Skip to main content

Full text of "Veterinary counter practice"

See other formats 


UNIVERSITY  OF  B.C.  LIBRARY 


3  9424  00126  2895 


iilGi^AGt     ITEM 
FfcCCiiS£l^G-0^it 


Lpl-i-20F 
U.B.C.  LIBRARY 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

University  of  Britisii  Columbia  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/veterinarycounteOOroya 


f 


I 


VETERINARY   COUNTER   PRACTICE 


PRINTED    BY 

SPOTTISWOODE    AND    CO.,    NEW-STREET    SQUARE 

LONDON 


VETERINARY 
COUNTER    PRACTICE 

A  TREATISE  ON  THE  DISEASES  OF  ANIMALS  AND 
THE  MOST  SUITABLE  REMEDIES  FOR  THEM 

WRITTEN  EXPRESSLY  FOR  CHEMISTS  AND  DRUGGISTS 
BY    QUALIFIED    AND    EXPERIENCED  ^MEMBERS 

OF 

THE    ROYAL    COLLEGE   OF   VETERINARY   SURGEONS 
THIRD     EDITION 


pubIi8bc^  at  Vac  OfSccs  of 
•THE     CHEMIST     AND     DRUGGIST' 

42  CANNON   STREET,   LONDON 

AND  AT  MELBOURNE  AND  SYDNEY,  AUSTRALASIA 

1900 


PREFACE 


This  book  has  been  written  because  it  is  considered  that 
Chemists  and  Druggists  do  not  obtain  that  share  of  the  vete- 
rinar}^  practice  of  the  country  to  which  their  knowledge  of  drugs 
and  their  action  might  fairly  entitle  them.  While  they  could 
not,  and  need  not,  desire  to  compete  with  the  qualified  Veterinary 
Surgeon,  they  might,  to  a  much  greater  extent  than  they  do, 
supply  the  passing  requirements  of  the  farmer,  the  stockholder, 
and  the  pet  owner.  These  are  at  present  dependent  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  on  a  class  of  men  whose  practice,  successful 
though  it  often  is,  is  always  empirical,  and  not  seldom  dangerous. 
The  suggestions  comprised  in  the  following  pages  will  not  serve 
as  a  substitute  for  the  clinical  experience  absolutely  necessary  to 
the  equipment  of  a  competent  veterinary  practitioner,  but  in 
hundreds  of  cases  they  will  enable  the  chemist  to  understand 
cases  detailed  to  him  at  his  counter,  and  to  supply  the  most 
suitable  remedy.  The  work  has  been  written  throughout  by 
examined  and  experienced  veterinary  surgeons.  A  few  of  the 
chapters  have  already  appeared  in  '  The  Chemist  and  Druggist,' 
and  these  have  all  been  carefully  revised.  The  greater  part  of 
the  book,  however,  is  entirely  new. 

April  1 89 1. 

For   this   third   edition   the   work    has    been   thoroughly 
revised  by  the  member  of  the  Royal    College  of  Veterinary 
Surgeons  who  originally  prepared   it,   and  many  illustrations 
and  much  new  matter  have  been  introduced. 
June  1900. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 
MEDICAL   AND   SURGICAL  TREATMENT   OF   DOMESTIC   ANIMALS         .         I 

VETERINARY   MEDICINES l6 

DISEASES   OF  THE   HORSE 59 

LAMENESS   IN   HORSES 119 

DENTITION   OF  THE   HORSE 147 

DISEASES   OF   CATTLE 153 

DISEASES  OF   SHEEP 199 

DISEASES   OF   PIGS 2l6 

DISEASES   OF   DOGS 226 

TREATMENT   OF   EYE   DISEASES 259 

\VOUNDS,    SORES,    ETC.,    IN   ANIMALS 267 

DISEASES  OF   POULTRY 2S6 

POSOLOGICAL  TABLE 302 

MISCELLANEOUS   VETERINARY   FORMULA 308 

VETERINARY   SURGEONS    ACT 325 

THE  TITLE    'VETERINARY   CHEMIST' 33I 

THE  CONTAGIOUS   DISEASES   (ANIMALS)   ACTS 332 

SALE  OF   HORSES 334 

VETERINARY    CURRICULUM 335 

METHYLATED   VETERINARY   PREPARATIONS 336 

ADMINISTRATION   OF   POISONS  TO   HORSES 337 

INDEX 338 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


MEDICAL  AND   SURGICAL    TREATMENT 
OF  DOMESTIC  ANIMALS 

Horses. — xSledlcines  are  usually  administered  to  horses  in 
the  form  of  balls  or  draughts,  sometimes  as  powders  mixed  with 
the  food.  Substances  mixed  with  the  food  must,  of  course,  have 
no  very  disagreeable  taste,  nor  any  marked  odour,  save  some  few 
vegetable  aromatics,  as  coriander,  caraway,  and  anise,  which 
are  frequent  ingredients  of  tonic  and  stomachic  preparations. 
Bitter  agents  are  not  so  much  objected  to,  and  many  horses  will 
eat  Epsom  salts.  All  powders  are  better  mixed  with  damj>  food, 
or  given  in  a  mash. 

Draughts  are  a  very  common  form,  and,  for  some  agents, 
indispensable.  In  cases  accompanied  by  sore  throat  they 
should  be  used  cautiously,  as  the  animal,  from  having  the  head 
elevated,  is  apt  to  cough,  and  so  allow  a  portion  of  the  draught 
to  pass  into  the  windpipe — not  a  fatal  accident,  but  one  tending 
to  aggravate  the  case,  or  even  produce  fresh  complications. 

In  sore  throats  it  is  advisable  to  substitute  electuaries,  made 
either  with  honey  or  treacle,  and  merely  smeared  on  the  tongue, 
or  put  into  a  piece  of  muslin  and  placed  as  a  bit  in  the  mouth. 

Horses  can  retain  fluids  in  the  mouth  a  long  time  without 
swallowing,  and  in  this  way  sometimes  reject  medicine. 

Balls  are  by  far  the  handiest  form  of  preparation,  but  only 
a  small  proportion  of  stablemen  are  able  to  administer  them — 
a  fact  overlooked,  apparently,  by  those  responsible  for  County 


2  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Council  lectures  on  veterinary  topics,  else  instruction  of  a  prac- 
tical nature  would  be  afforded  in  place  of  learned  disquisitions 
on  the  origin  of  species  and  descent  of  the  horse  from  the 
orohippus,  the  a)ichithenum,  and  the  hipparion  gracik,  described 
by  paleontologists.  In  the  form  of  a  ball  there  is  a  greater 
certainty  of  the  animal  getting  the  whole  dose,  as  medicines 
mixed  with  the  food  may  be  left  untouched,  and,  commonly, 
a  good  deal  of  a  draught  is  wasted  in  the  giving.  Balls  should 
be  cylinder-shaped,  not  more  than  i  inch  in  diameter,  about 
2 1  inches  in  length,  and  about  i  oz.  in  weight,  although  these 
dimensions  may  be  safely  exceeded  in  the  case  of  large 
animals  of  the  draught  breeds. 

They  should  never  be  used  in  cases  of  sore  throat,  as  they 
irritate  the  part,  and  may  be  coughed  back  into  the  nose,  from 
which  cavity  their  removal  is  extremely  difficult.  It  is  thought 
by  some  people  that  medicines  act  quicker  in  the  form  of  the 
draught  than  as  balls.  Numerous  experiments  upon  horses 
show  that  nearly  all  balls  are  thoroughly  dissolved  in  the 
stomach  in  less  than  half  an  hour.  We  may,  then,  when  prac- 
ticable, give  the  preference  to  balls  as  the  best  ordinary  form 
of  preparation  for  horses.  Drenches,  however,  are  to  be  given 
when  the  medicine  is  liquid,  when  the  dose  is  large,  and  when 
very  speedy  action  is  desired. 

It  is  generally  believed  that  horses  cannotvomit,  because  very 
few  people  have  seen  them  do  so.  In  cases  of  ruptured  stomach 
and  diaphragm,  emesis  may  be  almost  regarded  as  diagnostic. 
In  stricture  of  the  oesophagus  also  there  is  return  of  the  food, 
which  more  often  than  not  comes  through  the  nostrils  f{oiii  the 
posterior  nares).  The  green  colouring  of  nasal  discharges, 
when  horses  at  grass  are  suffering  from  catarrh,  is  due  to  some 
masticated  food  being  coughed,  or  otherwise  thrown  into  the 
nasal  chamber,  and  must  not  be  mistaken  for  glanders  or 
other  specific  disease  in  which  coloration  of  the  mucus  is  a 
symiJtom. 

Emetics  are  not  intentionally  given  to  horses,  but  nauseanls 
are  prescribed  as  febrifuges,  and  their  action  is  demonstrated 
by  the  patient  '  turning  up  his  nose  '  (elevating  the  upper  lip), 


iVEDICAL  AMD  SURGICAL    TREATMENT  3 

nt  the  same  time  raising  the  head,  with  a  well-marked  expres- 
sion of  disgust.  Though  it  is  well  nigh  impossible  to  excite 
vomiting  in  the  horse,  it  is  very  easy  to  induce  nausea,  the 
smell  of  a  dirty  bucket  or  stale  mash  in  the  manger  being 
generally  enough  to  cause  it. 

r»Iedicines  are  also  administered,  though  less  commonly 
than  in  the  forms  already  mentioned,  by  the  rectum,  as  enemas 
or  clysters  ;  and  under  the  skin  by  the  hypodermic  syringe. 

Cattle  differ  from  horses,  principally  in  having  four  stomachs, 
and  possessing  the  power  to  ruminate.  By  far  the  best  form 
of  administering  medicine  to  them  is  the  draught,  as  they  are 
easily  held,  and  have  not,  like  the  horse,  the  power  of  retaining 
fluids  in  the  mouth  for  any  length  of  time  without  swallowing. 
Balls  are  not  very  much  used  for  cattle,  as  it  has  been  thought 
that  they  remain  undigested  in  the  first  stomach  (rumen) ;  but 
later  experience  does  not  confirm  this,  and  many  modern  prac- 
titioners administer  balls,  especially  of  the  tonic  and  cordial 
class,  where  a  purgative  action  is  not  sought. 

Probably,  some  portion  of  all  fluids  imbibed  by  cattle  passes 
into  the  rumen  also  ;  for  this  reason,  then,  it  is  best  always  to 
give  a  considerable  quantity  of  fluid  with  a  draught.  Twelve 
ounces  sulphate  of  magnesia  in  4  quarts  of  water  is  as  active 
as  16  oz.  in  half  the  fluid. 

Sheep  may  have  medicines  given  to  them  in  the  same  form 
as  cattle,  the  dose,  however,  being  only  about  one-fourth. 

Pigs  should  have  their  medicines  mixed  with  the  food. 
\\"hen  this  fails — as,  for  instance,  in  cases  of  total  loss  of  appe- 
tite— the  draught  is  used.  Great  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
pour  fluids  into  these  animals  whilst  they  are  squealing,  as  they 
are  very  easily  suffocated. 

The  proper  way  to  secure  a  pig,  in  order  to  drench  him,  is 
to  introduce  a  running  noose  into  the  mouth,  with  the  loop 
uppermost,  so  that  he  will  draw  it  tight  over  the  face  when 
attempting  to   escape.     The   tushes   prevent   the   cord  from 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


coming  away  if  it  has  been  properly  done.  With  this  he  can  he 
pulled  to  apostupon  which  a  half  hitch  is  made(see  figs,  i  and  2). 
With  such  71  point  cTappiii  the  necessity  of  a  cord  round  his  neck 
is  removed,  and  greater  freedom  permitted  when  presently  the 
draught  gets  into  his  gullet.  A  man  can  bestride  him  when  so 
Secured  and  hold  him  by  the  ears,  while  another  pours  the 
medicine  carefully  into  his  cheek,  avoiding  his  teeth,  which 
are  very  apt  to  crush  a  bottle  and  injure  the  patient.  The 
time-honoured  implement  in  pig  drenching  is  a  stout  old  boot 

with  the  toe  cut  off ; 
it  is  a  safe  funnel 
which  the  angry  pa- 
tient '  champs '  while 
the  medicine  is  run- 
ning through  it.  Some 
folk  prefer  to  secure 
the  pig  by  the  lower 
jaw,  as  in  the  accom- 
panying illustrations. 

Dogs  take  medi- 
cines easily  in  the 
form  of  pills  or 
draughts.  When  the 
appetite  is  good,  sub- 
stances may  be  mi.xcd 
with  the  food,  or,  if 
nearly  tasteless, 
sprinkled  on  a  piece  of  meat.  Pills,  too,  may  often  be  kept 
dDwn  by  giving  the  dog  a  small  piece  of  meat  after  them. 

Powders  are  easily  administered  by  simply  throwing  upon 
the  tongue,  and,  unless  very  bulky,  will  be  involuntarily 
swallowed  with  the  saliva.  Most  canine  practitioners  con- 
sider the  powder  the  easiest  means  of  giving  medicines  to 
dogs.  Pills  should  be  made  large,  even  when  intended  for 
small  dogs,  as  they  arc  much  easier  to  hold  while  pushing 
them  over  the  back  of  the  tongue.     There  is  not  the  least 


Fig.  2. 
drenching  a  tig. 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL    TREATME^^T  5 

danger  of  the  bolus  going  the  wrong  way,  and  it  should  be 
remembered  that  the  gullet  is  so  large  in  the  dog  that  he  can 
swallow  larger  bodies  than  can  be  passed  through  the  small 
intestines  subsequently,  if  they  happen  to  be  insoluble. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  medicines  do  not  act  with 
the  same  power  on  any  animal  if  given  on  a  full  stomach. 
According  to  the  circumstances,  then,  either  increase  the  dose 
a  little,  or  order  it  not  to  be  given  immediately  after  a  meal. 

Temperature. — The  modem  school  of  veterinarians 
have  a  great  advantage  over  the  old  farriers  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  clinical  thermometer,  whose  readings  in  conjunction 
with  other  symptoms  afford  the  most  valuable  diagnostic  aid. 
When  a  practitioner  had  to  judge  a  patient's  temperature  by 
putting  his  hand  in  the  mouth,  he  had  need  have  a  well-trained 
hand  indeed  if  after  a  long  cold  drive  or  upon  a  hot  summer 
day  he  could  detect  an  alteration  of  two  or  three  degrees^not 
much  to  feel  with  the  hand,  but  making  all  the  difference  to 
the  patient's  prospects.  Thermometers  are  now  so  cheap  and 
familiar  that  we  need  not  describe  them. 

It  was  stated  in  former  editions  of  this  work  that  the 
temperature  was  not  increased  by  a  gallop,  only  the  extremi- 
ties and  surface  indicating  a  higher  temperature  by  reason  of 
the  greater  and  more  rapid  distribution  of  the  blood.  The 
inference,  for  such  it  was,  was  drawn  from  experiments  on 
horses  galloped  for  wind-testing  purposes  in  a  short  straw 
ride  at  the  Royal  Veterinary  College,  where  the  description 
accurately  applied  when  the  thermometer  was  employed ;  but 
since  that  time  Professor  Hobday,  Mr.  Willis,  and  other 
eminent  veterinary  surgeons  have  taken  the  temperature  of 
large  studs  of  omnibus-horses  immediately  after  severe  exer- 
tion, and  found  a  considerable  proportion  with  an  elevation  of 
several  degrees,  without  any  departure  from  health.  Such 
high  temperatures  would  prove  deceptive  were  it  not  added 
that  they  quickly  fall  as  the  horse  literally  cools  down. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  temperature,  the  thermometer 
is  usually  inserted  into  the  anus  of  the  male  or  vaijin^  of  the 


6  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

female  animal,  as  the  mouth  is  obviously  the  least  safe  place  for 
a  glass  instrument,  and  motives  of  delicacy  do  not  preclude  the 
veterinarian  from  using  the  thermometer  in  the  way  described 
except  when  some  unusually  obtuse  lady  cannot  be  induced  to 
lose  sight  of  her  lap-dog  when  such  happens  to  be  the  patient 
under  examination. 

In  ruminants  the  temperature  varies  in  health,  seldom  falling 
below  ioo°  F.,  and  more  often  ranging  up  to  ioi°  F.  Milking 
cows  average  about  102°  F.,  and  may  be  often  observed  to  be 
103°  F.  without  any  apparent  departure  from  health.  These 
figures  are  approximately  correct,  and  are  taken  from  a  daily 
reading  of  thirty-five  cows  and  fifty  steers,  heifers,  and 
calves. 

An  increase  of  one  or  two  degrees  may  or  may  not  indicate 
a  serious  disease  :  104°  F.  or  105°  F.  with  a  cough  should  put  the 
veterinarian  on  his  guard,  and  no  harm  can  be  done  by  isolating 
such  a  case  until  it  has  been  decided  whether  or  not  the  eleva- 
tion of  temperature  is  merely  gastric  derangement  or  indicative 
of  specific  diseases,  such  as  pleuro-pneumonia  or  anthrax. 

The  Pulse  of  a  horse  is  usually  taken  at  the  angle  of  the 
lower  jaw,  as  there  the  submaxillary  artery  passes  close  to  the 
bone  and  is  easily  compressed  with  the  finger,  giving  one  a 
sense  of  its  volume  and  character  as  well  as  number.  In  a 
heavy  horse  the  pulse  should  beat  about  thirty  times  per 
minute,  and  in  a  blood  horse  forty  or  even  more.  Pregnant 
mares  have  a  quicker  pulse,  and  of  course  exercise  alters  it 
according  to  the  pace  and  conditions.  In  the  above  statement 
we  are  supposing  a  healthy  horse  standing  still  in  the  stable 
and  free  from  either  excitement  or  fear.  Some  horses  are  so 
nervous  that  the  pulse  is  accelerated  the  moment  a  stranger 
walks  up  to  them,  and  the  examiner  will  be  deceived  unless  he 
wait  a  minute  or  two  till  the  creature's  alarm  has  abated. 
Character  is  more  than  mere  number,  and  nothing  but  experi- 
ence can  teach  the  importance  to  be  attached  to  a  full,  round, 
a  hard,  a  soft,  a  wiry,  or  an  intermittent  pulse.  It  may  be 
stated  broadly  that  a  quick  pulse  indicates  fever,  and  an  abnor- 


MEDICAL   AND  SURGICAL    TREATMENT  7 

mally  slow  one  suspended  power,  as  in  staggers  (sleepy),  or 
indicative  of  debility  if  it  is  weak  as  well  as  slow.  Pulse  and 
temperature  and  respiration  need  be  considered  together  to  be 
any  accurate  guide. 

The  pulse  of  the  ox  is  felt  at  the  radial  artery  under  the 
fore-arm,  at  the  back  of  the  fetlock,  or  at  the  caudal  arteries 
under  the  tail,  at  that  portion  where  it  is  hairless.  The  last 
named  is  the  most  convenient,  unless  the  animal  happens  to 
be  vicious. 

In  dogs  and  cats  it  can  be  readily  felt  inside  the  thigh 
(the  femoral  artery),  or  taken  at  the  heart,  but  they  are  such 
excitable  creatures  that  too  much  reliance  must  not  be  placed 
on  the  pulse. 

The  following  table  indicates  the  normal  pulse,  tempera- 
ture, and  respirations  of  the  various  animals  : — 


Animal 

Pulse 

Temperature 

Respiration 

Horse       .... 

35-45 

IOO-2°  F. 

8-12 

Cattle       .... 

40-60 

102°  F. 

12-16 

Sheep       .... 

60-80 

103°  F. 

20-30 

rig 

55-75 

102°  F. 

20-30 

Dog          .... 

70-90 

ioi-5=F. 

15-25 

Setons  and  Rowels  are  old-fashioned  remedies  for 
producing  counter-irritation,  and  are  still  largely  used  in  some 
districts  in  the  belief  that  quarter-ill,  or  blackleg,  is  thereby 
prevented. 

A  seton  is  a  piece  of  tape,  or  string,  or  horsehair  woven 
into  a  cord  and  passed  through  the  skin  by  means  of  a  large 
seton-needle,  purposely  designed  to  carry  stout  material,  and 
having  a  very  sharp  point,  so  that  one  effort  will  make  it  go 
through  the  skin  and  avoid  unnecessary  pain.  It  is  then 
dressed  with  some  irritating  material,  as  turpentine  or  liniment 


8  VETERLVARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

of  ammonia,  and  knotted  or  tied  to  prevent  its  coming  out. 
Large  knots  are  preferable  to  a  loop,  as  animals  sometimes 
hang  up  in  a  tied  seton.  The  dewlap  is  the  part  chosen  for 
setons  as  a  preventive  for  anthrax,  but  the  idea  is  pretty  well 
exploded  and  is  fast  falling  into  disuse. 

