412 
W*  RURAL.  NEW-YORKER 
March  10,  1923 
Ailing  Animals 
Answered  by  Dr.  A.  S.  Alexander 
Impaction 
I  have  a  cow  eight  years  old.  She 
came  fresh  about  September  1.  She  is 
not  with  calf  at  present.  About  two 
weeks  ago  she  refused  to  eat  her  grain  ; 
she  would  eat  a  little  hay,  drink  about 
one-half  pail  of  water  a  day  where  she 
had  been  taking  three  pails  of  water.  I 
called  a  veterinarian.  Through  his  ad¬ 
vice  I  have  given  her  4  lbs.  of  Epsom 
salts,  1  lb.  of  salts  at  a  dose,  with  one- 
half  cup  of  brown  sugar  twice  a  day ; 
six  ounces  of  spirits  of  niter,  one  ounce 
per  dose;  also  one  tablespoon  ginger 
and  soda.  She  will  not  eat  any  kind  of 
grain,  oats  or  ground  feed ;  will  eat  a 
few  carrots  and  apples  and  some  potatoes 
and  a  very  little  hay.  Iler  back  seems 
quite  tender  over  her  kidneys.  She  does 
not  seem  to  have  any  fever.  Her  nose  is 
quite  moist;  has  no  cough.  I  also  gave 
her  eight  drams  of  bitter  aloes  in  two 
doses.  o.  j.  c. 
New  York. 
As  this  poor  cow  has  been  given  such 
heroic  doses  of  purgative,  we  take  it  that 
she  is  known  to  be  suffering  from  im¬ 
paction  of  the  stomach  (paunch).  If 
that  is  the  case,  the  treatment  has  been 
all  wrong,  and  it  is  a  wonder  the  animal 
has  survived.  When  impaction  occurs 
the  muscles  of  the  middle  wall  of  the 
stomach  and  probably  the  intestines  are 
paralyzed  so  that  the  natural  movements 
of  the  digestive  organs  do  not  occur. 
That  movement  is  called  peristalsis,  and 
is  necessary  to  keep  the  feed  passing 
along  and  expose  it  to  the  action  of  the 
digestive  juices.  Knowing  the  condition 
present,  the  educated  veterinarian  no 
longer  gives  big  doses  of  salts,  aloes,  etc. 
Ills  treatment  is  directed  towards  stim¬ 
ulation  of  muscular  motion  and  secretion 
of  glandular  fluids,  and  he  also  supports 
strength  and  vitality  by  stimulating  the 
heart  and  nerves.  One  method  of  treat¬ 
ment  is  to  give  30  to  60  drops  of  fluid 
extract  of  mix  vomica  and  one  dram  of 
salol  every  three  or  four  hours  in  a  little 
wafer  until  symptoms  of  belching  or 
returning  rumination  are  seen,  where¬ 
upon  a  pound  or  so  of  castor  oil,  not 
salts,  may  be  given,  shaken  up  in  milk. 
Strong  coffee  and  aromatic  spirits  of 
ammonia  or  other  stimulant  may  also  be 
given  if  the  cow  is  weak.  Another  method 
is  to  give  small  doses  of  barium  chloride 
and  tartar  emetic  to  stimulate  peristalsis, 
and  some  veterinarians  also  give  hypo¬ 
dermic  treatment  with  strychnine  and 
other  alkaloidal  drugs.  Feed  should  be 
withheld,  but  the  cow  allowed  all  the 
water  she  desires,  the  chill  being  taken 
off  in  cold  weather.  Massage  of  the  ab¬ 
domen,  particularly  the  left  side,  and 
rectal  injections  of  warm  water  and 
glycerine  may  also  help.  If  the  cow  is 
ali .  e  when  thi<  reaches  you,  give  the  mix 
and  salol  treatment,  and  also  give  two 
or  three  times  daily  a  pint  of  strong 
coffee  and  one  ounce  of  aromatic  spn'ts 
of  ammonia,  or  half  an  ounce  of  that 
medicine  and  half  an  ounce  of  sweet 
spirits  of  nitre,  in  flaxseed  tea  and  the 
coffee  combined.  We  fear,  however,  that 
treatment  given  now  would  not  be  likely 
to  succeed.  In  future  see  to  it  that  cattle 
in  Winter  time  are  fed  laxative  or  suc¬ 
culent  feed  to  offset  the  constipating  ef¬ 
fects  of  much  dry  roughage,  and  allow 
access  to  water  and  to  salt. 
