
grounded, and probably not even plausible reasons for it; 
only from the nature, tendency and bearing of the reme¬ 
dy I have used, I think the disease to be solely attributa¬ 
ble to this cause. 
The remedy I now give, and would advise D. B. C. 
and all others who have swine with this disease, to use, 
is very simple, plain and harmless, and I have never 
heard a single case in which it was tried, that failed. 
Turn inside out, as far as convenient, the interior of 
the orifice of the urinary passage—then with a pair of 
pincers or nippers, pull out the long coarse hairs I have 
named, and with lard or other grease, mix salt, about 
half and half, and run it up the canal as far as possible, 
and rub it well, particularly around the inflamed parts. 
This I have always found to produce a running, which 
will carry oCfall this matter, and cleanse the parts tho¬ 
roughly—cause the inflammation and swelling to go down 
in a few days—the animal to receive instantaneous re¬ 
lief, to urinate freely and without pain, and lastly the 
urinary passage to assume its natural shape, &c. in a few 
days, and the animal will thrive finely. 
Should D. B. C. see fit to try this simple remedy, I 
should be pleased to hear from him through the Cultiva¬ 
tor, and should this communication be the means of sav¬ 
ing any of his swine, I shall consider myself richly and 
handsomely paid for contributing my mite. 
I concur heartily in D. B. C.’s remarks, regarding the 
great value and usefulness of the Cultivator, and every 
good agriculturist ought not, and I like to have said, can¬ 
not do without it. Aghicultor. 
Talbot CO. Md., March 20, 1843, 
GLAUBER SALTS FOR SWINE. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I have made some ex¬ 
periments on hogs, which were very satisfactory to my¬ 
self. One day as I was returning from a store, with a 
paper of glauber salts, I thought I would go and take a 
look at my hogs. It was in the evening, just before they 
were fed. While I was looking at them, the paper hap¬ 
pened to burst, and the salts fell upon the ground. The 
hogs devoured them greedily. I thought I would try 
giving them some regularly for a week, and see what 
effect it would have upon them. They appeared more 
brisk and frolicsome, and I observed at the end of the 
week, that they increased rapidly in weight to what they 
did formerly. They were then but six months old, and 
in about two months they weighed 350 lbs. , and judging 
from appearances, I should think they did not weigh 
more than 200, before I gave them the salts. I observed 
it made their necks very thick, their hind legs grew lar¬ 
ger than their fore legs, and several hogs that were be¬ 
fore black, became nearly white, and they all appeared 
to thrive well. Your ob’t and humble serv’t. 
Port Deposit, Md. Feb. 19, 1843. Wm. Larkin. 
Inflammation in the Eye of the Horse, &c. 
From our correspondent, “ GleanerI had a horse 
hurt his eye the past winter, and I thought he would lose 
it- but I have restored it again. For inflammation of 
the eye, take sassafras twigs of one year’s gorwth; talie 
the inner bark, a handful to a pint of cold water; let it 
stand for a few hours; it will become thick, like the white 
of an egg; wash the eye out well; it will remove the 
inflammation. For a Film on the Eye, lake loaf sugar; 
pulverize it as fine as possible; take a goose quill and 
mi it, and blow it in the eye, which will remove it. My 
horse was entirely blind, and the above cured him, so 
that he can see as well as ever,” 