Rowels  are  circular  discs  of  leather  introduced  under  the 
skin  and  productive  of  suppuration,  as  is  the  case  with  setons  ; 
they  should  be  moved  daily  to  keep  up  the  issue.  In  some  old 
pharmacies  are  to  be  found  '  issue  peas  ' :  these  implements  of 
torture  used  to  be  inserted  in  the  necks  of  epileptic  persons. 
The  idea  is  the  same  whether  for  man  or  animals,  namely,  to 
set  up  an  artificial  irritation  near  the  seat  of  disease  or  to  give 
an  issue  to  the  ill  humours  with  which  men  and  animals  were 
commonly  supposed  to  be  possessed  in  the  days  when  spring 
and  autumn  bleedings  and  purgings  were  consented  to  by 
rational  beings  and  endured  by  animals  who  had  no  choice. 

Bleeding  is  an  operation  occasionally  recommended  in 
these  pages,  and  although  it  is  a  practice  which  has  fallen,  to  a 
great  extent,  into  desuetude,  there  are  urgent  occasions  for  it ; 
the  too  free  use  of  the  fleam  and  the  blood-stick  last  century 
has  produced  a  revulsion,  and  it  may  be  that  the  benefit  of 
l)lecding  is  sometimes  forgotten  now  among  a  generation  who, 
perhaps,  never  used  a  fleam. 

Bleeding  may  be  general  or  local. 

'\\'hen  it  is  desired  to  abstract  a  considerable  quantity  of 
blood,  as  in  brain  inflammation  or  congestion  of  the  lungs,  the 
jugular  veins  are  those  selected  for  the  purpose,  as  these  have 
the  advantage  of  being  large  and  near  the  surface,  necessitating 
only  a  small  amount  of  local  injury.  Expert  veterinary  sur- 
geons arrest  the  downward  course  of  the  blood  in  the  vein  by 
pressing  the  thumb  or  two  fingers  in  the  channel  of  the  neck 
until  the  vein  above  the  seat  of  pressure  fills  up,  and  feels  hard 
and  distended  with  blood,  and  then  with  a  lancet  in  the  other 
hand  f]uickly  inmcturc  the  vessel,  which  immediately  pours  out 
a  continuous  stream  of  dark-coloured  (venous)  blood  so  long 
as  the  pressure  below  is  continued,     It  cannot  be  expected  of 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL    TREATMENT  9 

those  who  are  not  frequently  called  upon  to  bleed  that  they 
should  do  it  in  this  manner,  and  a  safer  plan  for  them  is  to 
draw  a  cord  tight  round  the  neck,  rather  more  than  half-way 
down,  and  loop  it  so  that  it  will  press  the  channel  of  the  neck, 
and  not  come  undone.  A  wine  cork  under  the  cord  is  found  to 
facilitate  matters  very  often.  A  little  time  should  be  allowed  for 
the  vein  to  fill  up,  and  no  attempt  should  be  made  until  it  looks 
like  a  rope  under  the  skin  ;  it  may  then  be  opened  by  a  lancet  or 
struck  with  a  fleam  and  blood-stick.  The  lancet  has  now  almost 
entirely  superseded  the  fleam  ;  the  latter  was  thought  by  some 
practitioners  to  be  safer  because  it  could  only  be  made  to  go  in  a 
certain  depth  ;  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  very  much  more 
danger  from  the  blow  wath  the  stick  than  there  is  from  going 
too  deep  with  a  lancet.  Getting  into  the  vein  at  all  is  the  chief 
difficulty  besetting  amateurs,  and  the  danger  of  wounding  the 
carotid  artery  is  more  imaginary  than  real.  So  long  as  the 
bleeding  is  to  continue,  the  pressure  below  the  orifice  must  be 
maintained.  A  measure  of  some  sort  should  be  used  to 
catch  the  blood,  as  a  very  little  blood  on  a  floor  makes  a  great 
show,  and  one  may  be  easily  deceived  as  to  the  quantity 
abstracted. 

When  sufficient  blood  has  been  taken,  the  pressure  of  cord  or 
fingers  is  removed,  and  very  little  difficulty  remains  in  arresting  it. 
The  common  and  not  very  objectionable  method  is  to  take  the 
lips  of  the  wound  between  the  forefinger  and  thumb  of  the  left 
hand  and  run  a  pin  through  both  lips  ;  from  above  downwards 
affords  the  greatest  advantage  to  the  operator,  and  the  skins  of 
some  horses  and  cattle  being  very  thick  a  good  deal  of  finger 
force  is  necessary.  The  pin  is  then  secured  by  winding  a  piece  of 
tow  round  the  ends  like  a  figure  of  eight ;  or  if  tow,  thread,  or  the 
ravelled  end  of  a  sack  or  rope  cannot  be  found,  then  a  few  hairs 
from  the  horse's  tail  or  mane  will  answer  the  purpose.  Tow  we 
consider  the  most  suitable,  and  advise  a  little  ol.  carbol.  (i  in 
20  or  30)  to  be  applied  at  the  same  time.  The  pin  should  be 
allowed  to  remain  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  horse — if  it  be  a 
horse— tied  up  so  that  he  cannot  rub  it.  Bullocks  do  not,  as  a 
rule,  try  to  interfere  with  the  pin.     To  remove  it,  the  head  end 


10  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

has  only  to  be  pulled  steadily,  leaving  the  tow  adhering  by  a 
clot  generally,  which  is  best  let  alone. 

Inflammation  of  the  vein  seldom  follows,  and  when  it  does 
the  best  plan  is  to  blister  it  down  its  course,  as,  failing  to  do  its 
work  immediately,  it  is  generally  lost  and  becomes  a  fibrous- 
looking  cord.  Theoretically  this  seems  a  great  objection  to  an 
animal,  and  writers  have  averred  that  horses  so  affected  are 
liable  to  brain  troubles  if  turned  out  to  grass,  &c.  Practically 
there  is  not  much  to  fear  from  a  lost  vein,  or  even  a  lost  artery, 
as  collateral  circulation  is  quickly  established. 

Bleeding  from  the  jugular  vein  is  usually  practised  on  horses 
and  cattle  only,  but  there  are  kennelmen  who  bleed  hounds 
in  this  manner,  and  with  a  boldness  calculated  to  make  an 
anatomist  shudder. 

Sheep  are  sometimes  bled,  but  they  are  very  bad  subjects 
for  blood-letting,  and  the  custom  of  slitting  an  ear,  the  palate, 
or  the  eye-vein  is  perhaps  better  than  attempting  any  larger 
vessels  which  might  cause  death. 

Pigs  are  awkward  subjects  to  bleed,  and  the  ear  is  generally 
the  part  selected,  the  method  the  same  as  in  the  sheep. 

Dogs  may  be  bled  from  the  jugulars,  as  previously  men- 
tioned, but  it  is  very  rarely  necessary  to  bleed  them  at  all. 
The  ear  should  on  no  account  be  cut,  as  it  is  often  most 
troublesome  to  heal,  and  the  animal  strikes  it  with  his  leg,  and 
continually  shakes  his  head. 

Local  bleeding  is  adopted  to  relieve  particular  parts,  as  at 
the  toe,  to  relieve  laminitis  in  the  horse  ;  an  operation  now  but 
rarely  performed,  as  it  is  found  that  aloes  and  its  preparations 
given  internally  do  much  more  to  reduce  the  congestion  of  the 
foot  than  blood-letting.  More  benefit  is  derived  by  poulticing 
and  wet  swabs  in  the  case  of  inflamed  feet  :  the  expansion 
giving  more  room  for  the  congested  tissues  to  swell  than  the 
temporary  extraction  of  blood,  which  is  followed  by  increased 
inflammatory  action  at  the  seat  of  puncture.  Bleeding  from  the 
saphcna  vein  is  occasionallyadoptcd  in  cases  of  swollen  hind  legs; 
the  vein  crosses  the  hock  from  behind  forwards,  and  the  part 
selected  to  bleed  from  is  on  the  inside  of  the  lower  portion  of 


MEDICAL   AND   SURGICAL    TREATMENT  ii 

the  thigh,  where  the  vein  passes  along  the  surface  of  the  bone 
(tibia);  the  method  is  the  same  as  for  bleeding  from  the 
jugulars. 

The  eye-vein,  which  is  seen  standing  out  prominently  on 
the  side  of  the  face,  is  occasionally  opened  with  a  view  to 
relieve  inflammation  of  the  eye. 

The  palate  of  the  horse,  behind  the  incisor  teeth,  is  the 
part  selected  for  bleeding  by  stablemen,  and  in  the  case  of  a 
horse  attacked  with  megrims  on  the  road  it  is  a  good  '  tip ' ;  with 
no  better  instrument  than  a  pocket-knife  a  cut  may  be  made, 
and  a  few  ounces  of  blood  let  out  will  more  quickly  restore  the 
animal  than  anything  else.  Care  should  be  taken,  however, 
that  the  cut  be  not  made  beyond  the  corner  incisors,  as  the 
palatine  artery  is  apt  to  be  injured,  and  bleeding  from  this  is 
sometimes  difficult  to  arrest. 

Anaesthetics  for  Animals. — There  is  an  increasing 
disposition  on  the  part  of  owners  of  animals  to  have  them 
ancesthetised  as  a  preliminarj'  to  all  serious  operations. 

For  horses  and  cattle  pure  chloroform  is  to  be  preferred, 
and  is  practically  free  from  danger.  Dogs  and  cats  are  bad 
subjects  for  total  anaesthesia,  and  the  A. E.G.  mixture  (alcohol 
I  vol.,  ether  3  vols.,  and  chloroform  2  vols.),  so  much 
used  in  human  practice,  is  by  some  chosen  in  preference  to 
ether  alone,  which  for  dogs  is  safest,  but  in  the  case  of  cats  too 
exciting.  For  the  latter  a  mixture  of  3  parts  of  chloroform 
and  I  of  ether  has  been  found  to  answer  best. 

Horses  are  commonly  cast  with  hobbles  and  ropes  (see  fig.  3) 
before  administering  chloroform,  as  they  fall  quite  as  awkwardly 
and  with  as  much  risk  to  the  spine  if  compelled  to  inspire  chlo- 
roform from  a  muzzle  while  standing.  There  are  a  variety  of 
patent  muzzles  for  the  purpose,  but  nothing  more  is  needed 
than  a  sponge  saturated  first,  and  then  the  superfluous  chloro- 
form squeezed  out,  and  introduced  into  one  nostril,  pre- 
viously anointed  with  vaseline  or  lard.  By  depressing  the 
wing  of  the  opposite  nostril  during  inspiration,  the  animal  is 
compelled  to  inspire  through  the  sponge,  while  the  breath  can 


12  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

be  allowed  to  expire  through  the  unoccupied  nostril  by  releas- 
ing the  fingers  which  held  it  during  inspiration.  The  degree  of 
anaesthesia  produced  is  measured  by  the  insensibility  of  the  eye 
to  external  influences,  and  by  the  shallowness  of  the  respira- 
tion as  shown  by  the  flanks.  The  pulse  can  be  disregarded  as 
affording  no  indication  of  the  animal's  rallying  power,  but  the 
anaesthetic  should  be  temporarily  suspended  if  the  movements 
of  the  flank  appear  to  be  at  a  standstill.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
it  is  found  to  be  very  difficult  indeed  to  kill  a  horse  with  chloro- 


Fl'J.  3.  — HORSE  FITTED  V.-ITH  HOBBLES  (MADE  BY  MR.  HUISH,  8    FISIIliR 
STREET,  W.C.)    READY   TO   BE   C.'VST   FOR   AN.tSTHETISIxNG. 

form  when  some  merciful  client  wishes  an  old  pet  so  dis- 
posed of. 

A  cardboard  cone  containing  a  sponge,  upon  which  the 
chosen  anaesthetic  has  been  poured,  answers  for  dogs — presum- 
ing, of  course,  that  the  mouth  has  been  already  secured  by  a 
broad  ribbon  or  soft  cord  to  prevent  biting,  and  that  a  capable 
assistant  is  available  to  forcibly  control  the  patient  until  insen- 
sibility is  ensured. 

The  quantity  of  chloroform  required  to   produce  anoes- 


MEDICAL  AXD  SURGICAL    TREATMENT  13 

thesia  is  so  variable  in  different  individuals  that  no  purpose  is 
served  by  naming  any  particular  measure  as  likely  to  produce 
the  desired  effect  ;  better  is  it  to  be  provided  with  a  surplus, 
and  to  observe  the  rules  laid  down  as  to  failing  respiration 
above  indicated. 

Professor  Hobday  has  invented  an  apparatus  for  small  ani- 
mals which  reduces  risk  to  a  minimum.  It  is  on  the  principle 
of  drop-by-drop  administration  in  conjunction  with  atmo- 
spheric air. 

killing  Dogs  and  Cats. — There  are  few  chemists  who 
are  not  called  upon  at  some  time  or  other  to  make  an  end  of 
dogs  and  cats  which  have  grown  old  and  morose,  dirty  or  dan- 
gerous, or  in  other  ways  offended  against  the  unwritten  code  of 
laws  which  governs  the  conduct  of  domestic  pets.  If  we  recog- 
nise as  part  of  our  legitimate  business  the  putting-out  of  exis- 
tence of  animals  of  the  class  above  referred  to,  the  aim  should 
be  to  do  It  in  a  manner  at  once  merciful,  rapid,  and  safe  to  the 
operator. 

The  following  practical  hints  are  offered  for  the  benefit  of 
those  chemists  who  do  not  consider  it  derogatory  to  undertake 
work  of  this  kind  :  Firstly,  in  the  case  of  dogs,  unless  in 
extremis  and  incapable  of  resistance,  it  should  be  a  stipulation 
that  a  collar  and  chain  be  attached  to  the  animal,  even  though 
brought  in  a  basket.  It  is  better  for  several  reasons  that  the 
owner  or  his  representative  should  not  be  present  at  the  death. 
A  muzzle  should  be  placed  on  the  dog  by  the  owner  either 
before  he  is  brought  to  the  shop  or  at  the  time  ;  it  is  not  fair 
or  reasonable  to  expect  a  perfect  stranger  to  do  this  on  the 
first  (and  last)  occasion  he  sees  the  dog.  The  chemist  should 
not  neglect  to  see  for  himself  that  the  collar  is  buckled  tightly 
enough,  so  that  the  dog  cannot  slip  it  in  a  moment  of  panic. 

A  cat  should  be  brought  to  the  place  of  execution  in  a 
basket  from  which  she  can  see,  though  she  may  not  be  seen. 
She  feels  safe  in  a  crowd  of  dogs,  so  long  as  she  is  behind  a 
wicker  wall,  and  it  is  always  panic  that  one  has  to  fear  in  cats. 
A  cat  should  not  be  rudely  dragged  forth,  but  allowed  a  little 


14  veTeriMary  coVnter  practice 

time  to  settle  down  after  her  journey.  Then  she  should  be 
addressed  from  the  outside  of  the  basket  in  tones  of  sympathy, 
when  she  will  usually  allow  herself  to  be  gently  lifted  out  by 
the  'scruff'  of  the  neck,  or  may  be  poisoned  in  the  basket  if 
soiling  the  latter  is  of  no  consequence. 

If  a  cat  is  brought  loose  or  has  to  be  put  into  a  basket,  box, 
cr  other  lethal  chamber,  it  should  be  remembered  that  pussy 
will  go  into  a  basket  quite  readily  if  put  in  hind- quarters  first, 
but  will  almost  surely  resist  if  asked  to  go  in  head  first. 

The  next  thing  is,  What  agent  should  be  used?  The  use 
of  hydrocyanic  acid  is  sanctioned  by  long  custom,  but  it  is  not 
a  merciful  poison.  Chloroform  is  better,  and  a  drachm  or  two 
of  chloroform  is  not  very  costly.  It  is  certainly  a  longer  if  not 
a  more  troublesome  process,  but  there  is  the  satisfaction  of 
having  killed  the  animal  without  pain. 

If  it  is  decided  to  use  hydrocyanic  acid,  the  syringe  is  most 
easily  inserted  in  the  rectum,  hardly  any  objection  being 
offered.  A  full  drachm  for  a  cat  or  small  dog  is  the  quantity, 
but  twice  as  much  is  required  for  a  large  animal.  If  it  is  pre- 
ferred to  administer  the  poison  by  the  mouth,  there  is  no  neces- 
sity for  forcing  the  mouth  open  ;  the  lips  either  of  dog  or  cat 
can  be  parted,  though  the  muzzle  is  retained  in  position,  and 
it  is  only  required  to  pour  or  squirt  the  fluid  into  the  cheek. 
The  animal  must  die  if  this  is  done,  and  the  end  will  come 
quite  as  soon  as  though  the  jaws  had  been  clumsily  prised 
open  and  the  acid  poured  into  the  mouth  (and  more  or  less 
spluttered  out). 

There  is  no  art  in  chloroforming  to  death  save  that  of 
getting  the  victim  into  a  close  chamber,  putting  in  the  chloro- 
form on  a  sponge  or  two,  and  shutting  the  animal  in.  The 
instinct  of  self-preservation  is  as  strong  in  domestic  pets  as  in 
wild  animals,  and,  suspicion  once  aroused,  they  will  often 
exercise  marvellous  cunning,  and  keep  the  nose  close  to  a  tiny 
crevice  without  an  attempt  at  a  struggle,  after  once  realising  the 
situation.  A  rug  or  towel  should  be  covered  over  the  box  or 
bag,  as  few  are  free  from  leakages,  and  the  end  will  sooner  be 
attained  and  with  less  expenditure  of  chloroform,  if  these  pre- 


MEDICAL  A  AW  SURGICAL    TREATMENT  15 

cautions  are  taken.  The  danger  lies  in  '  letting  the  cat  out  of 
the  bag  '  too  soon,  as  it  is  clitticult  to  get  an  animal  to  return 
to  the  lethal  chamber  after  a  iirst  experience. 

The  chloroform  death  is  the  most  humane  method,  and 
one  which  will  earn  the  chemist  respect,  whilst  entitling  him  to 
a  good  fee,  from  his  customer. 


l6  VETEkiNAkY  COUK'Tkk  PkACTJCS 


veterinarv  medicines 

{Xii:iierousfonnulce  are  given  in  the  subsequent  chapters  of  this  hook  in 
which  diseases  are  specially  treated.  In  this  section  are  introduced  the 
medicines  generally  suitable  for  a  chemist  and  druggist'' s  stock. '\ 

Physic-mass. — '  Physic,'  in  the  language  of  the  stable, 
belongs  only  to  balls,  whose  chief  constituent  is  aloes,  and  whose 
mission  is  to  purge.  The  collective  experience  of  the  best 
veterinar}'  surgeons  and  horseowners  goes  to  prove  that,  of  all 
the  varieties,  Barbadoes  aloes  is  the  best  for  horses,  more  certain 
in  effect,  less  nauseating,  not  disposed  to  gripe  or  leave  a  horse 
debilitated  and  without  appetite. 

It  is  a  matterof  common  knowledge  that  veterinary  surgeons 
charge  \s.  6d.  for  a  physic-ball  which  a  druggist  can  very  well 
supply  for  half  that  sum,  and  many  do  sell  them  at  the  rate  of 
\d.  per  drachm.  The  ball  supplied  by  the  vet.  is,  however, 
better  worth  the  additional  money,  because  he  adds  the  useful 
advice,  '  Prepare  the  horse  before  you  give  it ' ;  and  if  he  finds 
the  purchaser  does  not  know  the  meaning  of  the  words  he 
proceeds  to  explain  that  to  obtain  the  best  results  from  aloetic 
(physic)  balls  the  animal  should  be  kept  on  bran  mashes  for 
twelve  to  twenty  hours,  and  not  allowed  hay  or  any  other  dry 
food,  but  that  he  should  have  plenty  of  water  allowed  him, 
with  the  chill  taken  off  by  adding  a  little  hot  water  to  it, 
according  to  the  temperature  of  the  air  &c.,  walking  exercise 
being  also  enjoined  before  the  medicine  begins  to  purge  but 
desisted  from  immediately  tliQ  bowels  respond.  In  this  consists 
the  chief  reason  why 'veterinary  surgeons'  physic-balls  often 
give  better  satis(:\ction  than  druggists'. 