corn  to  a  brood  sow  unless  it  is  balanced 
by  feeding  tankage  or  a  legume  hay.  At 
once  physic  the  sow  with  castor  oil  in 
slop  .or  warm  water,  and  then  give  her 
twice  daily  some  cod  liver  oil,  starting 
with  a  teaspoonful  dose  and  increasing 
daily  until  she  gets  up  or  is  again  strong 
on  her  legs.  Allow  her  free  access  to 
clover  or  Alfalfa  hay,  or  cut  such  hay 
fine  and  mix  it  with  middlings,  ground 
rye  or  barley  and  a  little  bran  to  be  fed 
from  a  self-feeder.  Skim-inilk  may  also 
be  allowed,  and  in  it  we  should  mix 
lime  water  at  the  rate  of  one  ounce  per 
quart.  It  would  also  be  well  to  continue 
feeding  vegetables.  Carrots,  rutabagas 
and  tomatoes  contain  vitamines  that  are 
preventive  of  conditions  such  as  you 
describe.  In  addition  to  the  change  in 
feeding,  enforce  exercise  if  the  sow  can 
walk.  If  she  is  down,  give  her  rectal 
injections  of  warm  water  and  glycerine 
twice  daily,  and  twice  daily  rub  briskly 
into  the  loins  a  mixture  of  one-half  .ounce 
each  of  aqua  ammonia  and  turpentine 
and  four  ounces  of  compound  soap  lini¬ 
ment  in  water  to  make  one  pint. 
Chronio  Indigestion 
Give  me  some  information  on  rupture 
of  the  stomach  in  horses,  Whether  a  lin¬ 
gering  disease,  or  is  death  more  sudden? 
I  have  a  blooded  trotter  12  years  old 
that  I  use  on  my  R.  F.  I),  route.  He 
had  colic  of  the  stomach  and  belched  a 
great  deal.  At  times  a  little  blood  came 
from  his  mouth.  He  recovered  from  the 
colic,  but  has  not  been  well  since.  This 
was  four  weeks  ago.  He  seems  to  have 
difficulty  in  drinking,  and  when  eating 
foams  at  the  mouth.  lie  formerly  was 
of  very  high  life  and  would  eat  (when 
working)  from  12  to  14  quarts  of  grain 
a  day.  Now  he  barely  will  eat  seven 
quarts,  and  has  no  ambition  at  all.  I 
have  tried  feeding  laxatives,  like  bran 
and  carrots,  to  sweeten  his  stomach,  but 
it  does'  not  seem  to  help.  H.  a. 
New  York. 
When  gas  distends  the  stomach  as  the 
result  of  acute  indigestion  or  gastritis- 
one  usually  hears  gas  and  liquids  gush 
from  the  stomach  to  tin1  mouth  in  the 
gullet  at  frequent  intervals.  When  this 
occurs  the  horse  may  curve  his  neck  with 
spasms  or  even  shriek  with  pain.  The 
latter  symptom  is,  however,  more  likely 
to  occur  in  choke.  When  not  relieved  or 
when  a  big  dose  of  soda  or  some  other 
unsuitable  medicine  suddenly  is  poured 
down  the  gullet  the  stomach  may  in¬ 
stantly  rupture.  Belching  and  gushing 
of  liquids  then  subsides  and  pain  may 
also  lessen,  but  the  horse  weakens  fast, 
sweats,  has  a  rapid  or  almost  imper¬ 
ceptible  pulse  and  soon  drops  and  dies. 
In  some  cases  of  rupture  feed  and  water 
run  from  the  nostrils,  or  the  horse  is  said 
to  be  vomiting.  The  accident  always  is 
quickly  fatal.  In  the  case  in  question 
the  suffering  might  quickly  have  been  re¬ 
lieved  by  passing  a  stomach  tube  through 
the  nostril  and  into  the  stomach  to  siphon 
off  some  of  the  fluid  and  fermenting 
liquid  feed.  That,  however,  can  only  be 
safely  and  properly  done  by  a  trained 
veterinarian.  Passage  of  the  tube  gen¬ 
erally  causes  a  little  -bleeding  from  the 
nostril.  A  stimulant  has  to  be  given 
immediately  after  the  use  of  the  tube  to 
prevent  collapse,  and  it  is  a  mistake  per¬ 
fectly  to  empty  the  stomach,  as  that 
will  be  about  certain  to  cause  collapse. 
