MAY 44 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
machines and it is dusty and wets up so quickly. 
Iiye straw would be clean and would last five 
times as long for a bed as oat, and then the pigs 
would be so much cleaner. The old hogs have 
all had to he scrubbed with soap-suds. It did 
thorn good. No animal will thrive when dirty. 
It took the man a half of a day to scrub the hogs, 
and it was time well spent. He put a slipping- 
noose on their upper jaws and tied them up, and 
with a scrubbing-brush got the dirt off and 
made them look really handsome. When tied up 
he put rings in their noses and now they are 
ready to go out to pasture as soon as tho grass 
gets a little larger. A rainy day is a good time 
to wash the hogs, and the cattle too. Use warm 
water and rub them quite dry so that they will 
not get cold. 
Bolved, both beforo and after you go around 
such animals. 
When the disease first appears there is usually 
little opportunity for treatment, as the animals 
die in twenty-four to forty-eight hours; later, 
when the disease is less rapid in its course, there 
is more hope of success. First, act upon the 
bowels with Glauber salts, then use minoral 
acids, antiseptics, tonics and stimulants. Re¬ 
member that acids corrode the llesh, destroy 
clothing, etc., with which they come in contact 
before being largely diluted; therefore, use with 
ywmuuiiiOH, or me peculiarities or com¬ 
plications of the disease. In other words it re¬ 
quires the same knowledge of the structure and 
uses of the different organs, and the modifica¬ 
tions to which they are subject, to recognize a 
disease with animals as with man, and to treat 
it, requires the same knowledge of the proper¬ 
ties and effects of remedies in the one case m in 
the other. 
But how many stock-owners are there who re¬ 
cognize these facts ? I am sorry to say their 
number is relatively small. Nine out of ten will 
MALIGNANT ANTHRAX. 
I WISH to inquire if any of tho readers of yonr 
excellent paper can give a cure for or preventive 
of black leg in cattle. I have just lost three 
good yearlings. When first taken they were a 
littlo lame in one hind log ; the hip soon swells 
and feels spongy. They died m twelve or twenty- 
four hours after first noticing them. Examina- 
tion shows the leg and side very dark and bloody. 
(AH were in good condition.) In former times I 
have lost six in abont the same way. 
Wright Co., Iowa. O. E. French. 
ANSWER IJY D. E. SALMON, D. V. M. 
Black leg is ono form of tho diseaso known as 
malignant anthrax or charbon; and as there are 
so many inquiries in regard to tho different va¬ 
rieties of this trouble at this time of year, I will 
give such particulars as are necessary to an un¬ 
derstanding of its nature. Anthrax is a disease 
or the blood and belongs to that class of mala¬ 
dies known as contagions fevers. Whatever tho 
form of the disease, there are certain peculiari¬ 
ties by which it may be known; the chief of 
these is tho condition of the blood, which has a 
black, tarry, viscous aspect, becomes red but 
slowly by contact with the air, does not coagu¬ 
late, or at best coagulates hut imperfectly; the 
globules are broken dowu or dissolved so that it 
leaves a dark, peculiar stain on tissues with 
which it comes in contact, or even passes through 
the walls of the vessels, causing large black 
patches of flesh (extravasations). In addition, 
the blood contains certain microscopic bodies 
known as bacteria, which have been considered 
as peculiar to the diseaso, and by some as its 
direct cause; there have lately been some exper¬ 
iments mado in Germany which tend to confirm 
this latter supposition. But, even if such exper¬ 
iments should prove conclusive, they arc far 
from having tho importance that has been 
ascribed to them. We know, for instance, that 
bacteria develop in blood from healthy animals, 
which is allowed to decompose in contact with 
the air; consequently, such spores must ho con¬ 
tinually floating in the air, and as all animals are 
not affected with anthrax, it shows that there 
must, be a certain condition of tho system, oaused 
by tho food c r surronndings, which assists the 
development of the disease. And of this we 
wore equally certain beforo ihoso experiments 
were mado, In this disease the spleen, liver and 
lymphatic glands are enlarged, the mucous mem- 
MA.IOIL 
say when a horse is sick, “Mr.-, has been 
brought np in a stable, has always been with 
horses aud ho ought to know what to do if auy 
one.” But what nonsense this is ! Haven't we 
all been brought Up among people, associated 
wit h them when sick and well, talked with them 
abont their foldings, nursed them when sick, 
and, after all, what do we know about their dis¬ 
eases or the proper remedies to use, unless we 
have made the subject one of special sludy? 
And how can it be supposed that a stable-man is 
going to learn more about horses! 
Then, there is another class of people who de¬ 
pend on their agricultural paper for prescrip- 
tiur..s f >all the troubles affecting their stock. 
No matter how good a veterinarian may be with¬ 
in cull, he is Utterly ignored, and a letter dis¬ 
patched to the paper for information, which is 
duly supplied in the course of a few weeks. In 
case the animal does not recover the doctor may 
be called ; but then it is liKiiallir inn r.\. 
great care. Dr. Law’s treatment, to which I 
called attention lately in answering an inquiry 
of this kind, has been tho most successful of 
any, and every farmer should have his book on 
the diseases of animals. 1 will give a modified 
form of this treatment, which may be nsed by 
any one with the precautions against contracting 
the disease which I have mentioned. For cattle, 
give morning and night a drench composed of 
file Ijorsfiitan 
WHITE MAJOR” 
uave nan wmte Major” engraved as an 
excellent illmdration of (he sprightliness, 
vugor and beauty which may diolinqnish a horse 
to an advanced age provided he receives kind 
and judicious treatment. The animal belongs 
to onr friend and correspondent Mrs. M. G. 