The  practice  of  giving  a  dose  of  physic  in  the  spring  and 
autumn  still  obtains   in    many  districts,  and,  we   think,  with 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  17 

decided  advantage  to  the  equine  population  of  those  parts, 
since  long  experience  shows  that  fewer  cases  of  impaction  and 
bowel  troubles  occur  where  such  an  occasional  purgative  is 
given  ;  this  particularly  applies  to  horses  habitually  fed  upon 
dry  corn  and  chaff,  hay  and  straw,  &c.,  and  it  requires  but  a 
moment's  reflection  to  convince  the  practical  horseman  that  an 
animal  intended  by  Nature  to  live  on  grass  should  sometimes 
require  artificial  assistance  when  habitually  subjected  to  artificial 
conditions  of  life  and  diet. 

Physic  balls  made  with  soft  soap  are  apt  to  become  very 
hard,  and  it  is  open  to  doubt  if  the  efificacy  of  aloes  is  not 
impaired  by  it  after  a  while.  Professor  Tuson's  formula  for  a 
mass  will  be  found  most  convenient,  though  we  have  not  met 
with  any  formula  entirely  free  from  objection. 

Professor  Tuson's  Formula. 

Aloes  Barb.  ,  ,  .  ,  ,  Jviij, 

Glycerini    .,,,,,  gij. 

Pulv.  Zinglb.       ,  .  .  ,  •  SJ- 

01.  Rapii 3j. 

[5'j-  of  glycerin  and  5VJ.  of  oil  we  have  found  a  better  excipient  for 
keeping.] 

Melt  together  in  a  water-bath  and  thoroughly  incorporate 
by  stirring. 

To  make  physic  mass  on  the  large  scale  the  aloes  is  melted 
in  a  steam-heated  pan,  or,  if  this  is  not  available,  in  a  water- 
bath.  "When  melted,  if  poured  on  a  slab  and  worked  up  with 
the  glycerin  and  ginger,  a  smaller  proportion  of  glycerin  than 
that  indicated,  i  in  6  or  8,  will  suffice,  and  a  mass  will  be 
produced  which  will  keep  plastic  for  any  length  of  time,  and 
which  is  always  readily  soluble.  'Masses  or  balls  which  get 
hard  from  age  or  other  causes  are  always  erratic  in  action,  and 
sometimes  cause  irritation  to  the  stomach. 

The  following  formula  for  a  mass  which  is  plastic,  ductile, 


1.8  VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

and  soluble,  was  published  some  years  ago  by  Messrs.  EUiman 
&  Co.,  the  makers  of  the  well-known  embrocation  : — 

Best  Barbadoes  Aloes       .         .         .  lo    lbs. 

Glycerin           .....  i     lb. 

Castor  Oil        .          .          .          .          .  I      d 

Powdered  unbleached  Ginger  .         .  ^  ,, 

Dissolve  the  aloes  in  the  glycerin  by  means  of  a  water- 
bath,  then  add  the  castor  oil,  and  lastly  stir  in  the  ginger, 
previously  sifted  through  a  coarse  sieve.  Balls  made  from  this 
mass  will  not  retain  their  shape,  but  may  be  wrapped  in  waxed 
paper  and  put  up  in  cardboard  boxes  similar  to  those  used  for 
marking-ink. 

The  dose  of  aloes  for  an  ordinary  carriage-horse  is  5  v.  or 
5vj  ,  and  for  a  heavy  cart-horse  5vj.  or  5vij.  in  the  southern 
part  of  Britain,  but  in  Scotland  a  full  drachm  or  drachm  and  a 
half  more  is  not  found  too  much.  For  every  drachm  of  aloes 
take  one  drachm  and  a  quarter  of  the  above  mass. 

The  combination  of  ginger  with  the  aloetic  mass,  as  in  the 
above  formula,  is  very  usual,  but  this  addition  is  of  but  little 
importance.  The  addition  of  gentian  increases  the  action  of 
aloes,  as  does  a  previous  course  of  iron.  Aloin  is  sometimes 
given  to  high-bred  and  delicate  horses  in  the  proportion  of 
about  one-quarter  to  one-half  of  one  dose  of  aloes. 

A  very  clean  and  efficacious  mass  is  made  by  adding  car- 
bonate of  potash.  Care,  however,  must  be  taken  to  stir  the 
ingredients  frequently  when  melting,  as  a  certain  amount  of 
effervescence  takes  place  and  a  quantity  may  be  lost. 

Aloes iS    oz. 

Pulv.  Zingib 2     ,, 

01.  Lini i.^  ,, 

Potass.  Carb.     .         .         .         .         .  2     ,, 

Aqute 2o  ,, 

Melt  together  in  a  water-bath.  Calculate  the  dose  as  re- 
quired.    Aloes  forms  two-thirds  of  the  mass. 

About  eighteen  hours  is  the  time  a  physic  ball  takes  to 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  19 

net,  and  exercise  should  be  enjoined,  but  not  to  continue 
moving  the  animal  when  purging  has  commenced  ;  nor  should 
he  be  put  to  work  until  the  'physic  is  set'  or  the  dung  normal 
in  consistence,  and  a  feed  or  two  of  corn  has  been  consumed. 

Condition  Balls. — 'Condition' is  a  term  used  variously, 
but  with  horsemen  it  means  one  of  two  things — either  '  hard ' 
condition  or  '  show '  condition  ;  and  the  individual  who  would 
gain  a  name  for  condition  powders  should  clearly  understand 
which  condition  it  is  he  proposes  to  assist  in  bringing  about. 

The  condition  of  the  hunter,  or  even  of  the  fast  hack  or 
harness  horse,  is  '  hard ' — that  is  to  say,  the  muscles  are  in  the 
condition  of  a  prize-fighter,  who  '  trains '  off  his  fat  and  develops 
his  fibres  to  the  greatest  degree  of  strength  for  muscular  exertion 
and  heart  and  lung  power  ;  the  condition  of  which  latter  organs 
more  often  decides  a  race  or  a  fight  than  the  muscles  of  the 
limbs,  as  it  is  upon  the  respiration  and  circulation  that  en- 
durance depends. 

To  condition  a  horse  for  racing,  hunting,  or  trotting,  first 
give  him  a  dose  of  aloes  or  physic  proportionate  to  his  size  and 
breeding  ;  for  a  medium-sized  animal  of  about  fifteen  hands 
the  average  dose  of  aloes  is  5  or  6  drachms,  and  rather  more  or 
less  according  to  size  ;  say,  4  drachms  to  a  pony  and  8  to  a 
cart-horse  ;  the  physic  to  be  followed  by  balls  or  powders  ac- 
cording to  breed.  Of  actual  traiiiing  we  do  not  propose  to 
speak  here,  but  merely  to  indicate  the  most  suitable  medica- 
ments. For  'hard'  condition,  then,  we  would  say,  give  those 
remedies  which  will  aid  assimilation  of  food,  help  the  skin  to 
act  and  cast  the  old  coat,  enabling  the  superficial  nerves  to 
receive  that  stimulus  from  the  fresh  air  that  a  horse  in  his 
natural  grease  can  never  know,  and,  to  use  the  words  of 
Professor  Simonds,  '  call  upon  those  emunctories  the  kidneys.' 
The  use  of  diuretics  is  very  common,  and  too  frequently 
abused  ;  but  no  condition  powder  or  ball  will  do  its  work 
thoroughly  unless  it  assists  the  kidneys  to  get  rid  of  the  vast 
amount  of  effete  material  which  is  the  necessary  result  of 
so  much  waste  of  muscle  and  other  tissues  in  large  animals. 

c  2 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


The  following  is  a  formula  for  a  ball  which  closely  resembles 
one  of  much  renown  : — 

Hyd.  Subchlor. 

Pulv.  Aloes  Socot. 

Potass.  Nit. 


Pulv,  Ipecac.     . 
Sapon.  Duri 

M.  fr.  bolus. 


Bis  hebdomada 


gr.  XV. 

5SS. 

5J. 
5j' 


The  administration  of  these  balls  should  not  be  continued 
for  more  than  a  month,  as  the  horse  is  very  susceptible  to  liver 
stimulants.  He  will  often  vastly  benefit  by  the  above,  but  if 
the  treatment  be  too  long  continued  he  will  go  down  again  and 
lose  his  bloom.  The  following  is  also  a  good  ball  with  a  very 
wide  sale,  and  may  be  given  to  a  '  bad  thriver,'  or  horse  that 
habitually  requires  assistance  to  prevent  him  having  blotches 
and  swellings,  and  also  in  cases  of  loss  of  appetite  ; — 
Sulph.  Sub. 


Potass.  Nit. 

Antim.  Oxysulph. 

Pulv.  Foenugrtec. 

Lini  Cont. 

Theriacse,  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Omni  alt.  nocte  sumend. 


5J- 
5J. 

5J- 


Shov/  Condition. — To  bring  about  the  best  results 
artificial  feeding  and  the  use  of  various  cordials  are  resorted 
to.  Everyone  admires,  while  condemning,  the  cart-horse 
parade  and  the  fat  ponies  that  are  shown  for  prizes,  and  as  long 
as  the  public  will  give  premiums  for  horses  unnaturally  fat 
there  will  be  a  demand  for  those  agents  which  help  the  pro- 
cess. They  are  :  Cordials,  stimulants,  carminatives,  digestives, 
diuretics,  and  diaphoretics  ;  but  if  there  is  sufficient  time,  it 
is  always  best  to  begin,  as  before,  with  a  dose  of  '  physic ' 
proportionate  to  the  size  of  the  animal.  This  is  followed  by  a 
course  of  doctoring  which  is  by  no  means  to  be  invariably 
recommended.  Tlic  basis  of  nearly  all  the  advertised  horse 
and  cattle  spices  is  salt,  lentil-flour,  and  fenugreek  [several 
recipes  will  be  found  on  page  312].     But  the  effect  of  these 


VETERINARY  MEDtClXES 


21 


Condiments  is  greatly  augmented  by  such  agents  as  sulphur, 
antimony,  nitre,  &c.,  which  enable  the  skin  and  kidneys 
to  get  rid  of  superfluous  material  that  is  liable  to  cause 
eruptions  or  blotches  just  as  the  show-week  is  approach- 
ing. There  is  another  agent  that  makes  the  coat  shine  with 
less  trouble  than  elbow-grease  and  antimony,  and  that  is  acid, 
sulph.  daily  in  the  drinking-water.  This  is  the  remedy  which 
cunning  carters  use,  who  would  rather  buy  a  penn'orth  of  oil 
of  vitriol  than  give  a  fair  amount  of  strapping  to  their  team. 
For  balls  to  help  show  condition  the  following  cannot  well  be 
beaten : — 


Antim.  Oxysulph. 
Gran.  Parad.    . 

5J- 
5J- 

Pulv.  Zingib 

5J- 

Flor.  Sulph 

5ij- 

Potass.  Nit. 

5J- 

Carbo.  Animal. 

5J- 

Glycerini  vel  thenac?e  q.s.  ut  ft. 

bolus 

Bis  hebdomada. 

The  following  is  also  a  good  condit 

ion 

-ball  .— 

Pulv.  Resins  .... 

5JJ- 

Sapon.  Duri    .         .         .         . 

Pulv.  Foenugraec. 

Pulv.  Anisi     .         .         .         . 

5J- 
.nj- 

5J- 

Pulv.  Gentianse 

5J- 

Antim.  Tart 

bij. 

Pulv.  Carui      .... 

5J- 

Excipient.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Omni  nocte. 

If  there  is  an  objection  to  antimony,  give  the  following  : — 
Potass.  Bicarb.        %         ,         .         .     5ij. 
Sodii  Chlor.    .....     5ij. 


Pulv.  Zingib.  . 
Flor.  Sulph.  . 
Excipient.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Omni  node. 


5U- 
5iJ. 


It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  sodii  chloridum 
should  be  moderately  dry,  and  the  least  amount  of  excipient 
used,  or  the  balls  will  absorb  moisture  and  fall. 


22  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Condition  Powders. — When  the  attendant  is  capable 
of  giving  balls  they  are  always  to  be  preferred  to  powders, 
because  alterative  doses  of  aloes  and  other  nauseants  can  be 
given  which  the  horse  will  not  eat  in  a  mash  or  with  corn. 
With  a  ball  the  horse  is  sure  to  get  the  right  dose  or  none,  as 
he  either  swallows  it  or  not ;  but  in  powders  some  part  falls  to 
the  bottom  of  the  manger  and  is  not  eaten,  or  a  double  dose 
may  be  licked  up  with  a  more  than  usually  wet  mash,  and  a 
measure  is  not  likely  to  be  used,  the  attendant's  fist  being 
substituted  for  it.  But  there  will  always  be  more  buyers  of 
powders  than  balls,  and  to  suit  them  the  chief  ingredients  of 
the  recipes  given  above  may  be  combined,  omitting  the  im- 
portant agent  aloes,  and  without  the  soap,  though  some  horses 
will  eat  aloes  if  properly  powdered  and  flavoured  with  salt  &c. ; 
but  then  some  horses  will  eat  dung  and  leather,  and  we  must 
here  prescribe  for  the  average  horse,  who  is  very  easily  put  off 
his  feed  by  the  smell  of  drugs,  and  will  show  his  sense  of 
nausea  by  '  turning  up  his  nose '  in  the  literal  and  not  the 
metaphorical  sense  in  which  the  term  is  often  used,  and  from 
which  action  it  is  doubtless  derived.  The  following  is  the  next 
best  thinu  to  the  ball  first  mentioned : — 


Hyd.  Subchlor.       . 

gr.  XV 

Potass.  Nit 

5i'J- 

Pulv.  Ipecacuanhcc 

5J- 

Pulv.  Gentianre 

•     5J- 

Pulv.  Anisi     .... 

5J- 

Pulv.  Gran.  Parad. 

5J- 

Bis  hebdomada. 

This  may,  of  course,  be  coloured  with  bol.  armen.  or  cur- 
cuma, or  other  innocuous  material. 

The  second  ball,  in  powder  form,  is  very  palatable,  on 
account  of  the  fenugreek.  If,  however,  a  horse  refuses  it,  add 
to  each  dose 

Sodii  Chlorid I). 

Pulv.  Anisi     .         .         .         .         •     5J-     ^^• 

None  of  these  agents  are  expensive,  but  for  those  who  want 
a  still  cheaper  horse-powder  to  sell,  in  tins  of  \  lb.,  \  lb.,  and 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  23 

1  lb.,  there  is  nothing  better  than  the  old-fashioned  mixture  of 
equal  parts  of  pot.  nit.,  flor.  sulph.,  and  antim.  nig.  Half  ounce 
doses  of  mag.  sulph.,  sufficiently  dried,  powdered,  and  mixed 
with  salt,  flavoured  with  a  drop  or  two  of  ol.  anisi  or  ol.  carui, 
make  a  good  powder  for  giving  bulk  to  the  above,  and  are  a 
good  thing  for  swellings,  as  we  shall  presently  show  in  dealing 
with  alteratives,  &c.  For  a  more  tonic  powder  mix  ferri  sulph. 
2,  pulv.  gentian.  2,  and  pot.  nit.  i,  and  give  \  oz.  for  a  dose. 

Alteratives. — Alterative  medicines  are  in  constant  de- 
mand, especially  in  the  spring  and  early  autumn,  when  the 
shedding  of  the  coat  produces  a  certain  amount  of  debility  or 
lassitude,  or  when  from  previous  clipping  or  exposure  the  skin 
does  not  act  freely.  Indigestion  or  surfeit,  causing  eruptions, 
urticaria,  or  water-bumps,  and  a  variety  of  skin  affections  too 
numerous  to  mention,  are  treated  with  alteratives,  and  more  fre- 
quently than  not  with  success,  unless  the  irritation  of  the  skin 
arises  from  parasites,  such  as  mange,  of  v.-hich  we  treat  later  on. 

The  following  balls  and  powders  are  intended  as  alteratives 
rather  than  diuretics,  though  a  combination  is  frequently  and 
advantageously  made.  When  a  horse  is  '  out  of  sorts,'  or  does 
not  feed  well,  or  passes  his  dung  with  difficulty,  or  the  dung  is  a 
bad  colour,  and  from  these  symptoms  and  his  general  behaviour 
he  appears  to  be  out  of  health,  but  not  sufficiently  bad  to  send 
for  a  veterinary  surgeon,  he  may  be  given  a  few  of  these  balls 
or  powders  without  having  to  knock  off  work — a  most  important 
consideration. 

.     3ij.  ad  5j. 
•     5U- 


Aloes  Barb.     . 

Pulv.  Zingib.  . 

Ext.  Tarax.     . 

Pulv.  Calamb. 

Sodje  Carb.  Exsic.  . 

Wag.  Sulph.  Exsic. 

Theriacse,  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Capt.  j.  onini  nocte. 


5J- 

'dj- 
5J- 


This  may  be  given  as  a  powder  by  omitting  the  aloes  and 
tarax.,  and  substituting  pulv.  foenug.  or  sodii  chlor. 

Another  good  alterative  where  the  lymphatics  are  concerned. 


24 


VETERrNARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


corded  veins  or  swollen  glands  (as  distinguished  from  ordinary 
swollen  legs),  or  where  farcy  is  suspected,  is  the  following  : — 

Cupri  Sulph.   .         .         .         .         •     SJ- 

Antim.  Tart.   .....     5s?. 

Pulv.  Helleb.  All:. gr.  x. 

Potass.  Nit 5ij. 

Lini  Cont.       .....     5iv. 

Excipient.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Omni  nocte. 

This  can  be  given  as  a  powder  with  damped  food,  as  very 
few  horses  object  to  eat  cupri  sulph.,  especially  if  a  little  fcenug., 
or  anisi,  or  pulv.  carui  is  added. 

Diuretics  are  so  well  known  that  they  require  very  little 
comment.  They  should  not  be  too  frequently  resorted  to,  though 
they  are  of  great  benefit  when  judiciously  administered.  They 
excite  absorption  of  fluid  in  the  limbs,  sheath,  Src,  which  should 
be  assisted  by  exercise  and  diet.  The  following  are  valuable 
recipes : — 


I. 


Styracis  . 
Sapon.  Duri 
Kesinx    . 
Potass.  Nit. 
Pulv.  Zingib, 
01.  Juniper! 
Excipient.  q.s, 


ut  ft 


bol. 
One  occasionally. 

II. 
Tereb.  Yen.     . 
Potass.  Nit.     . 
Pulv.  Juniperi 
Pulv.  Zingib.   . 

M.  ft.  bol, 


5SS. 

5ij' 

5iss. 
5iss. 

5J- 
mxx. 


5"J' 
5ij- 
5'J- 
3iss. 


Pro  re  nata. 

A  simple  and  useful  diuretic  mass  may  be  made  from  the 
following  recipe  : — 


Resinoe  Flav. 
Potass.  Nit. 
Adipis     . 
01.  Lini. 
01.  Juniperi 


5XXX. 
5XV. 

BJ- 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES 


ZS 


Melt  the  resin  and  add  the  oils  and  the  lard.  Next  add 
the  nitre  and  stir  till  nearly  cold,  then  transfer  the  mass  to  a 
slab  and  work  up  with  glycerin. 

Cordial  Balls. — These  are  given  to  horses  which  are  faint 
and  off  their  feed  on  returning  from  hunting,  racing,  or  fast 
work — where,  in  fact,  the  muscular  system  is  superior  to  the 
digestive,  and  the  '  spirit  carries  them  beyond  their  strength.' 
A  cordial  ball  given  at  such  times  is  of  great  value,  restoring  a 
flagging  heart  and  circulation,  which  by  the  morning  might 
result  in  congestion  of  the  lungs.  The  following  is  an  excel- 
lent cordial  ball,  but  has  the  disadvantage  of  not  keeping  well. 
It  is  for  such  balls  that  gelatin  capsules  are  suitable  : — 


Amnion.  Carb. 

.    5J- 

Camphorse 
Pulv.  Digitalis 
Pulv.  Gentian.-e 

•       5SS 

■     5J- 

Pulv.  Zingib.  . 
Excipient.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

.    5iv- 

Two  or  three  of  these  balls  may  be  given  in  eight  or  ten 
hours,  but  should  not  be  persisted  in.  The  following  is  the 
cordial  ball  of  the  Veterinary  Pharmacopoeia  :  — 

Pulv.  Zingib.  .....  5ij. 

Pulv.  Gentianre       ....  5ij. 

Excipient.  ad .         .         .         .         .  §j. 

M.  ft.  bol. 

The  following  is  much  approved  in  hunting-stables,  and 
can  be  well  recommended  : — 


Pulv.  Gentianse 

.     5J- 

Pulv.  Zingib.           .         . 