Have  the  horse’s  teeth -put  in  order.  Then 
feed  a  mixture  of  crushed  or  whole  oats 
and  one-ninth  part  of  wheat  bran,  by 
weight.  Of  this  feed  1  lb.  for  every  100 
lbs.  of  body  weight  of  horse,  in  three 
feeds,  as  a  day’s  ration.  Also  allow  a 
like  quantity  of  good  mixed  clover  and 
Timothy  hay,  feeding  most  of  it  at  night, 
and  but  1  or  2  lbs.  of  it  at  noon,  when 
the  horse  is  cooling  and  resting  before 
receiving  drinking  water  and  grain  feed. 
A  few  ears  of  corn  may  be  added  at 
noon  when  the  weather  is  very  cold. 
Carrots  would  also  be  beneficial.  Feed 
grain  from  a  large  shallow  box  to  pre¬ 
vent  bolting. 
The  Safe  Light  for  Farm  Buildings 
Who  ever  heard  of  a  cow  kicking  over  an 
electric  light  bulb  and  causing  a  disastrous 
fire?  It  can’t  be  done.  A  broken  light 
bulb  cannot  cause  a  fire.  Electric  lights 
in  your  farm  buildings  give  you  better  and 
more  convenient  light.  And,  what  is  more 
important,  they’re  100%  safe. 
The  Westinghouse  Light  and  Power 
Plant,  the  plant  that  is  so  easy  to  operate 
and  so  easy  to  own,  will  light  your  farm 
buildings  and  your  home.  Running  water 
Exclusive  sales  privileges  are 
in  rural  districts  where  we 
supplied  by  electric  power,  electric  house¬ 
hold  appliances,  power  machinery  to  aid 
you  with  your  chores.  All  these  things  and 
the  many  other  advantages  of  electricity 
Westinghouse  brings  to  you  and  your 
family. 
Are  you  interested  in  knowing  how  you 
can  install  a  Westinghouse  Light  and  Power 
Plant  on  your  farm  and  pay  for  it  on  terms 
that  you  can  easily  meet?  Send  us  the 
coupon  below  and  we’ll  tell  you  about  it. 
still  available  to  reputable  men 
are  not  already  represented. 
Lame  Sow 
A  sow  is  10  months  old;  bred  January 
10;  registered  Berkshire,  She  is  very 
stiff  and  lame,  especially  in  right  hind 
leg.  Very  hard  for  her  to  get  up  after 
lying  down.  I  am  feeding  a  cooked  mess 
twice  a  day,  consisting  mostly  of  potato, 
apple  parings,  also  other  vegetables, 
some  rye  shorts  mixed  in  same  ;  corn  on 
cob  occasionally.  J.  h. 
New  York. 
It  will  be  fortunate  if  this  sow  has 
not  become  paralyzed  before  this  answer 
arrives.  She  is  threatened  with  that 
condition,  and  the  method  of  feeding  and 
management  deescribed  are  to  blame. 
Such  conditions  are  very  common  in  pigs 
and  grown  hogs  at  this  time  of  the  year, 
when  it  is  a  somewhat  difficult  matter 
to  enforce  exercise.  The  exercise  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  prevent  rickets, 
constipation  and  paralysis,  a  chain  of 
conditions  often  associated  in  such  cases. 
When  snow  is  deep  exercise  may  be  en¬ 
couraged  by  scattering  shelled  corn  and 
whole  oats 'on  a  big  barn  floor  or  clean- 
swept  ground  and  covering  with  litter,  in 
which  the  pigs  should  'be  allowed  to  root. 
This  rooting  will  give  a  brood  sow  all 
the  necessary  exercise.  Even  driving 
pigs  about  in  a  large  pen  several  times 
daily  will  prove  wonderfully  beneficial, 
and' may  suffice,  but  active  outdoor  exer¬ 
cise  every  da}’  is  much  better.  It  is  no 
longer  considered  good  policy  or  neces¬ 
sary  to  cook  feed  for  all  swine.  Pota¬ 
toes  may  be  cooked,  however,  if  desired 
when  fed  along  with  barley  meal  to  finish 
a  fat  hog  for  slaughter.  On  no  account 
should  cooked  potatoes  be  given  to  a 
brood  sow,  and  when  fed  in  excess  for 
a  long  time  to  any  hog  they  tend  to 
troublesome  protrusion  or  prolapse  of  the 
rectum,  which  may  even  have  fatal  ef¬ 
fects.  It  is  also  a  mistake,  to  feed  much 
Farming  Section,  Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufacturing  Co. 
East  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Send  me  complete  information  about  the  Westinghouse  Light 
and  Power  Plant. 
Name .  ... 
P.  O.  Address . RJJ.Y.-27 