Rand, of Lyons, Iowa. As to his pedigree! 
He is half Morgau and haLf 8t. Lawrence Ho 
'vas “ born and bred” on a farm in Schuyler 
Co , N. Y. where he was kept until nearly 
seven y ears old. He was bought for a carriage 
horse about fourteen years ago. “Major is 
now, there foie, in his twenty-first year, but be 
does not act or look half that age. Hi d picture 
is pretty good, though he is much more beauti¬ 
ful than is here represented. He is gay and 
spirited, hut easily managed aud is a noble 
specimen of what a horse can be, under kind 
and gentle treatment. His health is so perfect 
that he is at ail times full of vigor; never having 
a dull day. Once in two or three years, his shoes 
aro takc-n off, and he is allowed to run in pas- 
tiiro for u few weeks in autumn. “ Major’s” eyes 
are largo and bright, the nostrils finely formed ; 
and on the whole his face has an amiable, and 
very intelligent expression. When a colt, his 
hind legs were slightly dapple-gray, but he 
soon lost that, and for yoars has been every¬ 
where known as “ White Major.” He is noted 
for the pure white of his coat, mane, and tail 
the only color abont him, being on the extremo 
end of the nose, which is a beautiful palo slate 
or drab. 
In regard to feeding: Oats and hay of the 
best quality only, aro ever put before him, and 
at regular hours. His breakfast hour is a » 
at noon give a drench composed of thirty grains 
of sulphate of quinine, one drachm iodido of 
potassium aud two drachms of bisulphite of soda 
in a pint of water. If chinoldine can be obtained 
it may bo substituted in double tho dose for the 
quinine as it is much cheaper; in case bisulphite 
of soda cannot be obtained, u6e the sulphite or 
hyposulphite; if one of these is not to be had, 
give tho other ingredients as directed. In case 
the animals show signs of weakness and sink 
rapidly, give every hour a solution of camphor 
in sweet spirits of niter, made by dissolving an 
ounce of gum camphor in eight ounces of niter 
and dividing into four doses each dose should 
be mixed with a pint of water before giving. 
ne is uenounced as an ignoramus and his ser¬ 
vices dispensed with-for has not the paper said 
otherwise, ani can a paper bo wrong! 
Now, I waut to ask if every step in this pro¬ 
ceeding is not just as ridiculous as to suppose 
that a man brought up among people or in a 
stable should necessarily understand the diseases 
of his associates, or the actions and uses of med- 
iciues ? Every observing man knows that there 
are many cases in which a physician is put to 
his wits’ end to diaguose a disease, when he has 
the patient Under his eye and can make the most 
careful examination. And who wotild write to 
the most skillful physician, aud expect him to 
Goat an obscure disease without seeing the pa¬ 
tient aud having only tho most general descrip¬ 
tion of his condition ? The thine in most «*««« 
DOCTORING ANIMALS 
D. E. SALMON, D. V. M, 
is tuere any reason why the principles and 
practices recognized in the treatment of diseaso 
in people should not apply to tho treatment of 
sick animals ? Each is made up of the same 
appalatus, organs and tissues; by microscopic 
or chemical analysis of similar tissues of I ho 
bodies, we fiud cells in the ono case that are 
almost identical, and in the other, a resemblance 
so close as to preclude any attempt of the chem¬ 
ist to distinguish between them. Going farther, 
we find each affected by the same local disease; 
that both people aud animals have inflammation 
of the lungs, stomach, bowels, heart, of the 
mucous and serous membranes, and indeed, of 
almost every organ which goes to make up their 
bodioa. There is a difference in the frequency 
of coi tain diseases, but this depends rather on 
the use to which tho affected organs are put 
than on any essential difference between them. 
Thus, people are more subject to diseases or the 
nervous system, because thut is more highly de¬ 
veloped than YYith animals; horses are ofteneat 
affected by diseases of tho locomotive, digestive 
aud respiratory apparatus, and cattle by those 
of the digestive aud milk-producing organs and 
those iu sympathy with them, because in each 
case Bnoh organs are most used. Coming to the 
contagious diseases, there is more difference'; 
still a large number of them aro intercommuni- 
cable; as, for instance, glanders, anthrax, hy- 
drophobia, trichina, cow-pox and epizootic 
aptha. 
Admitting this similarity, no one can fail to seo 
that it must be sm difficult to recognize tho dis¬ 
eases of animals as those of neonlm in 
ciau.u always clean and well ventilated. 
Each stall has a good windoiv that opens at 
(he top. with wire grating inside to protect the 
glass, aud awniugs outside to protect the horse’s 
eyes from the son. “ Major” is never driven 
hard, therefore never over-heated: but even if 
a little warm after exercise, be is not fed for 
an hour, and not watered until one hour or 
two after feeding. An open bridle is generally 
used on account of his apparent dislike to 
blinders; and then it is a pleasure to have his 
beantifnl eyes in sight. He travels well alone 
or with another horse. By many people tho 
Morgan horses are said to bo naturally inclined 
bat such is uot the case with 
“ White Major," though pains are always taken 
to have turn properly shod. 
Iu view of the beauty of form so eminently 
possessed by the horse, his grateful appreciation 
of kindness and the valuable services he is con 
staidly throughout life rendering to mao 
surely he deserves much higher consideration 
and much better treatment than generally falls 
to his lot. If our conduct towards him were 
regulated by the value of the services ho has 
rendered to ua, this nobio animal would be a 
pet throughout the land, and so far as he was 
concerned, Mr. Beuuh’s society would have no 
cauao for existence. 