.       .    50. 

Pulv.  Cassise  . 

•     5ij- 

Pulv.  Capsici . 

.      gr.xx 

Ol.  Anisi 

m  XX. 

Pulv.  FoenugrKC.    . 

•   5y- 

Excipient.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Clients  should  be  advised  to  pull  the  ears,  bandage  the 
legs,  clothe  the  body,  and  thus  seek  to  obtain  surface  warmth. 


2  5  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Fever  Balls. — These  are  not  so  much  in  demand  as 
formerly,  when  clinical  thermometers  were  not  in  general  use 
and  the  subject  of  fever  was  less  understood.  The  following 
is  a  well-tried  ball,  and  may  be  given  in  undefined  fever,  with 
cold  ears  and  legs  and  staring  coat,  without  any  special  cause 
being  ascertained  : — • 

Pulv.  Camphor 5ss. 

Potass.  Nit cij. 

Antim.  Tart.  .....  5ss. 

Lini  Farin.  ad         ....  ^j. 

Mellisq.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Not  to  be  given  oftener  than  twice  a  day,  or  continued  for 
more  than  three  or  four  days.  For  the  tartar  emetic  may  be 
substituted  calomel  15  grains,  opium  15  grains. 

The  following  is  a  useful  ball  where  a  stimulant  is  required 
as  well  as  a  febrifuge  : — 

Amnion.  Carb.         .         .         .         •  5J- 

Pulv.  Camphor 5J. 

Potass.  Nit.      .....  5ij. 

Pulv.  Gentianie        ....  r^s. 

Glycerini  q.s.  ut  ft.  bolus. 

Sig.  :  One  to  be  given  night  and  morning. 

Tonics. — Both  the  vegetable  and  mineral  worlds  afford  con- 
siderable latitude  in  the  choice  of  tonics,  though  in  veterinary 
practice  only  a  few  are  commonly  used.  Selection  is  guided 
by  the  cause  of  the  debility.  As  a  rule,  when  the  weakness 
depends  upon  some  blood-poison,  as  'farcy,'  or  some  excessive 
drain  upon  the  system,  as  great  suppuration,  dropsy,  &:c., 
mineral  tonics  are  most  useful  ;  when  it  is  the  sequel  of  some 
acute  disease,  as  pleurisy,  or  accompanied  by  an  irritable 
stomach,  vegetable  tonics  are  prcferaljle.  It  is  often  desirable 
to  combine  tonics  with  other  medicaments,  as  with  stomachics 
or  diuretics.  As  regards  the  form  of  administration,  balls  or 
powders  are  the  most  convenient.  Sometimes  draughts  are 
necessary,  as  in  the  combination  of  stimulants,  such  as  ether, 
with  tinctures. 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  27 

A  valuable  stimulating  tonic  for  cattle  convalescent  from  any 
very  exhaustive  disease,  pleuro-pneumonia  (non-contagious),  or 
during  the  later  stages  of  red-water,  is  the  following : — 

/Ether.  Sulph. .....  5!]. 

Tr.  Zingib 5ij. 

Tr.  Genti.inre    .....  5ij. 
Misce  pro  dosis. 

Four  doses  as  above— one  every  six  hours  in  a  pint  of  gruel. 

Of  mineral  tonics,  iron,  copper,  and  arsenic  are  the  favourites. 
Of  the  preparations  of  iron,  the  sulphate  is  the  only  one  com- 
monly used  for  horses  and  cattle.  It  is  generally  given  com- 
bined with  some  aromatic,  as — 

Ferri  Sulph.  .         .         .         .    \ 

Gentiana;  Pulv.       .         .         .1  Partes  oequales, 

Carui  Pulv.     .  .  .  ,    j 

made  into  balls  with  treacle,  or  given  in  powder  with  the  food. 
Coriander  seeds  or  ginger  may  be  substituted  for  the  caraway. 
Sulphate  of  copper  is  sometimes  used  in  place  of  iron,  and  it 
seems  of  special  value  in  cases  of  chronic  nasal  discharge. 
The  ordinary  dose  of  either  sulphate  of  iron  or  copper  for 
horse  or  ox  is  2  drachms,  but  in  the  above  cases  can  be 
doubled.  As  much  as  5  drachms  of  sulphate  of  iron  has 
been  given  daily  for  three  weeks,  but  there  is  always  a  ten- 
dency to  constipation  with  such  doses,  and  the  faeces  are 
blackened,  owing  to  formation  of  iron  sulphide  in  the  bowels. 
To  guard  against  constipation,  small  doses  of  linseed  oil  or  the 
frequent  admixture  of  bran  or  other  laxative  food,  is  recom- 
mended. 

A   good  tonic   ball   may    be    made    from   the   subjoined 

formula  : — 

Ferri  Sulph.  Exsic.  .         .         .  5ij. 

Potass.  Carb.  ....  §ss. 

Pulv.  Nucis  Vom 5ss. 

Acid.  Arsen.    .         .         .         .         •  gr-  ijss. 
Glucos.  vel  thcriacre  cj.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

It  is  sometimes  desirable  to  give  iron  in  a  less  astringent 
form  than  the  sulphate,  but  experience  proves  that  with  the 


28  vetj^rWaRy  coui^ter  practice 

water  of  crystallisation  in  it,  it  is  more  active  and  less  irritating 
to  the  stomach  than  many  of  the  more  elegant  preparations 
preferred  in  medical  practice.  The  following  formula  for  a 
solution  (commonly  known  as  '  dialysed  iron  '),  contributed  to 
The  Chemist  and  Druggist  some  years  ago,  fulfils  the  re- 
quirements : — 

Take  of  liquor  ferri  perchlor.  fort.  §xxx.,  dilute  with  2 
pints  of  water,  and  add  ammonia  solution  in  slight  excess  ;  allow 
to  stand  one  hour,  and  wash  the  precipitate  by  decantation 
until  the  washings  give  no  precipitate  with  nitrate  of  silver 
solution  ;  throw  the  precipitated  oxide  of  iron  on  a  filter,  and 
drain  well.  Now  dilute  5  oz.  more  liquor  ferri  perchlor.  fort, 
with  I  pint  of  water  and  dissolve  in  it  the  precipitate  obtained 
above,  and  make  the  solution  measure  140  oz.  The  result 
is  a  dark  red-brown  liquid,  i  oz.  containing  an  equivalent  of 
32  grains  of  ferric  oxide.  The  dose  for  horses  and  cattle  is 
I  to  2  oz.,  diluted  with  water  to  10  oz. 

An  excellent  tonic  mixture  is  made  by  dissolving  quinine 
in  this  solution,  with  the  addition,  if  necessary,  of  a  few  drops 
of  dilute  hydrochloric  acid. 

Each  ounce  of  the  above  solution  contains  the  same  weight 
of  iron  as  68^  grains  of  sulphate,  but  only  \\\  grains  of  hydro- 
chloric acid,  as  compared  with  235  grains  of  sulphuric  acid  in 
the  equivalent  proportion  of  ferri  sulph. 

The  tinct.  ferri  perchlor.  and  syrupus  ferri  iodidi  are  valuable 
preparations  for  dogs.  The  following  is  a  good  form  for  a  dog 
recovering  from  pleurisy  : — 

Syrupi  Ferri  Iodidi      .         .         .         •  SJ- 

Infus.  GcntiancE  ....  glij. 

Tr.  Ziiigib.  .....  jiss. 

M.  fiat  mist. 

A  dessert-spoonful  three  times  a  day.  The  dose  of  tinct.  ferri 
perchlor.  is  from  ten  to  thirty  drops,  and  it  may  be  given  with 
infusion  of  cjuassia. 

Another  valuable  mineral  tonic  (for  horses)  is  arsenic,  some- 
times given  as  a  powder,  incorporated  with  sugar  of  milk  or 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  29 

c.irbonate  of  potash,  or  it  may   be   made  into   powders,    as 

follows  :  — 

Acidi  Arseniosi  ,         ,         .         •  gr-  x, 

Pulv.  Cantharidis      .         ,         .         .  gr,  x, 

Pulv.  Ferri  Sulph 5ij, 

M.  ft.  pulv. 

Once  a  day  with  the  food. 

Arsenic  is  specially  useful  in  cases  of  broken  wind,  chronic 
cough,  and  in  such  skin  diseases  as  do  not  depend  upon 
parasites,  but  such  powders  as  the  above  should  only  be  sup- 
plied to  responsible  persons  :  carters  and  others  are  prone  to 
increase  the  dose  and  continue  to  use  '  coat-shiners  '  in  lieu  of 
'  elbow-grease.'  It  should  also  be  known  to  readers  that  the 
employe  who  gives  such  drugs,  without  his  master's  knowledge, 
is  liable  to  imprisonment  for  unlawfully  administering  drugs. 

The  best  preparation  of  arsenic  for  dogs  is  Fowler's  Solution, 
in  doses  of  from  2  to  8  minims.  The  following  mixture  is 
recommended  : — 

Fowler's  Solution      .         .         •         •     SJ- 
Syrup  of  Ginger        ....     5iij. 
Water gv. 

A  tablespoonful  thrice  a  day.  Useful  in  skin  diseases,  and  in 
chorea  or  other  nervous  affections  following  distemper. 

Another  mineral  substance  of  great  service  is  common 
salt,  equal  parts  of  salt  and  gentian  forming  one  of  the  best  of 
mild  tonics.      A  tablespoonful  twice  a  day  for  horse  or  ox. 

Of  vegetable  tonics,  cinchona  probably  deserves  the  first, 
and  nux  vomica  the  last,  place,  but  the  latter  is  considered 
to  be  a  valuable  liver  tonic  and  digestive  stimulant  :  a  good 
medium  is  the  much-used  gentian.  A  useful  general  tonic  is 
the  foUowinii  : — 


Gentian 
Ginger 
Caraway 
Linseed  Mea 
Salt       . 
Kitre     . 


Equal  parts 


30  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

A  more  powerful  tonic  for  horse  or  ox  is — 

Cinchona  in  powder  .         ,         .     5iv. 

Quassia  or  Gentian    ....     5ij. 
Aniseed    ......     gij. 

Can  be  given  as  a  powder,  or  made  into  a  ball  with  treacle. 
For  a  dog  the  following  is  recommended  : — 

Pulv.  Cinchonce         ....     5iv. 
Ext.  Gentians  ....     5ij. 

Make  into  forty  pills,  two  to  be  given  twice  a  day. 

Quinine  made  into  pills  with  glycerin  of  tragacanth  is  of 
equal  value.  Dose,  i  to  8  grains.  For  horses  or  oxen  i  to  2  drachm 
doses,  and  more,  of  quinine  are  sometimes  prescribed,  but  it  is 
doubtful  whether  it  is  so  good  as  cinchona. 

If  a  tonic  is  required  after  influenza  or  other  chest  affec- 
tions the  following  may  be  used  : — 

Pulv.  Gentianoe        ....  5ij. 

Pulv.  Calumbre        ....  5ij. 

Pulv.  Cinchona;       ....  5iij. 

Pulv.  Opii gr.  XX. 

Excipient.  q.s.  ul  ft.  bol. 
Bis  die. 

A  little  green  food  or  bran  mashes  should  be  given  with 
these,  as  small  doses  of  opium  tend  to  constipate,  though  acting 
as  a  tonic  and  stimulant.  INIajor  F.  Smith,  of  the  Army 
Veterinary  School,  and  other  prominent  men  hold  that  opium 
is  better  as  a  stimulant  and  tonic  than  as  a  sedative  in  large 
doses.  The  above  can  also  be  given  as  a  powder,  flavouring, 
if  necessary,  with  salt,  or  foenugreek,  or  aniseed. 

The  above  balls  may  also  be  made  up  with  liq.  strychninse 
hydrochlor.  5j.  to  each. 

Nux  vomica  and  strychnine,  as  nervine  tonics,  are  some- 
times given  to  dogs  in  the  following  doses  :  — 

Nux  Vomica    .         .         .         .    j  to  i  grain 
Strychnine        ....  ^f^  to  ^^  grain 

Nux  vomica  and  strychnine  are,  however,  unsafe  medicines  for 
dogs,  and  chemists  had  better  avoid  them. 


T  •£  TERINA  R  V  MEDICINES 


31 


Balls  for  Swollen  LegS.^ — For  a  general  ball  for  swelled 
legs,  where  there  is  not  time  or  opportunity  to  go  into  the 
particulars  of  the  case,  the  following  can  be  given  with  safety, 
and  repeated  at  comparatively  short  intervals  : — ■ 

Puh-.  Helleb.  Alb. 
Potass.  Chlor. 
Cupri  Sulph.  . 
Pulv.  Nuc.  Void. 


Pulv.  ResinK. 
Potass.  Nit.  . 
Sapon.  Duri  . 
Excipient.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 


gr.  viij. 

bij. 

5iss. 

gr.  XV. 

5'J- 

5iJ- 

5"J- 


Cough  Balls. — In  the  early  part  of  the  winter,  when 
horses  are  first  clipped,  they  are  apt  to  take  cold  and  suffer 
from  cough,  which  can  be  greatly  relieved  by  a  few  balls  or 
powders,  and  these  should  be  ready  to  hand  as  the  season 
comes  round.  Cough  balls  and  powders  should  be  of  two 
kinds — those  for  temporary  or  acute  cough,  and  those  for 
chronic  cough. 

Ball  for  Acute  Cough. 

Pulv.  CamphorK     ....     5ij. 

Ext.  Belladonnre     ....     5ij. 

Pulv.  Opii 5J. 

Pulv.  Physostigmatis        .  .  •      SJ- 

Pulv.  Scillce 5ss. 

Pulv.  Anisi 5ij. 

Excipient.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

This  ball  may  be  given  night  and  morning,  and  a  little  lin. 
saponis  prescribed  for  the  throat  if  a  difficulty  in  swallowing  is 
evinced. 

Chronic  cough  and  broken  wind  is  a  condition  of  many  old 
horses,  and  it  is  surprising  how  horses  so  affected  can  be  kept 
going  by  the  aid  of  medicines,  especially  those  containing  tar 
and  fats,  though  dieting  is  a  very  important  factor,  and  should 
not  be  forgotten  by  the  prescriber  if  he  would  get  fair  credit 
for  his  treatment.  The  food  of  such  horses  should  be  given 
damped,  very  little  hay  or  bulky  food,  with  a  bed  of  moss  litter 


32 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


or  sawdust :  that  he  will  not  eat.    Linseed  oil  or  linseed  mashes 
or  tea  should  also  be  given  frequently. 


Chronic  Cough 

Balls. 

Gum.  Ammoniaci   . 

5J. 

Pulv.  Digitalis 

5J- 

Pulv.  Camphors     . 

5J. 

Pot.  Nit. 

5J- 

Pulv.  Belladonnce    , 

5J- 

Bals.  Sulphur. 

5J. 

Picis  Liquids 

5iJ 

LiniCont.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Omni  nocte 

This  is  rather  a  messy  ball,  on  account  of  the  tar  and  bal- 
sam of  sulphur,  but  is  so  good  in  its  effects  that  the  dispensing 
objection  should  be  disregarded. 

Another  good  ball  may  be  made  by  mixing  equal  parts  of 
melted  and  strained  mutton  fat  with  tar,  using  this  mixture  as 
an  excipient,  and  working  up  into  balls  of  nearly  2-oz.  weight 
with  the  dry  ingredients  of  the  above  ball. 

If  a  powder  is  desired  (it  would  not  be  so  effectual),  the 
above  ingredients  may  be  used  with  2  or  3  drachms  of  pulv. 
glycyrrhizae  as  a  substitute  for  the  camphor,  tar,  and  bals.  sulph, 

A  very  good  powder  for  coughs  is  the  following : — ■ 
Pulv.  Digitalis         ....     5ss. 


Pulv.  Belladonnoe 
Potass.  Chlor. 
Potass.  Nit.    . 
Pulv.  Opii 
Pulv.  Glycyrrh. 
M.  ft.  pulv. 


5J- 
5J- 
5J- 

5SS. 


Omni  nocte  c.  cibo. 


We  add  two  favourite  recipes  for  stock  cough  balls  : — 

Pulv.  Ipecac.  .  "  ,  .  •  5J- 
Pulv.  Scillx  .  .  .  .  •  5J- 
Mellis  et  Pulv.  Glycyrrh.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Pulv.  Ammoniaci    ....     5iv. 

Pulv.  Zingib.  .....     5iss. 

Pulv.  Scillne    .....     5J. 

Mellis  et  Pulv.  Glycyrrh.  q.s.  ut  ft.  bol. 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  33 

Cough  Electuary  for  Horses. 

Ext.  Belladonna;     ,         ,         ,         ,  f,j, 

Mellis 5j. 

Glycerin!         .         .         ,         ,         •  5J' 

Potass.  Chlor.         .         .         .         •  Sj- 
iNI.  ft.  electuarium. 

To  be  given  on  a  bone  spatula  by  pulling  out  the  tongue 
and  smearing  on  the  thick  portion.  It  may  be  well  to  mention 
here  that  in  nearly  all  coughs,  save  those  chronic  ones  con- 
nected with  digestive  troubles,  a  stimulating  liniment  should 
be  supplied,  with  advice  to  rub  it  well  into  the  throat.  Lin. 
ammon.  or  lin.  camph.  co.  is  suitable,  and  may  be  repeated 
until  counter-irritation  is  proved  by  the  lifting  of  the  cuticle. 
The  formula  for  a  liniment  given  on  page  35  is  very  popular 
among  veterinary  surgeons,  masters  of  hounds  and  others 
with  experience  of  the  subject. 

Gripe  Medicines  for  Horses. — If  colic  arises  from 
drinking  well-water,  and  is  but  a  simple  spasm,  it  will  generally 
pass  off  with  a  stimulant  or  the  gripe  remedies  in  common  use, 
but  a  number  of  horses  die  annually  for  want  of  an  aperient  in 
the  first  gripe  dose  they  get.  This  is  so  well  known  to  practi- 
tioners that  the  majority  of  country  vets,  put  a  solution  of  aloes 
in  their  draughts,  and  give  directions  upon  the  label  to  give  a  pint 
or  more  of  linseed  oil  with  the  draught.  An  effectual  gripe 
draught  for  general  use,  without  stopping  to  inquire  into  par- 
ticulars, or  without  the  advice  of  a  practitioner,  should  contain 
an  aperient,  must  be  of  some  considerable  bulk,  and  cannot 
be  very  cheap.  The  anodynes  used  in  medicine  for  horses 
have  undergone  a  considerable  modification  of  late  years,  as 
experiments  have  proved  that  some  of  the  old  agents  have  not 
been  correctly  understood,  and  more  direct  sedatives  have 
come  into  use.  One  of  the  most  popular  authors  of  thirty 
years  ago  speaks  of  opium  as  the  '  sheet-anchor  of  the  veteri- 
narian,' and  it  is  doubtless  a  very  valuable  agent,  but  for  con- 
trolling pain  it  is  found  that  ext.  cannabis  ind.  and  chloral  and 


3t 


VETERl.VARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


croton  chloral,  where  impaction  exists,  answer  better.  The 
following  draught  has  been  found  to  answer  better  than  any 
other  combination,  but  it  has  the  objection  of  being  rather 
expensive : — ■ 


Sol.  Chloral  Ilyd.  (i  gr 
Ext.  Cannabis  Ind. 
Ol.  Terebinth. 
Spt.  Ammon.  Ar.   . 
Sol.  Aloes  (i  in  4) . 
01.  Lini  ad     . 

M.  ft.  h 


n  I  minim) 


5ij- 
5iJ- 

§j- 
5'J- 


aust. 


To  be  given  in  from  \  to  i|  pint  of  linseed  oil. 

This  draught  is  an  aperient,  a  diuretic,  and  an  antispas- 
modic ;  it  allays  pain  and  checks  inflammation,  and  if  gripes 
arise  from  impaction  it  is  doing  valuable  work  while  the 
veterinary  surgeon  is  being  sent  for.  Such  a  dose  ought  to  be 
charged  2s.  6d.  For  a  cheaper  one  the  following  may  be 
supplied  : — 

Sol.  Chloral  Hydrat.  (l  in  l)  .  .      jj. 

Spt.  ^Ih.  Nit sjss. 

Eals.  Copaibae  ....     5iv. 


Liq.  PotassK  . 
01.  Terebinth. 
01.  Lini  ad      . 


M 


ft.  mist. 


aij. 


A  fourth  part  for  a  dose,  in  from  \  to  I5  pint  of  linseed 


Or 


Chloral  Hydrat. 
Liq.  Morph.  Mur. 


5SS. 

§j- 


in  half  a  pint  of  water,  either  plain  or  coloured.  Often  when 
all  else  fails  to  give  relief  the  following  may  be  recommended, 
especially  if  there  is  a  suspicion  of  inflammatory  conditions  : — 

Tinct.  Opii      .         .         .         .         .     5J.  ad  ^ij. 
Spt.  Caniph.     .         .         .         .         •     5J- 
Tinct.  Aconit.  B.P.  .         .         .     v\w. 

diffused  in  a  pint  of  cold  gruel  or  old  ale. 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES 


35 


A  good  laxative  colic  drink  for  horses  is 

Aloes       .... 
Amm.  Carb.     . 
Spt.  /Ether.  Sulph.  . 
Aqiu-e       .... 

or  one  draught.     It  is  an  excellent  remedy. 


5U- 

gss. 


Outward  Applications  for  Horses. 

White  Oils. 


Vitelli     . 
Sapon.  Moll.  . 
Ol.  Terebinth. 
Liq.  Ammon.  Fort. 
Acidi  Acetici  . 
Camphorre 
Spirit. 

Ol.  Succini  Rect. 
AquK  ad 


XIJ. 


?iv. 
Oiv. 


Rub  the  soap  gradually  with  lo  oz.  of  water  to  form  a  smooth 
jelly;  add  the  spirit  with  the  camphor  dissolved  in  it;  mix  the 
turpentine  and  the  oil  of  amber  ;  add  gradually  to  the  mixture, 
stirring  assiduously  the  while,  and  aiding  emulsification  by  the 
occasional  addition  of  a  little  water.  Then  add  the  ammonia. 
Now  transfer  to  a  Winchester,  add  gradually  the  acetic  acid 
diluted  with  a  pint  or  more  of  water ;  add  the  eggs  one  by  one, 
well  shaking  all  the  time,  and  finally  make  up  to  80  oz.  with 
water.     [The  liniment  is  better  without  the  acid.] 

For  Sprains  and  Bruises,  where  the  skin  is  not  broken, 
we  recommend : — 

Tinct.  Arnicje . 
Liq.  riumbi 


Tinct.  Opii 
Glycerini 
Aqiice  ad 


SJ- 
SJ- 
5J- 


^■J- 


M.  ft.  lolio. 
To  be  mixed  with  a  gallon  of  rain  or  distilled  water,  and 
applied  on  wet  bandages.     (This  is  equally  good  for  horned 
stock.) 

D  2 


36  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Saddle  and  Harness  Galls.— A  good  and  cheap 
lotion  is  the  following  : — 

Acid,  Sulph 5j. 

Alum.  Exsic 5ij. 

AquJE  ad Oss. 

M.  ft.  lotio.     Sxpe  utcnd. 

Or— 

Pot.  Permang.           .         .         .         •     g""-  j- 
Alum.  Pulv 5J. 

in  a  pint  of  water,  applied  as  a  lotion.  This  should  be  made 
up  as  wanted,  and  not  kept  in  stock. 

The  prescriber  should  always  advise  padding  the  collar  or 
harness  in  such  a  manner  as  to  avoid  rubbing  the  scabs  off,  or 
remedies  will  be  vain. 

If  an  ointment  is  preferred — 

Alum.  Exsic.           .         .         .         •  3J- 

Zinci  Ox.         .....  5J. 

Pulv.  Gallae 5J- 

Adipis  vel  Vaselin.          .         .         •  BJ- 
M.  ft.  ungt. 

To  be  applied  constantly. 

Broken  Knees. — Poultice  for  two  days  with  linum  cont., 
adding  to  each  poultice — 

Acid.  Carbolic ■m  x- 

Olei  Oliv.-e  ad  .         .         .         .      5J.     M. 

This  may  with  advantage  be  coloured  with  ol.  viride  or 
alkanet,  or  'nosed'  with  a  minim  or  two  of  ol.  caryoph., 
which  latter  is  a  fashionable  remedy  for  broken  knees. 

When  proud  flesh  appears  it  is  soon  enough  to  use — 


Zinci  Chlor.    . 

.     gr.  X. 

Sacch.  Usti     . 

.     q.s. 

Aquce  ad 

M.  ft.  lotio. 

.     Oss. 

To  be  applied  daily  after  fomenting  with  cold  water. 
Instead  of  poulticing,  the  wound  may  be  sponged  occasion- 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  37 

ally  with  warm  water  (carbolised  if  desired)  for  a  day  or  two, 
and  in  the  intervals,  after  carefully  drying,  carbolised  oil  (1-40) 
may  be  applied. 

A  good  application  for  broken  knees  which  do  not  seem 
disposed  to  heal  readily  is  red  iodide  of  mercury  ointment, 
I  in  8,  applied  on  lint  and  held  in  place  by  a  bandage,  re- 
dressing every  second  day.  This  is  good  in  many  other 
indolent  wounds,  such  as  cracked  heels,  and  similar  sores. 

Wounds  in  horses,  cattle,  and  sheep  (not  dogs)  should 
be  treated  with — 

Acid.  Carbolic Jss. 

01.  Sesamse  Colorat.  ad  .         .         .     gxx. 
M.  ft.  lotio. 

This  will  prevent  suppuration  and  cause  union  by  adhesion 
in  small  wounds  that  have  not  been  exposed  to  the  air,  and  for 
old  ones  it  will  do  good.  It  takes  the  sting  out  of  finger-cuts 
marvellously.  For  old  and  gangrenous  wounds,  or  for 
maggoty  sheep,  &c.,  it  may  be  made  twice  as  strong. 

Blisters. — The  practice  of  blistering  horses  is  ancient,  but 
shows  no  sign  of  going  out  of  fashion,  as  fresh  agents  are  from 
time  to  time  introduced.  None,  however,  are  so  well  esteemed 
by  practical  veterinary  surgeons  as  the  various  combinations 
with  hyd.  biniod.  rubr. 

For  a  splint  or  spavin  : — 

Hyd.  Biniod.  .         .         .         •     5J' 

Adipis    ......     gvij 

M.  ft.  ungt. 

Or- 

Pulv.  Cantharid sj. 

Digest  in  lard,  8  oz.,  on  a  water-bath  for  6  to  8  hours ;  strain, 
and  when  it  begins  to  set  mix  with  it 

Hydrarg.  Biniod.    .         .         •         •     SJ- 

For  a  thickened  tendon  or  slight  sprain,  or  to  brace  a  joint, 
reduce  wind-galls  or  soft  enlargements,  one  of  hyd.  biniod.  to 
twelve  of  lard  or  vaseline  may  be  used. 


38  VETERIXARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

A  simple  cantharides  blister  may  be  made  by  digesting 
cantharides  i,  resin  i,  and  lard  7,  for  6  to  8  hours,  and 
straining. 

Liquid  Blisters. 

Powdered  Cantharides      .  .         •     5J- 

Ether      ......     jj. 

Pour  the  ether  over  the  cantharides,  and  let  it  stand  for  a  day  in  a 
covered  vessel.  Then  add  S.V.R.  gviij.  and  ol.  origani  gs;-.  Macerate 
eight  days  and  filter. 

A  useful  preparation  in  splints,  side-bone,  ring-bone,  spavin^ 
or  other  bony  deposit,  is — 

Hydrarg.  Perchlor.           .         .         •     BJ* 
S.V.R gviij. 

M.  et  S. 

When  used  carelessly  this  is  extremely  liable  to  cause 
destruction  of  the  hair-bulbs  and  subsequent  baldness— a  very 
serious  objection  in  any  but  competent  hands.  A  small 
quantity  is  to  be  lightly  rubbed  into  the  affected  part. 

Charges  are  used  much  as  plasters  are  in  human  practice, 
and  considerable  benefit  is  derived  from  their  judicious  em- 
j)loyment.  They  should  be  made  liquid  in  a  water-bath  and 
applied  as  warm  as  the  animal  can  well  bear  them.  Youatt's 
formula  is  a  good  one,  as  follows  :  — 

Burgundy  Pitch       ....  Jv. 

Tar §vj. 

^Vax       , §j. 

Cantharides   .....  5SS. 

Cleansing  Drenches. — In  some  districts  where  so-called 
milk  fever  is  much  dreaded,  there  is  a  call  for  cow-drenches  both 
before  and  after  calving,  and  we  would  advise  the  simplest  of 
all  aperients  to  be  given  beforehand—  say  a  week,  or  even  less 
— avoiding  ergot,  which  should  have  a  place  in  the  after-calving 
or  '  cleansing  drink.'  There  are  a  few  fortunate  individuals, 
chemists  and  veterinary  surgeons,  who  enjoy  a  great  reputation 
for  drinks  that  prevent  milk  fever  ;  but  the  secret  is  not  in 
their  private  formulae,  but  in  getting  stockowners  to  keep  the 


VETERINARY  MED/CLVES 


39 


in-calvers  low.  Six  weeks  on  oat  straw  and  hay,  and  two  or 
three  doses  of  mag.  sulph.  (flav.,  vel  rub.,  vel  cerul.),  within  a 
httle  while  of  calving,  will  bring  a  local  reputation  to  anyone 
who  can  persuade  his  clients  to  adopt  the  regimen.  (See  also 
p.  171.) 

An  old-fashioned  recipe  for  a  good  drench  before  calving 
is  as  under:  — 

Potass.  Nit gj. 

Flor.  Sulph. 

Ferri  Carh. 

Diapente 

Sodii  Sulph. 

Magnesii  Sulph.       ....     =iv.     M. 

Divide  into   two  doses,  and  administer   each   in    a  quart 
of  gruel. 

For  a  drench  to  be  given  after  calving  the  following  is  a  good 
formula  suggested  by  an  eminent  F.R.C.V.S.  :— 
Pulv.  Ergotse . 
Aloes  Socot.  . 
Pulv.  Zingib. 
Pulv.  CurcuiiiK 
Mag.  Sulph ^xij.      M. 


5J- 
jss. 

niv. 


Directions. — The  drench.  To  be  given  in  a  quart  of  hot 
ale  or  thin  gruel  within  two  hours  after  calving. 

Alternate  ten-drop  doses  of  aconite  and  belladonna  after 
calving  is  the  treatment  adopted  by  some,  and  it  is  approved  by 
the  Imperial  Live-stock  Insurance  Company  (in  their  printed 
recommendations  to  assurers)  and  is  reproduced  here  for  those 
who  have  faith  in  homceopathic  treatment  of  animals.  The 
reader  is,  however,  referred  to  Milk  Fever  (see  p.  ijg). 

Tonic  Powder  for  Cattle. 

Sodii  Hyposulphit.  .         .         .     gss. 


Potass.  Nit.     . 
Pulv.  Zingib.  . 
Pulv.  Nile.  ^'Oln. 
Pulv.  Gentianct 


Jss. 

r.SS. 


Fiat  lulvis. 


40 


VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 


One  twice  a  day  in  treacle  and  water,  gruel,  or  old  ale. 
Especially  useful  in  debility  in  cows  after  calving,  or  where 
appetite  is  deficient,  and  after  exposure  of  any  kind,  as  in 
marts  and  fairs. 

Cordial  Drench. — For  cows  not  chewing  the  cud  properly 
or  failing  in  milk,  or  bullocks  off  their  feed  or  not  thriving, 
the  following  is  recommended  : — 

Pulv.  Zingib §j. 


Pulv.  Gentians 
Pulv.  Carui     . 
Pulv.  Foenug. 
Pulv.  Anisi     . 
Bol.  Armen.  . 
iviag.  Sulph.    . 


U. 


To  be  given  at  night  in  a  quart  of  hot  ale  or  thin  gruel. 
Calves'  Cordial ;  also  the  best  medicine  for  diarrhoea  in 


Cretse  Prrep.    . 

•       .       .       .    5J- 

Pulv.  Catechu 

.     gss. 

Pulv.  Zingib.  . 

•     5ij- 

Pulv.  Opii 

.       5SS. 

Aq.  IVIenthce  Pip.    . 

•     .     .  l^- 

pigs  :— 


M. 

Dose  :  One  to  three  tablespoonfuls  twice  a  day. 
P^or  a  pig  give  \  oz.  to  i  oz.  twice  a  day  ;  a  teaspoonful  will 
be  enough  for  sucking-pigs. 

Astringent  for  Scours  or  Diarrhcsa  for  a  Horse  or  Bullock. 

Alum.  Sulph.  ,        , 

Pulv.  Catechu 
Pulv.  Cort.  Querc. 

Fiat  pulvis. 

To  be  given  in  gruel,  and  repeated  if  necessary. 

Calves^  Cordial  for  Scours. 

Tinct.  Opii 5ij. 

Infus.  Catechu         ....     gij. 
Alum.  Sulph.  ....     5j. 

Infus.  Qucrciis  ad    ....     gvj. 
M.  ft.  mist.     ^  pt.  tcr  die. 


5'J- 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES 


41 


Or  this 


Tinct.  Opii     . 
Aq.  Calcis 
M.  ft.  mist. 


3j. 
Oij. 


Capt.  jij.  bis  vel  ter  die. 

The  old-fashioned  chalk  and  opium  mixtures  have  many 
friends,  but  the  above  have  the  advantage  of  not  clogging 
digestion  after  the  astringent  effect  has  been  produced. 

Dog  Medicines. 

Distemper  Pill, 


Pulv.  Jacob!  .... 

gr.  ijsS 

Hyd.  c.  Creta 

gr-  ij- 

Pil.  Ipecac.  Co. 

gr.  iij. 

Quininse  Sulph, 

gr.  jss. 

Excipient.  ad          ,         .         . 

gr.  X. 

M.  ft.  pil. 

One  to  be  given  twice  or  three  times  a 

week. 

Another  Distemper  Pill, 
Hyd.  Sulph.  Flav.  .         ,         •     gr-  ss. 

Gum.  Galban.         .         .         .         •     gr-  iij. 
Pulv.  JalapcE  .         .         .         •     gr-  ij- 

Excipient.  ad  .         .         .         •     gr-  x. 

M.  ft.  pil. 

One  twice  a  week. 

Alterative  Pill  for  Dogi. 

To  be  given  in  conjunction  with  skin  lotions  for  eczema, 
&c.  :— 

Ext.  Rhei       .         .         .         .  •     gf-  ij« 

Pulv.  Aloes  Barb.  .         .         .  •     gr.  §§. 

Flor.  Sulph.  .         .         .         .  •     gr-  "j" 

Excipient.  ad          .         .         .  .     gr.  x. 
M.  ft.  pil.* 

One  pill  three  times  a  week. 

*  Hyd.  c.  creta  has  been  deleted  from  this  formula,  which  will  be  fcuhd 
In  previous  editions.  Dogs  are  so  easily  salivated  that  it  is  advisable  to 
do  without  it. 


42 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


Astringent  Dog  Pill. 

Pulv.  Opii 

gr.  ss. 

Pulv.  Alum 

gr-  ij- 

Pulv.  Catechu         .... 

gr-  ij- 

Pulv.  Amyli  .          .          .          .          . 

gr.  iv. 

Excipient.  ad           .... 

gr.  X. 

M.  ft.  pil. 

One  to  be  given  twice  a  day. 


Purgative  Pill  for  Dogs. 

Pil.  Ilydrarg.  .         .         .         •  gr.  ijss. 

Ext.  Colchici  Acet.         .         .         •  gr-  i 

Ext.  Hyosc gr.  j. 

Ext.  Coloc.  Co gr.  v. 

M.  ft.  pil. 

One  for  a  dose  occasionally. 

Cough  Pill  for  Dogs. 

Pulv.  Camphors    .         .         .         •  gr-  J 

Pulv.  Ipecac.  Co.  ,         .         .         •  gr-  jss. 

Pulv.  ScillcE gr.  jss. 

Ext.  Digitalis         .         .         .  •  gr.  i^ 

Pulv.  Gum.  Ammoniac.  .  .  gr.  ij. 

Pulv.  Digitalis       .         .         .         •  gr.  i 

Excipient.  q.s.  ad.         .         .         .  gr.  x. 
M.  ft.  pil.      Capt.  j.  bis  die. 


Santonini 
Vitrei  Pulv.  . 
Pulv.  Arecce. 
Pulv.  Jalapx 


Worm  Pill. 


M.  ft.  pil.      Pro  re  nata. 


gr-  ij- 

gr.  iij. 

gr.  v. 

gr.  V. 


Tonic  Doi:  Pill. 


Ferri  Carb.  Sacch. 
(Juinina;  .Sulph. 
Ext.  GentianK 
Excipient.  ad 

M.   fl.  pil. 


j.  omni  die. 


gr- 
gr- 
gr- 
gr- 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  43 

Dog  pills  are  more  easily  given  for  being  bulky  ;  hence  the 
frequent  repetition  of  '  excipient.  ad  gr.  x.' 


Hoof  Ointments. — As  the  demand  for  these  is  likely  to 
continue,  formulae  are  here  given,  but  there  is  a  consensus  of 
opinion  among  the  more  advanced  veterinarians  that  greasy 
applications  are  not  merely  undesirable  but  positively  harmful. 
The  alternate  absorption  and  evaporation  of  water  has  a  bene- 
ficial effect  upon  the  hoof  in  the  normal  state.  If  the  foolish 
custom  is  persisted  in  of  rasping  the  outer  layer  off  the  hoof, 
in  order  to  make  it  ship-shape,  then  an  unctuous  dressing 
becomes  necessary,  to  replace  the  qualities  for  which  the  outer 
layer  (periople)  is  remarkable. 

The  outer  layer  of  horn  on  a  horse's  foot  becomes  hard  from 
being  the  oldest  layer  and  farthest  from  the  secreting  surface. 
The  hardness  is  for  a  double  purpose — for  protection,  and  to 
keep  pliable  and  tough  the  deeper  layers.  If  it  is  removed 
the  deeper  layers  become  dry,  and  consequently  brittle,  thus 
predisposing  the  foot  to  '  sand-cracks,'  tScc. 

Hoof  ointments,  for  convenience,  must  have  a  certain  con- 
sistency, so  as  not  to  spill  like  oil  if  accidentally  upset,  and  yet 
not  to  be  so  hard  as  to  require  warming  for  use.  They  must  not 
be  'sticky,'  as  in  that  case  the  brush  with  which  they  are  applied 
gets  clogged,  and  straws  and  dirt  stick  to  the  foot  \  for  this 
reason,  wax  should  not  be  added  to  any  hoof  ointment.  They 
must  be  of  a  dark  colour,  and  for  this  purpose  tar  is  a  useful 
ingredient,  besides  its  beneficial  action  upon  any  '  thrushes ' 
which  may  exist.  Lastly,  they  must  wash  off,  so  as  not  to 
interfere  with  the  ready  cleaning  of  the  horse  when  necessary. 
This  last  quality  is  not  absolutely  essential  to  a  good  protecting 
hoof  ointment,  but  its  advantages  must  not  be  overlooked 
by  those  who  wish  to  sell  an  eligible  article.  Perhaps,  in 
giving  formulce,  it  would  be  better  to  divide  them  into  two 
varieties  : — • 

Those  used  for  bad  feet  as  a  protecting  agent,  and  which 
contain  no  saponifying  ingredient ;  and 


44  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Those  which  are  used  regularly  as  preventives    and,  like 
hair  dyes  and  pomatum,  are  '  beautifying  agents.' 
The  following  are  good  of  the  first  class  : — 

I. 

Barbadoes  Tar     .         .  .  .   -| 

Burgundy  Pitch  .         .  .  .     '.  Equal  parts. 

Russian  Tallow    .         .  .  .J 

II. 

Stockholm  Tar    .         ,  .  .2    lbs. 

Russian  Tallow    .         .  .  .      i    lb. 

Venice  Turpentine        .  .  .       ^  lb. 

In  mixing  these,  melt  the  last  two  ingredients  together 
first,  then  add  the  tar  and  thoroughly  mix. 

The   following   preparations   are   samples   of    the   second 

class  : — 

I. 
Stockholm  Tar    ....     3    lbs. 
Soft  Soap    .         .         .         .         .4    lbs. 
Fish  Oil \  pint 

II. 

Stockholm  Tar    .  ...     4  lbs. 

Soft  Soap    .         .         .         .         .4  lbs. 

Tallow        ,         .         ,         .         .2  lbs. 

Fish  Oil I  pint 

The  second  is  preferable,  as  being  of  the  better  consistence. 
It  is  true  that  alkalies  injure  horn,  but  in  these  forms  the 
excess  of  fats  prevents  any  marked  effects.  Glycerin  with 
fats  would  obviate  all  objections,  but  the  difficulty  is  to  get  a 
mixture  of  the  proper  consistence  and  colour  that  would 
wash  off  pretty  easily.  Soft  soap  by  itself  is  not  a  good  applica- 
tion, as  it  tends  to  make  the  hoof  brittle. 

Lotion  for  Cracked  Heels,  &c.,  commonly  known  in 
Scotland  as  the  White  Bottle.     This  consists  of — 
Sulphate  of  Zinc      .         ,         .         •     SJ- 
Sugar  of  Lead  .         .         .         •     SJ* 

Water,  a  reputed  quart  bottleful. 

This  is  also  largely  used  for  sore  backs,  shoulders,  and  the  like. 

Treatment  of  Warts. — Nothing  in  animal  life  is  more 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  45 

remarkable  than  the  sudden  appearance  and  disappearance  of 
warts  of  various  kinds,  ^^'arts  on  animals  vary  from  the  size  of 
a  pin's  head  to  many  pounds  in  weight;  their  appearance  is 
often  not  noticed  till  they  attain  a  great  size,  hence  the  belief  in 
their  mushroom-like  growth.  They  may  be  found  on  every 
domestic  animal  at  times,  though  they  are  not  common  to  sheep 
and  pigs. 

Warts  (verruca)  are  technically  described  as  epidermic  or 
epithelial  tumours.  They  are  made  up  of  layers  or  scales,  but 
often  attain  large  proportions,  and  develop  within  themselves 
blood-vessels  of  considerable  size.  They  may  be  roughly 
divided  into  three  classes,  requiring  different  treatment  : — 

I  St.  Those  growing  within  a  shell  or  cyst,  like  a  nut,  whose 
shell  needs  only  to  be  laid  open  to  release  them.  A  sharp  knife 
and  a  bold  cut,  followed  by  a  squeeze,  will  make  such  encysted 
tumours  or  warts  jump  out  clean. 

2nd.  Pediculated  warts. — These  may  be  any  shape,  but  have 
a  narrow  neck  or  base,  the  attachment  being  the  smallest  part 
of  the  growth. 

3rd.  Spreading,  or  broad-based,  warts,  whose  disposition  is 
to  coalesce  and  occupy  a  large  surface,  in  contradistinction  to 
the  pediculated. 

Scientific  pathologists  may  object  to  this  classification,  but 
it  will  answer  our  purpose  best. 

Warts  are  found  in  all  sorts  of  situations — in  the  mouth  of 
the  dog,  on  the  teats  of  cows,  the  sheath  of  horses,  the  genitals  of 
mares ;  on  the  face,  eyelids,  or  other  parts  of  the  anatomy.  They 
require  somewhat  different  treatment  according  to  situation. 

The  first  variety  require  only  the  knife  ;  the  second  can 
generally  be  got  rid  of  with  a  tight  ligature,  but  the  place  should, 
if  situated  about  the  body  or  limbs,  be  touched  with  a  red-hot 
iron  or  one  of  the  caustic  lotions  hereafter  to  be  mentioned. 
Ointments  are  objectionable,  as  they  afford  by  their  greasiness 
a  certain  amount  of  protection  where  we  want  the  most  caustic 
effect. 

In  selecting  a  ligature  the  size  of  the  wart  should  be  taken 
into  consideration.     A  small  wart  on  a  pug  dog's  eyelid,  for 


46  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

instance,  should  be  secured  by  fine  but  strong  silk,  while  a 
large  wart  on  a  bullock  or  a  horse  may  need  a  stout  waxed  end. 
When  ligatures  fail,  it  is  usually  because  they  give,  or  are  not 
at  first  tied  tightly  enough.  Their  effect  may  be  greatly  pro- 
moted by  first  wetting  and  dipping  the  hair,  silk,  cord,  or  waxed 
end  in  hyd.  sulph.  flav.  or  hyd.  bichlor.  pulv.,  or,  if  a  plain  piece 
of  string  is  used,  a  little  pulv.  resinae  will  help  it  to  hold.  There 
is  nothing  better  for  the  purpose  than  broken  fiddle-strings 
which  have  already  been  well  stretched. 

Many  of  the  larger  warts  can  be  removed  by  grasping  them 
in  the  hands  and  twisting  them  off  roughly ;  the  vessels  are 
thereby  drawn  out,  and  less  haemorrhage  follows  than  would  be 
the  case  in  a  careful  dissection.  They  may  or  may  not  come 
again — it  is  impossible  to  say  Avith  certainty. 

The  spreading,  or  broad-based,  warts  are  the  most  difficult 
to  eradicate,  and  have  a  knack  of  coming  again  in  such  abund- 
ance that  the  unfortunate  owner  is  inclined  to  think  wart- 
seed  must  have  been  sown  on  the  last  occasion  of  scarifying. 
If  upon  manipulation  the  warts  are  found  to  have  no  deep  or 
firm  hold,  it  will  be  better  to  secure  the  animal  and  dissect 
them  out  at  once.  A  large  wound  need  not  be  feared.  The 
skin  will  stretch  as  much  as  is  needful,  and  can  be  brought 
together  over  almost  any  wound. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  use  a  little  tinct.  ferri  perchlor. 
as  a  styptic,  but  we  should  prefer  zinci  chlor.  5j.  in  aq.  5iv. 

'Warts  of  the  broad-based  kind  that  cannot  either  be  liga- 
tured or  operated  upon  with  the  knife  may  be  destroyed  in 
various  ways,  and  among  the  most  successful  remedies  may  be 
named  acid,  nitric,  fort,  and  acid,  sulph.,  but  they  are  such 
dangerous  agents  in  the  hands  of  clumsy  carters  and  cowmen 
and  horny-handed  labourers  that  we  prefer  such  agents  as  will 
not  destroy  the  skin  if  spattered  upon  another  part.  Hydrarg. 
sulph.  flav.,  and  even  hyd.  bichlor.,  in  powder,  are  safer  than 
acids,  and  effectual  if  the  cowman  or  groom  will  thoroughly 
soak  the  wart  in  warm  water,  or  soft  soap  and  water,  before 
applying  the  powder. 

The  truly  marvellous  manner  in  winch  warts  come  and  go 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  47 

has  already  been  referred  to,  but  their  cure  by  the  appHcation 
of  warm  blood  has  not  been  mentioned  in  former  editions  of  this 
work,  as  it  was  thought  to  belong  to  the  category  of  charms, 
having  no  practical  interest  for  the  pharmacist.  The  theory  of 
infection  where  the  blood  of  a  wart  runs  over  the  adjacent  skin, 
too,  was  tabooed  by  medical  authorities,  but  it  would  seem,  from 
correspondence  in  the  Field  and  other  journals,  that  both  these 
popular  notions  are  justified,  if  not  absolutely  proved,  by  trust- 
worthy experiments.  The  treatment  of  the  myriads  of  warts  in 
dogs'  mouths  has  also  become  practicable  by  painting  the 
affected  parts  with  a  strong  solution  of  salicylic  acid.  Evidence 
of  a  fairly  reliable  character  is  also  to  hand  as  to  the  curative 
effects  of  salicylic  acid  administered  internally  in  the  case  of 
cattle  having  warts  under  the  belly  and  other  places  where 
manual  interference  would  be  most  difficult. 

If  a  lotion  is  desirable,  there  can  be  no  more  effectual  one 
supplied  than  — 


Zinci  Chloridi 

. 

•     5J' 

Spt.  Vini  Kect. 

M.  ft.  lotio. 

•     5J' 

If  this  is  appHed  daily  after  soaking  the  wart,  it  will  very 
soon  be  destroyed,  no  matter  how  large. 

Dogs  are  also  the  subject  of  pigmentary  warts,  or  small 
tumours,  which  require  much  the  same  treatment,  but  rather 
more  knife  and  stick  chloride  of  zinc.  Black-and-tan  dogs 
and  Yorkshire  terriers,  whose  coats  change  colour  with  years, 
are  the  most  frequent  subjects. 

Grey  horses,  especially  dapples,  are  also  subject  to  pig- 
mentary tumours,  which  must  not  be  too  hastily  assumed  to 
be  warts  or  treated  as  such,  particularly  if  situated  about  the 
anus  or  vagina.  These  are  usually  malignant,  and  if  removed 
tend  to  recur  (melanosis). 

Warts  on  the  teats  of  cows  are  often  very  troublesome, 
and  the  milker's  hand  being  applied  twace  daily  makes  it 
difficult  to  do  anything  till  the  cow  is  dry  ;  but  ligaturing  one 
or  two  at  a  time  may  be  tried  by  anyone  with  sufficient  patience. 


48 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


Many  a  bucketful  of  good  milk  has  gone  down  the  drains 
through  the  pain  caused  by  warts,  and  they  should  be  removed 
as  soon  as  opportunity  serves. 


Foot  Rot  Applications. — (i)  Equal  parts  of  liq.  antim. 
chlor.  and  tinct.  myrrhse.  (2)  Equal  parts  of  sulphate  of 
copper,  gunpowder,  and  lard,  Fiiilay  Du?i.  (3)  Sol.  zinci 
chlor.  (Burnett's  Fluid).  (4)  Acid,  sulph.  i,  ol.  terebinth.  8, 
Hogg.  (5)  Hydrargyri  5ij.,  acid,  nitric.  §ij.,  acid,  hydrochlor. 
Ij.,  acid,  acetic.  §j.  To  be  diluted  with  from  4  to  12  parts  of 
water  as  the  case  may  seem  to  require.  Brown.  (6)  A  mixture 
of  sulphate  of  copper  and  Stockholm  tar,  Fleming. 


Foot  Rot  Pastes, 

(0 

Cupri  Sulph.         .         .         .         .         . 

Biv. 

Ferri  Sesquioxid.          .          .         .          . 

5'^'- 

Acidi  Acetici  Glacial.  . 

5''J- 

Glycerini 

5J- 

Make  a  paste  wiih  ol.  lini. 

(2) 

Alum.  Exsicc 

§ss. 

Hydrarg.  Perchlor 

gr.  X. 

Acidi  Carbolici     .... 

•     3U- 

Vaselini        ..... 

5^j- 

Cretce  Prsep 

•     Sij- 

Reduce  the  solids  separately  to  powder,  and  mix 

with  the  vaseline  in 

which  the  carbolic  acid  has  previously  been  dissolved. 

(3) 

Adipis          ..... 

Siv- 

01.  Lini 

5ij. 

Resinc-e 

SJ- 

01.  Terebinth 

•    SJ- 

Rulv.  Cupri  Acetat. 

.     siv. 

Melt  the  lard,  oil,  and  resin,  and  rub  the  verdigris  smoothly  in  the  tur- 
pentine.    Mix.     If  too  stiff,  add  more  linseed  oil. 

Mange  Lotion. — Mange  in  horses,  cattle,  and  dogs  re- 
sults from  the  attack  of  minute  acari,  which  cause  much  itching 


vrtErinarv  medicines  49 

and  heat,  accompanied  with  scurfiness  and  baldness  of  the 
skin.  The  treatment  consists,  first  in  destroying  the  acari,  and 
second  in  absolute  cleanliness  of  the  parts  affected.  No  better 
preparation  for  horses  or  cattle  will  be  found  than  the  following, 
which  may  be  applied  twice  a  day  for  a  short  time,  and  after- 
wards once  a  day  :— 

Black  Sulphur    .         .         .  .  .     4  oz. 

Powdered  White  Hellebore  .  .      I  02. 

Turpentine  .         .         .  •  .      I  to  4  oz. 

Linseed  Oil  to  make  .         .  .  .  24  oz. 

When  a  milder  treatment  is  required,  mercurial  ointment  or 
sulphur  ointment,  or  a  mixture  of  sulphur,  tar,  and  linseed 
oil,  may  be  tried.  Another  good  formula  is  a  mixture  of  i  part 
each  of  commercial  cresol,  soft  soap,  and  turpentine,  with 
17  parts  rape  or  linseed  oil. 

Professor  Simonds,  formerly  principal  of  the  Royal  Veteri- 
nary College,  Camden  Town,  was  very  fond  of  prescribing  the 
following,  and  the  writer  has  used  it  for  many  years  for  dog^, 
though  too  vesicating  for  horses  : — 

Spirit  of  Tar  \ 

Spirit  of  Turpentine      c    Equal  parts.     MI\'. 

Seed  Oil  ) 

Two  good  dressings,  with  an  interval  of  three  days,  will  certainly 
destroy  sarcoptic  mange.  The  animal  should  afterwards  be 
washed  with  a  neutral  soap  and  rinsed  in  a  quart  or  two  of 
warm  water  containing  2^  per  cent,  of  glycerin. 

It  happens  sometimes  with  dog  patients  that  they  must  be 
treated  in  the  houses  of  their  owners,  and  such  an  application 
as  the  last  is  not  suitable  for  pets — or,  rather,  for  the  upholstery 
of  the  house.  A  fairly  effectual  lotion  for  such  may  be  made 
as  follows  :  — 

Hyd.  Perchler.  <         •         •        •        .     5J. 

Flor.  Sulph. 

Spt.  Vini   .... 

Aq.  Calais  .  .  . 

Boil  the  aq.  calcis  and  fior.  sulph.  together 
in  the  spirit,  and  add  when  cold. 

E 


•    SJ- 
dissolve  the  hyd.  perchloi". 


50  VETERINARY  COUNTER  FRACTICR 

There  is  another  form  of  mange  in  dogs,  known  as  folHcular, 
and  affecting  a  comparatively  small  area  of  skin.  It  usually 
begins  on  the  withers  or  some  spot  along  the  back,  very  slowly 
invades  the  adjacent  hair-glands,  finding  pasture  only  in  those 
large  ones  from  which  grow  the  coarse  hairs  which  dogs  erect 
when  angry.  It  may  spread  for  a  width  of  two  fingers  and 
extend  from  the  top  of  the  neck  to  the  root  of  the  tail.  It 
seldom  attracts  attention  until  the  parasite  {Demodex  follicu- 
loriim)  has  obtained  a  firm  hold,  and  is  scarcely  ever  entirely 
dislodged.  The  demodex  itself  can  be  killed  with  the  tar  and 
turpentine  lotion  already  referred  to,  but  the  eggs  remain  and 
hatch  about  the  month  of  July  in  the  following  year.  The  hair 
should  be  clipped,  and  two  or  three  applications  of  the  lotion 
made,  then  washed,  as  for  sarcoptic  mange  ;  but  clients  should 
be  made  to  understand  that  it  will  recur  unless  a  bottle  of 
the  lotion  is  kept  in  stock  and  applied  in  the  early  months 
of  summer,  when  a  disposition  to  rub  against  the  staves  of 
chairs,  &c.,  is  first  noticed. 

None  of  the  foregoing  preparations  are  suitable  for  cats,  for 
various  reasons,  chief  among  them  being  the  extreme  suscep- 
tibility of  cats  to  terebinthinous  applications.  Carbolic  acid 
should  under  no  circumstances  be  prescribed  for  cats,  and 
death  has  not  unfrequently  been  caused  by  applications  of 
ordinary  cresol  emulsions.  The  following  is  a  suitable  dress- 
ing for  mange  in  these  animals  : — 

Chinosol      .         .         .         .         .1  part. 
Glycerin       .         .         .         .         .2  parts. 
Aquce  Dest.  ....      200  parts. 

A  previous  soaking  with  soapy  water  is  necessary  to  remove 
the  serosity  in  cases  of  any  standing.  For  the  '  common  or 
garden'  cat,  not  sharing  my  lady's  boudoir,  ung.  sulph.  simp, 
will  do  well  enough,  but  a  little  ol.  anchusre  and  a  few  drops 
of  eucalyptus  will  enhance  its  value  in  the  eyes  of  most 
customers. 


IE  T ERIK  A  R  V  ME  DICINES 


51 


Spring  Medicines. — It  is  one  of  the  features  of  veterinary 
trade  that  the  advent  of  spring  brings  an  increased  demand 
for  horse  and  cattle  medicines,  and  it  will  be  advantageous  for 
the  retailer  to  know  the  nature  of  the  business  he  has  to  cope 
with.  It  is  about  this  time  that  the  horse  changes  his  coat, 
and  he  feels  the  benefit  of  alterative  powders,  for  which  most 
country  druggists  have  some  cherished  recipe.  To  those  who 
have  not  we  may  say  that  those  powders  are  most  likely  to 
ensure  fame  which  contain  remedies  that  act  (i)  on  the  skin 
in  casting  the  old  coat  ;  (2)  on  the  livtr,  clogged  by  months 
of 'hard'  feeding  without  green  meat;  and  (3)  on  the  parasites 
which  find  a  home  in  50  per  cent,  of  horses  in  town  and 
country.  For  a  powder  that  is  safe  and  reliable  in  these 
various  respects  the  following  is  an  excellent  combination. 
It  should  be  given  in  the  morning  feed,  either  on  damped 
corn  and  chaff  or  in  a  handful  of  bran  mash  :  — 


Alterative  Poivde 


Anlim.  Pot.  Tart. 
Ferri  Sulph.    . 
Hyd.  c.  Creta 
Santonini 
Sodii  Chlor.    . 
Pulv.  Foenug. 
Tulv.  Gent.     . 


5SS. 

5J- 
gr.  X-. 

gr.  X. 
5U- 

5ij.     M. 


This  is  for  a  single  dose.  The  mixture  may  be  coloured  with 
Armenian  bole  without  making  it  unpalatable  or  interfering 
with  its  '  nose  ' ;  or  yellow  with  turmeric. 

An  equally  efficacious  ball,  for  those  who  will  pay  the 
better  price  which  balls  command,  can  be  made  of  5j.  of 
aloes,  and  with  cinchona  instead  of  gentian  ;  but  balls  con- 
taining aloes  should  only  be  given  two  or  three  times  a  week, 
for  fear  of  causing  nausea  or  purging. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  all  worm-medicines  are 
uncertain  in  their  action,  but  the  springtime  favours  the 
medicaments,  as  early  green  meat  assists  in  the  dislodgment 
of  the  enemy.     Such  stickers  as  bots  may  be  prudently  pre- 


52 


V'ETRrWary  coVnTer  practice 


scribed  for  in  the  early  summer,  as  their  time  has  then  come, 
and  many  an  old  farrier's  remedies  enjoy  their  reputation 
through  beins:  recommended  at  the  ri^ht  season. 


I'erri  Sulph.    . 
Arsenic. 
Gum.  Asafet. 
Tereb.  Venet. 


Cupri  Sulph.   . 
Sodii  Chlor.    . 
Pulv.  Calumbce 
Pulv.  Zingib.  . 
Ol.  Filicis 


Worm  Balls, 

(0 


Ft.  bol. 


(2) 


Ft.  bol. 


3lj. 
gr.  X. 

3ij- 
q.s. 


50- 
5iv. 

3U- 
3ij- 
q.s. 


One  of  either  of  these  balls  may  be  given  three  nights  a  week. 
Modern  veterinary  writers  speak  of  arsenic  as  dangerous,  but 
it  has  not  been  proved  so  in  practice,  and  many  practitioners 
give  a  much  larger  dose  than  the  above  with  exxellent  results. 
The  spring  sunshine  brings  out  the  lice  upon  cattle,  for 
which  the  following  is  a  cheap  and  efficient  remedy  : — 


Lice  Gils. 

Paraftin.          . 

,       •        f 

•    5J' 

01.  Picis 

. 

•      5J- 

01.  Sesamfe    . 

. 

•    5^- 

Any  damaged  or  inferior  oil  can  be  used  for  this  application. 

In  coarse-bred  horses  grease  has  a  tendency  to  break  out 
in  the  spring,  and  for  this  complaint  an  effectual  remedy 
yielding  large  profits  may  be  found  in  the  commercial  sul- 
phate of  zinc.  It  should  be  rubbed  down  and  tinted  with  a 
few  drops  of  cochineal,  as  this  will  not  be  enough  to  stain 
a  white-legged  horse.  A  4-oz.  packet  is  enough  for  a  gallon 
of  lotion.  Balls  should  be  given  internally  at  the  same  time. 
Most  country  druggists  have  a  good  grease-ball  recipe,  and 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  5j 

we  may  remind  them  that  any  lotion  they  may  prescribe  will 
be  much  aided  by  drachm  doses  internally  of  either  cupri 
sulph.,  cupri  acetas,  zinci  sulph.,  or  sulph.  nig.  Powders 
can  be  recommended  where  customers  will  not  pay  the  price 
of  balls  or  cannot  administer  them.  Most  horses  will  eat 
such  unpalatable  remedies  as  cupri  and  ferri  sulph.  pulv.  if 
given  with  salt  or  fenugreek  in  a  mash,  or  even  on  damped 
chaff  or  corn.  Carters  especially  have  a  great  preference  for 
powders,  though  it  necessarily  limits  the  prescriber's  choice  of 
agents. 

Although  spring  is  late  for  lambing,  there  is  still  right  up 
to  the  end  of  April  a  demand  for  certain  things,  such  as 
mixtures  for  straining  in  ewes,  lambing  oils,  &c.,  and  these 
should  not  be  put  out  of  sight.  Scouring  mixtures  for  calves 
are  useful  all  the  year  round,  and  will  keep,  and  as  soon  as 
the  sale  of  these  things  is  falling  off  retailers  should  be  making 
preparations  for  fly-powders,  sheep-dips,  and  remedies  for 
scabs,  maggots,  wounds  and  injuries.  Cleansing  drenches 
ought  at  all  times  to  be  in  a  position  to  catch  the  farmer's  eye, 
or  his  wife's,  who  is  very  often  both  prescriber  and  dispenser 
of  the  remedies  used  for  farm  stock. 

In  districts  where  quarter-ill  or  black-leg  is  to  be  found  the 
spring  is  the  time  to  recommend  the  following  :— 

Black-leg  Preventive  Drench. 

Sodii  Hyposulph gij. 

Aloes  Capensis        ....     5ij. 

Mag.  Sulph gvj.     M. 

For  one  drink.  To  be  given  in  a  pint  of  warm  water  a  day  or  two 
before  turning  out  to  pasture. 

Double  this  quantity  may  be  given  to  a  full-sized  bullock,  but 
the  dose  indicated  is  for  yearlings,  since  these  are  the  most 
frequent  subjects  of  the  fatal  malady.  In  the  section  of  Mis- 
cellaneous Formulas  at  the  end  of  the  volume  there  are  numerous 
prescriptions  which  fit  in  with  the  foregoing  remarks. 

Ringworm,  White  Flaw,  &c.,  should  be  got  rid  of 
without  delay,  and  the  dresser  should  be  advised  not  to  break 


54  VETEKhVAKY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

the  scabs,  lest  he  catch  the  infection.  The  white  patches 
should  be  liberally  anointed  with  any  grease  containing  sulphur ; 
here,  again,  is  an  opportunity  to  use  up  discoloured  vaseline, 
rancid  cold  cream,  or  aught  else  in  the  way  of  grease,  since 
it  is  only  a  vehicle,  and  of  no  therapeutic  importance.  Such 
preparations  should  be  coloured  and  'nosed,'  and,  we  need 
hardly  say,  made  the  same  to  the  eye  from  year  to  year.  The 
following  is  a  useful  formula  : — ■ 

Ringworm  Oinimcnt. 

f  ulph.  Nig §j. 

Bol.  Armen.   .....     jj. 

Adipis    ......     Jx- 

Creosoti q.s.     M. 

Any  essential  oil  which  has  gone  wrong  may  be  used,  but 
creosote  is  not  only  powerful  to  mask  rancidity,  but  is  an 
active  insecticide  in  itself. 

Ung.  potassae  sulphuratae  (lin  i6)  is  also  a  good  remedy. 

Ringworm  patches  should  not  be  scraped  with  the  fmger 
nails,  or  by  other  means,  as  cases  have  occurred  in  which  the 
person  so  doing  has  contracted  ringworm  and  suffered  very 
severe  consequences.  The  agents  above  mentioned  will  prove 
quite  effectual  if  properly  applied. 

It  not  unfrequently  happens  that  some  very  good  liniment 
or  embrocation  is  used  by  coachmen  or  others  for  the  wrong 
purpose,  so  that  the  skin  of  a  horse's  leg  is  blistered  and 
'  filling' of  the  limb  follows.  Simple  sprains  and  injuries  are 
much  better  treated  with  an  evaporating  lotion,  which  is  also 
a  rapid  means  of  undoing  the  mischief  of  these  embrocations, 
whose  active  ingredients  consist  of  turpentine,  ammonia,  &c. 
A  suitable  remedy  for  all  kinds  of  sprains,  injuries,  swellings, 
&c  ,  of  the  limbs  of  horses  or  cattle  is  the  following  :  — 
Sedative  Lotion. 

Animon.  Mr.r.  .  .  .  .  jij. 

Acid.  Acetic.  .         ,         .         .         •  SJ- 

Pot.  Nit 5iv. 

Spt.  \  ini  Rcct 5'j. 

Aq.  a  1 Oj.       M. 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  55 

This  is  a  concentrated  lotion,  and  needs  to  be  mixed  with 
a  gallon  of  rain-water,  and  applied  on  wet  bandages,  or 
sponged  on  to  the  injured  parts  and  allowed  to  dry.  There 
is  no  season  of  the  year  when  this  may  not  be  sold,  if  kept 
in  stock  and  recommended,  when  less  suitable  but  more  widely 
known  goods  are  asked  for. 

Another  valuable  and  much-overlooked  application  is 
carbolised  oil,  i  in  25  or  30.  This,  coloured  with  either  ol. 
viride  or  alkanet,  will  make  for  itself  a  demand  if  sold  during 
the  shearing  season  as  wound  oil.  Any  cheap  oil  may  be 
used  as  a  diluent  of  the  acid. 

All  Ointment  for  the  Destruction  of  Warbles  in  the  backs 
of  bullocks  would  sell  well  in  the  summer  if  conspicuously 
labelled.  Miss  Ormerod  has  succeeded  in  calling  the  world's 
attention  to  the  annual  loss  sustained  by  these  pests,  though 
veterinary  writers  have  shouted  in  vain  for  a  century  to  the 
same  effect.  Ung.  hydrarg.  rubbed  into  the  tumour  is  a  safe 
and  effectual  remedy,  and  chemists  and  druggists  might 
exterminate  warbles,  as  well  as  bots,  if  they  would  more  per- 
sistently call  the  attention  of  farmers  to  the  remedies  that  will 
prevent  their  propagation. 

An  application  much  needed  by  the  horsekeeper  is  a 
cheap  and  colourless  agent  for  keeping  flies  from  settling  on 
horses.  There  is  a  fortune  in  a  really  efficient,  cheap,  and 
easily  applied  remedy  that  may  be  used  over  the  face  without 
fear  of  injuring  the  eyes.  Various  things  have  been  tried, 
such  as  walnut-leaves,  infused  weak  preparations  of  creosote, 
Jeyes'  fluid,  &c.,  but  they  soon  dry,  and  fail  to  afford  assis- 
tance. The  worst  of  horse  accidents  occur  from  the  annoyance 
that  flies  cause,  and  the  R.S.P.C.A.  would  probably  confer  its 
gold  medal  on  the  man  who  could  produce  a  really  successful 
remedy. 

Setoning  is  still  largely  practised  in  so  called  '  pooky ' 
districts,  and  a  suitable  dressing  for  inducing  and  maintaining 
suppuration  in  the  dewlap  (where  the  seton  is  inserted)  may 
be  composed  of  ol.  tereb.  i  part,  ol.  anchus^  2  parts. 


56  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Sheep  Dips. — In  the  section  on  Diseases  of  Sheep  we 
deal  fully  with  the  treatment  of  the  various  skin  diseases  which 
affect  sheep.  Here  it  will  be  well  to  give  some  attention  to 
the  business  side  of  the  matter,  for  it  is  a  most  important 
one  to  the  country  chemist.  To  enumerate  the  various 
insecticides  which  have  from  time  to  time  been  used  as  a 
means  of  cleansing  the  fleeces  of  sheep  and  freeing  them  from 
parasites  would  be  simply  to  make  a  list  of  all  poisonous  sub- 
stances generally  known.  Many  of  them  are  now  in  disuse, 
and  those  that  are  chiefly  employed  comprise  only  a  small 
list  of  poisons,  chief  of  which  is  arsenic.  In  some  form  or 
other  this  is  the  principal  ingredient  in  '  poisonous  '  dips. 

Amongst  the  so-called  '  non-poisonous '  ones,  carbolic  acid 
or  cresol  is,  again,  with  perhaps  the  exception  of  tobacco,  or 
in  some  rare  cases  stavesacre,  the  main  ingredient,  under 
whatever  name  it  is  placed  upon  the  market.  We  propose 
here  to  give  a  few  formulae  for  the  preparation  of  both 
varieties. 

Of  the  arsenical  variety  of  dips  the  following  will  be  found 
useful  and  comparatively  cheap,  and  it  has  the  merit  of  being 
easily  prepared  and  put  up  for  sale  without  any  elaborate 
plant : — 

Arsenious  Acid  ....  gxij. 
Dried  Sodium  Carbonate  .  .  gxij. 
Sulphur 5iv. 

Mix. 

This  quantity  in  packets  can  easily  be  retailed  at  from  Zd.  to 
i^.,  and  is  sufficient  for  twenty-five  to  thirty  sheep,  first  dis- 
solving in  a  few  gallons  of  boiling  water,  and  then  adding 
more  water  to  make  30  gallons,  to  which  may  be  added  a 
few  pounds  of  soft  soap  if  desired.  The  powder  may  also 
be  mixed  with  the  soap  and  sold  as  a  paste  dip,  when  of  course 
the  price  would  be  enhanced.  Where  the  price  obtainable  is 
not  prohibitive,  the  substitution  of  potass,  carb.  for  soda  is 
an  advantage,  but  a  little  more  care  is  then  necessary  in  the 
packing  to  ensure  that  no  deliquescence  takes  place, 


VETERINARY  MEDICINES  57 

Another  and  favourite  form  of  arsenical  dip  is  the  sub- 
stitution of  the  yellow  arsenious  sulphide  in  place  of  the 
arsenious  acid  forming  the  '  yellow  dips '  for  which  so  much 
is  claimed  ;  and  it  is  used  in  the  same  way  and  in  the  same 
proportions  as  the  first-mentioned  variety,  while  the  cost  is 
practically  the  same. 

It  is  claimed  for  this  class  of  dip  that  they  not  only  kill  all 
parasites  infesting  the  sheep,  as  well  as  the  eggs,  but  that 
they  are  a  sure  preventive  of  the  'fly'  striking  ;  but  this  claim 
cannot  be  sustained.  Flockmasters  should  be  supplied  with 
the  fly-powder  for  which  a  recipe  will  be  found  on  p.  209. 
Dips  of  the  class  above  mentioned  are  improved  in  respect  of 
repelling  the  fly  by  the  addition  of  i  or  2  pints  of  crude  cresol 
to  each  50  gallons  of  dip.  The  latter  in  favourable  dry  seasons 
helps  to  keep  off  this  pest  considerably. 

Of  the  many  forms  of  so-called  non-poisonous  dips  carbolic 
acid  in  some  form  or  other  is  the  principal  ingredient,  and  is 
no  doubt  a  good  effective  dip,  and  may  be  either  compounded 
in  the  form  of  a  fluid  or  paste,  the  first  form  of  which  is 
efiectively  represented  by  any  of  the  'soluble  cresols'  pur- 
chasable at,  say,  about  \s.  6d.  per  gallon,  retailing  at  from 
2S.  6d.  to  3i".  6d. — this  quantity  being  sufficient,  with  50  gallons 
of  water,  for  fifty  sheep.  It  compares  favourably  as  to  price 
with  the  arsenical  form. 

The  paste  dips  of  this  class  are,  as  a  rule,  simply  a  cheap 
carbolic  soap,  containing  from  10  to  25  per  cent,  of  acid,  of 
which  about  10  lbs.,  dissolved  in  about  40  to  50  gallons  of 
water,  is  the  usual  quantity  for  fifty  sheep.  It  may  be  noted 
here  that  while  a  certain  proportion  of  soap  is  useful,  too  much 
tends  to  render  the  fleece  somewhat  hard  and  harsh,  thus 
reducing  its  market  value  to  some  extent,  which  must  be 
guarded  against.  Sometimes  in  place  of  soap  the  acid  is 
mixed  with  a  common  quality  of  glycerin,  forming  what  is 
known    as   a  glycerin  dip.*      This  is  undoubtedly   a  useful 

*  Glycerin  dips  have  fallen  out  of  favour  on  account  of  the  attrac- 
tiveness to  fly  of  the  glycerin  which  remains  on  the  fleece  when  the  sheep 
have  become  dry  again. 


58  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

preparation  when  the  acid  is  in  the  proportion  of  not  less  than 
I  to  2  of  glycerin,  of  which  12  lbs.  would  be  the  quantity  for 
about  fifty  sheep,  in  the  same  quantity  of  water  as  for  the 
others.  In  place  of  carbolic  acid,  '  tar  oil '  is  sometimes  used, 
but  is  not  to  be  recommended,  as,  although  an  effective 
parasiticide,  curing  mange  and  '  scab,'  it  has  the  disadvantage 
of  not  mixing  well  with  water  or  the  other  ingredients  of  the 
dip,  and  tends  to  discolour  the  wool. 

Stavesacre-seed  in  the  proportion  of  i  to  30  ot  water, 
boiling  for  an  hour  or  more,  to  which  sulphur  may  be  added, 
is  also  a  useful  preparation,  although  too  strong  solutions  tend 
to  cause  nausea  and  prostration. 

Tobacco  is  another  favourite  in  some  districts,  and  as 
the  duty-free  article  is  easily  obtainable,  it  makes  a  cheap  and 
good  dip.  The  following  is  a  reliable  formula  for  ordinary 
purposes  : — 


Unmanufacturetl  Tobacco 


Carbonate  of  Potash         .         .         .1  lb. 
Sulphur ......      I  lb. 

Soft  Soap       .....]  lb. 

Boil   for  an  hour  in  a  few  gallons  of  water,  and  then  make  up  to  20 
to  40  gallons,  which  is  sufficient  for  about  forty  sheep  or  fifty  lambs. 


I  lb. 


59 


DISEASES    OF   THE  HORSE 

Gripes,  or  Colic— Perhaps  the  most  common  acute 
disease  horses  are  subject  to  is  coHc  or  'gripes.'  The  term 
is  used  very  vaguely,  being  applied  to  nearly  every  case  of 
abdominal  pain,  from  indigestion  up  to  inflammation  of  the 
bowels. 

Nearly  every  stableman  recognises  abdominal  pain,  and 
the  majority  have  strong  opinions  of  their  own  as  to  the 
seat  of  disease,  if  they  do  not  know  of  a  nostrum  or  certain 
cure.  It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  say  that  these  opinions  are 
not  formed  on  any  knowledge  of  the  subject,  nor  indeed  on 
experience ;  for  when  a  horse  dies  he  is  seldom  seen  open  by 
the  attendant  groom  or  carter,  and  the  cause  of  death  is  not 
always  to  be  easily  discerned  by  a  person  unfamiliar  with  the 
natural  condition  and  appearance  of  the  viscera.  It  is  very 
misleading  to  the  intending  prescriber,  unless  he  be  an  old 
practitioner,  to  be  told  most  positively  that  the  patient  is  suffering 
from  kidney  disease  when  all  the  symptoms  are  obscure,  and 
he  would  be  glad  to  learn  the  true  history  of  the  case.  He 
cannot  ask  the  patient,  and  if  he  listen  to  the  attendant  he  is 
more  likely  to  be  led  astray  than  if  he  concentrate  his  atten- 
tion on  the  symptoms,  and  find  out  by  careful  examination 
what  were  the  special  characteristics  of  a  former  attack,  if  the 
groom  is  very  positive  of  what  is  the  matter.  Information  of 
this  kind  cannot  be  obtained  from  an  ignorant  man  who  has 
been  flatly  contradicted  at  the  outset,  and  it  is  always  better  to 
let  the  attendant  do  the  talking  and  never  be  in  a  hurry  to  give 
a  decided  opinion.  A  case  of  gripes  may  turn  out  to  be  any- 
thing, from  a  ruptured  liver  to  a  simple  bellyache.    The  indica- 


6o 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


tions  of  pain  in  the  viscera  are  very  much  ahke,  and  after 
attempting  a  general  description  of  the  horse's  behaviour  under 
such  circumstances  we  may  endeavour  to  differentiate  between 
the  causes,  and  to  suggest  the  most  Ukely  treatment  to  be 
successful. 


Lips  ;  2,  nostrils  ;  3,  face  ;  4,  brow  ;  5,  hollows  over  the  ej-es  ;  6,  foretop  ;  7,  ears ; 
8,  lower  jaw  ;  g,  cheek  ;  10,  poll  ;  11,  throat  ;  12,  parotid  gland  ;  13,  neck  bones  ; 
14,  crest  ;  15,  gullet  ;  16,  chest  ;  17,  withers  ;  18,  back  ;  19,  ribs  ;  ao,  loins  ;  21,  croup  ; 
22,  tail  ;  23,  anus  ;  24,  flank  ;  25,  belly  ;  26,  sheath  ;  27,  testicles  ;  28,  shoulder  and 
arm  ;  29,  elbow  ;  30,  fore-arm  ;  31,  caston  ;  32,  knee  ;  33,  canon  ;  34,  fetlock  ; 
35,  pastern  ;  36,  coronet  ;  37,  foot  ;  38,  tuft  of  fetlock  ;  39,  haunch  ;  40,  thigh  ; 
41,  stifle  ;  42,  buttock  ;  43,  leg  ;  44,  hock. 


Horses  are  more  likely  to  be  attacked  with  colic  or  gripes 
after  work  than  during  or  previous  to  it,  and  more  frequently 
in  hot  than  in  cold  weather. 

A  copious  draught  of  cold  water  given  to  a  horse  when  he 
comes  in  from  exhausting  labour  is  a  frequent  source  of  colic, 
but  provided  the  water  is  at  something  like  the  temperature  of 


DISMASTS  OF  THE  HORSE 


6i 


the  air,  there  is  no  objection  to  a  heated  animal  drinking  any 
reasonable  quantity.  His  blood-vessels  are  thus  rapidly  reple- 
nished, and  the  water  acts  as  a  restorative,  refreshing  him  gene- 
rally, and  preparing  his  stomach  for  digestion.  Because  drinking 
spring  or  well  water  (generally  very  cold)  is  a  source  of  gripes. 


I,  mouth  :  ?,  nasal  cavity  ;  3,  cranial  cavity  ;  4,  pliarynx  :  5,  epiglottis  ;  6,  oesophagus, 
or  gullet  ;  7,  windpipe  ;  8,  heart  :  9,  the  great  abdominal  artery  ;  10,  Jungs  ; 
II,  diaphragm  ;  12.  spleen;  13,  stomach;  14,  arterial  branches  to  supply  viscera; 
15,  liver;  16,  the  great  colon;  17,  ca;cum  ;  18,  small  intestines;  19,  left  kidney; 
20,  floating  intestine  ;  21,  rectum  ;  22,  bladder  ;  23,  urethra  ;  24,  anus. 

it  was  formerly  thought  that  horses  should  not  be  allowed 
to  satisfy  their  thirst  when  heated,  and  until  recent  years  the 
opinion  was  quite  generally  endorsed  by  veterinary  surgeons. 
It  has  now  been  conclusively  proved  that  watering  before 
feeding  is  best,  unless  the  water  is  very  cold.    There  has  been  a 


62  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

redaction  in  the  number  of  colic  cases  in  the  Army  and  the 
great  carrying'studs  since  the  latter  practice  has  been  adopted. 
Gripes  or  colic  may  arise  from  exhaustion,  long  fasting,  and 
hereditary  predisposition,  associated  with  a  particular  confor- 
mation in  which  there  is  too  much  space  between  the  last  rib 
and  the  hip.  These  are  called  'washy'  horses,  and  are  liable 
to  a  variety  of  digestive  troubles,  conspicuous  among  them 
being  colic  cither  of  the  spasmodic  or  flatulent  varieties. 

If  a  horse  is  attacked  on  coming  in  from  work,  the  first 
symptom  which  the  groom  notices  is  that  he  does  not  want 
his  '  tommy.'  Presently  he  begins  to  scrape  the  ground  with 
his  front  foot,  perhaps  one,  perhaps  the  other,  whisks  his 
tail,  stamps  with  his  feet,  looks  round  towards  his  belly,  fre- 
quently attempts  to  make  water,  appears  excited,  then  dull  and 
listless,  scrapes  again,  brings  all  four  feet  close  together,  and  if 
not  racked  up  will  go  down  after  several  feints  at  doing  so. 
Now  he  will  roll  on  his  back,  groan  and  sweat,  and  as  suddenly 
get  up  again  in  an  interval  of  respite,  and  perhaps  begin  his 
meal ;  another  paroxysm  of  pain  ensues,  and  the  same  process 
is  repeated — this  is  a  typical  case  of  gripes  or  spasmodic  colic. 
If  a  gripe  draught  or  '  drink,'  as  it  is  commonly  called,  be 
administered,  he  probably  recovers  in  an  hour  or  two.  The 
real  condition  in  his  case  was  spasm  of  the  muscular  coat  of 
the  intestines — extremely  painful,  as  the  agonised  expression  of 
the  horse  testifies,  but  leaving  no  ill-effects  if  the  diffusible 
stimulants  employed  were  of  a  proper  kind.  Before  prescribing, 
it  should  be  ascertained  if  anything  has  already  been  given,  as 
upon  the  answer  depends  the  modification  or  alteration  of  your 
dose.  If  the  groom  has  introduced  tobacco  into  the  '  sheath,' 
or  '  figged  '  the  animal,  the  plug  should  be  removed.  In 
ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred  the  attendant  is  positive 
that  it  is  'his  water '  that  is  wrong,  and  backs  up  his  assertion 
by  reference  to  someone  who  has  seen  him  pass  thick 
urine. 

To  those  not  acquainted  with  stable  nomenclature,  we  should 
explain  that  'figging'  is  the  insertion  of  a  piece  of  chewed 
ginger  into  the  reitum  ;  in  this  case  as  a  remedial  agent,  thougli 


DISEASES   OF  THE  HORSE  63 

more  often  used  by  horse-copers  to  make  a  sluggish  old  horse 
look  and  behave  in  a  lively  and  youthful  manner  at  a  fair  or 
sale-yard.  Of  course  nq  good  can  come  from  such  a  remedy, 
any  more  than  from  the  insertion  of  the  tobacco  in  the  animal's 
sheath,  and  lovers  of  horses  ought  to  know  that  '  figging  '  is  a 
punishable  offence,  and  lose  no  opportunity  of  denouncing  it. 
It  may  also  be  stated  that  horses  in  perfect  health,  and  of 
both  sexes,  frequently  pass  thick  urine,  and  they  are  much 
more  likely  to  be  wrong  when  it  is  colourless  than  when  it  is 
occasionally  thick. 

In  some  districts  it  is  common  among  stablemen  and  others 
to  give  as  much  as  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  turpentine  before 
seeking  professional  assistance.  We  are  aware,  too,  that  some 
experienced  veterinarians  regularly  use  the  following  : — 


01.  Terebinth. 

•    5J- 

01.  Lini        .... 

•      5'^'- 

Spt.  .iith.  Nit. 

•      5J- 

M.  ft.  haust. 

This  treatment  has  the  advantage  that  it  pleases  an  ignorant 
horse-owner.  A  horse  with  violent  abdominal  pain  will  not 
stale  ;  turpentine  soon  acts  upon  the  kidneys,  and  thus  urged 
an  animal  will  frequently  empty  its  bladder,  though  the  colic 
remains  uncured  ;  and  as,  strange  to  say,  numbers  of  people 
believe  that  when  a  horse  has  colic  '  his  water  is  wrong,'  the 
action  of  the  turpentine  is  misinterpreted,  and  the  medicine 
is  thought  wonderful. 

If  nothing  more  than  a  gill  of  whisky  or  other  spirit  has 
been  given,  the  following  will  be  a  good  draught  : — 


.^ther.  Rect. 
Tinct.  Opii 
01.  Tereb.  . 
Tinct.  Asafct. 
01.  Lini  ad 


5ss. 
O.SS. 


M.  ft.  haust. 


This  may  be  repeated  in  an  hour,  if  necessarj'.     Considerable 
.  benefit  is  often  derived  from  the  following  draught,  which  is 


64  VETERINARV  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

the   one   commonly    relied    upon    by  many   veterinary    Suf- 
geons  i — 

Spt.  .ilth.  Nit.      i         .         i  i         .     3J. 

Tincti  Opii   .         i  .         i  .         ;     jj; 

Ol.  Lini        ....  1         .     Oss. 

The  injection  of  a  pint  or  two  of  hot  water  per  recturti 
IS  of  the  utmost  service  in  a  case  of  this  kind,  but  the  dung 
should  be  first  removed  from  the  rectum  by  introducing  the 
hand  as  far  as  the  arm  can  reach.  Some  little  resistance  is 
offered  by  the  sphincter  ani,  but  it  is  easily  overcome  by  in- 
troducing two  or  three  fingers  first,  and  the  hand  and  arm 
should  be  well  greased,  both  for  the  convenience  of  the 
operatcr  and  of  the  subject.  The  water  used  for  injection 
should  not  be  hotter  than  the  groom  can  bear  to  put  his  naked 
elbow  in.  This  is  a  fair  test  for  poultices  also,  the  horny  hand 
of  the  stableman  being  insensitive  to  temperatures  which 
might  injure  either  the  mucous  membrane  or  the  skin  of  a 
horse's  heel.  Not  a  very  pleasant  operation  ;  but  the  man 
who  objects  to  do  it,  is  not  fit  for  a  horse-doctor,  however 
well  versed  in  the  art  of  curative  medicine.  Injections  should 
not  be  forced  into  the  bowel,  but  only  gently  introduced,  for 
force  distends  the  rectum,  and  when  this  force  is  removed, 
the  gut,  like  all  hollow  muscular  organs,  contracts  and 
expels  its  contents — an  event  to  be  avoided.  The  longer  in 
reason  an  injection  is  retained  the  better  ;  its  immediate 
and  forcible  ejection  is  an  occurrence  of  bad  omen. 

It  is  not  every  case  of  spasmodic  colic  which  terminates 
in  the  happy  recovery  of  the  animal  in  a  few  hours,  and  a 
number  of  valuable  horses  die  every  week  of  this  complaint  ; 
it  cannot  therefore  be  considered  a  light  matter,  and  the  pro- 
fessional attendant  should  not  be  too  sanguine  of  recovery 
notwithstanding  intervals  of  ease  which  lead  the  uninitiated  to 
suppose  the  difficulty  is  at  an  end.  The  sequelce  to  be  feared  in 
spasmodic  colic  are  strangulated  hernia  and  intussusception  ;  the 
former,  commonly  called  twisted  gut,  or  gut-tie,  is  the  result  of 
the  muscular  spasm  before  referred  to,  as  also  is  intussusception, 


DISEASES  OE  THE  HORSE  65 

in  which  latter  case  a  portion  of  the  gut  is  involuted,  like  the 
finger  of  a  glove  when  pulled  off  a  wet  hand. 

A  fatal  result  may  generally  be  expected,  though  it  is  sup- 
posed by  some  good  authorities  on  the  subject  that  both  these 
conditions  are  occasionally  remedied  by  the  relaxation  of  the 
spasm.  As  we  can  only  see  those  cases  which  prove  fatal,  it  will 
probably  remain  a  matter  of  conjecture  to  the  end  of  time.  We 
know,  of  course,  that  human  subjects  have  been  successfully  oper- 
ated upon,  but  horses  are  not  only  difficult  patients  to  manage,  but 
much  more  susceptible  to  peritonitis,  and  cannot  be  persuaded 
to  lie  on  their  backs  with  surgical  appliances  for  days,  and  be 
fed  with  a  spoon.  Veterinary  surgeons  have  lately  been 
operating  in  abdominal  cases,  but  without  rnuch  success,  one 
of  the  great  drawbacks  being  the  difficulty  in  arriving  at  a 
correct  diagnosis  in  such  cases. 

It  is  a  tradition  of  the  stable  that  when  a  horse  is  attacked 
with  gripes  he  should  not  be  allowed  to  lie  down,  but  con- 
stantly walked  about,  and  the  origin  of  this  is  an  idea  that 
roUing  is  the  cause  of  twisted  gut ;  we  do  not  agree  with  this, 
but  consider  a  good  bed  of  straw  and  liberty  to  seek  an  easy 
posture  much  more  conducive  to  recovery,  and  if  movement 
of  the  intestines  could  be  caused  by  rolling,  a  gut  already 
twisted  might  be  untwisted  in  the  act ;  there  is,  however,  very 
little  doubt  that  irregular  spasmodic  contractions  of  the 
muscular  layers  of  the  intestine  are  the  cause  of  both  the 
conditions  we  have  been  considering. 

For  other  cases,  see  Flatulent  Colic,  which  has  many  more 
causes,  and  requires  different  treatment.  It  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  distinguish  at  the  outset  which  of  these  forms 
has  to  be  dealt  with. 

Flatulent  Colic. — Under  *  Gripes,'  we  have  treated  of 
cases  of  spasmodic  cohc  or  that  form  of  gripes  which  is  caused 
by  sudden  muscular  contraction  of  the  bowel. 

There  are  many  other  causes,  besides  drinking  cold  water 
when  the  animal  is  hot,  which  induce  gripes  ;  but  flatulent 
colic  is  not  so  often  traceable  to  an  immediate  and  exciting 

F 


66  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

cause  as  to  such  chronic  reasons  as  indigestion,  improper  food, 
over-feeding,  long  spells  of  idleness,  and  fast  driving  on  a  full 
stomach  ;  windsuckers,  cribbers,  and  weavers  are  the  most 
frequent  subjects,  though  any  horse  is  liable  to  it.  In  some  it 
is  hereditary  as  in  man,  and  post-mortem  examination  does 
not  show  any  anatomical  peculiarity.  A  knowledge  of  the  fact 
that  it  is  hereditary  should  be,  but  often  is  not,  sufficient  to 
prevent  an  owner  from  breeding  from  a  colicky  mare.  We 
have  known  several  apparently  valuable  colts,  bred  from  the 
same  mare,  but  by  different  sires,  to  die  of  colic  without  any 
exciting  cause,  and  before  they  had  ever  looked  through  a 
collar  ;  the  man,  therefore,  who  breeds  from  a  flatulent  mare  is 
courting  disaster. 

Indigestion  in  one  or  other  of  its  many  forms,  and  they 
are  legion,  is  the  chief  cause  of  flatulent  colic  ;  but  worms, 
intestinal  calculi,  dung-balls,  and  other  bodies  not  carried  on 
by  the  ordinary  peristaltic  action,  may  result  in  colic  ;  or  too 
much  green  food,  especially  if  allowed  to  remain  in  a  heap  for 
some  time  before  it  is  eaten.  It  is  customary,  in  the  early 
summer  months,  to  supply  horses  with  cut  r}'e  and  vetches  or 
other  green  stuff",  which  has  been  cut  early  in  the  morning  with 
a  heavy  dew  or  rain  upon  it,  and  in  which  consequently  fer- 
mentation has  been  so  quickly  established  that  by  the  time  it 
is  delivered  in  town  stables  it  will  be  found  quite  hot  upon 
thrusting  the  hand  into  the  centre  of  the  bundle.  This  kind 
of  food  is  devoured  with  avidity  by  stall-fed  horses  accustomed 
to  dry,  hard  food  for  many  months  at  a  time,  and  the  conse- 
quence is  an  accumulation  in  the  intestines,  fermentation,  and 
elimination  of  large  volumes  of  COo  and  HoS.  The  symptoms 
very  much  resemble  those  of  spasmodic  colic  :  the  horse  paws, 
scrapes  the  ground,  strikes  at  his  belly  with  the  hind  feet, 
groans,  rolls,  sweats,  and  trembles.  If  he  breaks  wind  to  a 
great  extent,  he  seems,  and  doubtless  is,  relieved  by  so  much 
gas  as  he  has  been  able  to  pass  ;  but  he  is  under  a  difficulty 
that  neither  man  nor  ruminants  know,  namely,  he  cannot 
eructate,  save  to  a  very  limited  extent. 

liesidcs  all   the  differences  in  a  cow's  digestive  apparatus, 


DISEASES  OP   THE  HORSE  67 

she  is  able  to  get  rid  of  a  vast  quantity  ot  gas  upwards. 
You  have  only  to  punch  one  in  the  belly  to  discover  this,  and 
many  cows  do  it  with  no  greater  provocation  than  being 
looked  at  by  a  stranger. 

The  pulse  in  flatulent  colic,  as  in  the  spasmodic  form,  is 
not  sufficiently  altered  at  first  to  be  much  guide,  but  it  should 
be  noted  in  order  to  compare  it  with  some  other  bowel  com- 
plaints in  which  it  is -an  important  indicator.  There  is  one 
marked  symptom  which  will  enable  the  beginner  to  distinguish 
flatulent  colic,  and  that  is  the  drum-like  condition  of  the 
belly.  It  is  probable  that  the  attendant  will  have  already 
noticed  that,  but  the  veterinary  adviser  should  in  any  case  of 
colic  take  notice  if  the  usual  depression  between  the  hip  and 
ribs  is  at  all  filled  up,  and  whether  it  sounds  drum-like  upon 
being  lightly  struck.  If  the  case  is  somewhat  advanced  and  other 
remedies  have  already  been  tried,  if  the  pulse  is  small  and  weak 
and  evidence  of  extreme  prostration  is  present,  indicated  by 
cold  ears  and  legs,  a  bad  end  may  be  anticipated,  and  such  a 
case  should  not  be  attempted  by  any  but  a  qualified  veterinary 
surgeon,  if  one  is  obtainable.  When  there  is  extreme  disten- 
sion (tympanites)  a  trocar  and  cannula  are  sometimes  used  to 
puncture  the  ])Owcl  ;  but  this  operation  requires  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  anatomy,  and  is  usually  a  dernier  ressort  of 
the  surgeon.  Assuming  that  the  prescriber  is  called  in  reason- 
able time,  we  would  advise  a  mixture  of  such  remedies  as  will 
produce  a  rapid  distribution  of  nerve-force  ;  that  nerve-force 
which  controls  the  calibre  of  blood-vessels  and  directs  the 
operations  of  the  bowels  which  are  not  voluntary,  and  such 
agents  as  will  form  new  combinations  with  the  gases,  which,  we 
have  already  said,  are  chiefly  carbonic  acid  and  sulphuretted 
hydrogen.  Ammonia  suggests  itself  at  once  as  most  likely  to 
have  this  effect,  and  given  in  large  doses,  much  diluted  and 
often  repeated,  is  frequently  marvellous  in  its  reduction  of  the 
tympany.  As  the  disease  often  arises  from  retained  and 
partially  digested  food,  experience  has  long  since  induced 
farriers  to  give  an  aperient  with,  at  any  rate,  the  first  dose,  and 
although   this   practice   is   questionable   on   strictly  scientific 


68  V^TkklNARY  COUNTER  PkACTlCR 

principles,  we  are  in  this  instance  disposed  to  think  the  old 
rule-of-thumbers  are  right. 

The'  following  for  a  first  dose  has  been  most  successful  in 
our  hands  : — • 

Sp.  Amnion.  Aiom.     .         .         .         •     BJ- 

Ext.  Aloes  Barb. 

Tinct.  Opii 

Sp.  ^th.  Nit.     . 

Tinct.  Aconiti  (B.P.)  . 

Inf.  Zingib.  (i  in  lO)  ad 

M.  ft.  haust 


5U'. 

m  XX. 
Oss. 


Fleming's  tinct.  aconite  is  much  used  in  veterinary  prac- 
tice, but  in  this  work  the  B.P.  preparations  are  adhered 
to  as  much  as  possible,  for  the  sake  of  convenience  and 
uniformity.     The  following  is  also  worth  trial  : — 

Sp.  Ammon.  Arom.  .  .  .  gij. 

Tinct.  Asafetid ^^ij. 

01.  Terebinthinre     ....  _^j. 

01.  Lini  ad     .  .         .         .         .  Oss. 

ISI.  ft.  liaust. 

A  stimulating  application  all  over  the  belly  is  helpful  by 
exciting  the  peripheries  of  the  nerves,  and  no  doubt  this  is 
the  cause  of  the  benefit  derived  from  the  application  of 
topical  remedies  for  affections  seated  in  parts  which  would 
seem  too  remote  to  be  benefited.  Elliman's  Embrocation  or 
white  oils  serve  for  this  purpose,  but  the  following  is  specially 
adapted  in  the  cases  now  under  consideration  : — 

Tarts 
Lin.  Camph.  Co.         ...         .     i 
Ol.  Oiigani         .         .         .         .         .1 
Lin.  Saponis       .         .         .         .         .6 
Tinct.  Opii i     M. 

If  the  horse  is  not  improving  in  an  hour  from  the  first 
dose,  the  following  may  be  given  every  hour  : — 

Sp.  Ammon.  Arum.     .         .         .         •  oJ- 

/^ther.  Reel ^iv. 

Tinct.  Opii  .....  5iv. 

Aq.  ad Jxv. 

M.  ft.  haust. 


J 


DISEASES   OF  THE  HORSE  69 

Warm-water  injections  per  rectum  should  be  given  fre- 
quently, and  a  blanket  saturated  in  hot  water  and  suspended 
round  the  belly  should  be  advised,  the  bed  made  comfortable, 
and  an  attendant  told  off  to  watch  the  patient  and  prevent  him 
from  knocking  himself  about. 

If  relief  is  not  obtained  in  a  few  hours,  inflammation  of  the 
bowels  is  to  be  feared. 

Constipation. — All  domesticated  animals  are  liable  to 
constipation,  and  wild  ones  are  not  wholly  exempt  from  it, 
though  the  instinct  of  the  wild  beast  leads  it  to  eat  laxative 
food,  while  animals  which  have  been  domesticated  for  genera- 
tions lose  this  among  other  instincts  of  self-preservation  ; 
besides  which  horses  and  cattle,  if  not  dogs  and  cats,  have  no 
opportunity  of  selecting  the  herbs  necessary  for  medicinal 
purposes.  The  stabled  horse  and  the  stalled  ox  eat  what  is 
given  them  so  long  as  they  continue  to  be  well,  and  it  is 
frequently  only  by  their  refusal  of  food  that  the  attendant 
becomes  aware  of  anything  amiss.  A  good  stableman  will  not 
think  it  beneath  his  dignity  to  note  day  by  day  the  character  of 
the  freces  he  removes  from  the  stall,  and  many  a  fastidious 
horse-owner  has  lost  a  valuable  animal  through  failing  to 
observe  these  things  for  himself. 

Constipation  in  the  horse  may  be  said  to  be  always  dan- 
gerous ;  unlike  the  ox  and  the  dog  he  cannot  retain  a  lot  of 
ingesta  for  any  length  of  time  without  grave  symptoms.  The 
first  and  earliest  symptoms  of  constipation  in  a  horse  are 
straining  and  groaning  in  the  act  of  defecation,  an  abnormal 
effort  and  arching  of  the  back,  &c.,  and  the  dung  when 
examined  will  be  found  to  consist  of  very  small  balls,  more  or 
less  glazed  and  hard  ;  this  is  the  time  for  a  copious  bran  mash 
or  a  small  dose  of  linseed  oil.  The  following  is  a  suitable 
draught,  and  calculated  to  save  the  life  of  a  horse  at  this 
Stage  : — 


01.  Terebinthinae 

•     SiJ 

01.  Anchusae        .... 

•     §J- 

01.  Lini 

•     ^ 

M.  ft.  haust. 

7b  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Turpentine  is  a  valuable  stimulant  and  antispasmodic  when 
judiciously  administered  ;  it  should  always  be  masked  in  oil. 
The  function  of  the  ol.  anchusc^  needs  no  explanation.  A 
drachm  of  ol.  anisi,  vel  carui,  vel  menthae  also  assists  the 
ol.  anchusae  in  some  stables. 

Constipation  neglected  becomes 

Impaction  of  the  Bowels,  which  in  its  symptoms 
resembles  or  is  the  cause  of  gripes.  The  retained  ingesta 
undergo  fermentation  and  evolve  gases  which  produce  flatulent 
colic,  or  by  their  solidity  absolutely  block  the  canal  and 
permit  the  accumulation  of  gases  which  should  be  voided  per 
rectum.  {See  Gripes  and  Colic,  pp.  59-65.)  Impaction  is  the 
result  of  habitual  dry  feeding  and  want  of  bran,  carrots,  or  other 
laxatives,  or  of  inactivity  of  the  liver  or  obstruction  in  its  duct. 
{See  Inflammation  of  the  Liver,  p.  72  ;  and  Jaundice,  p.  74.) 
The  necessity  of  a  spring  and  autumn  dose  of  physic,  or  aloetic 
ball,  is  elsewhere  insisted  on  in  these  pages. 

Diarrhoea. — This  is  not  the  term  used  in  the  stable  ; 
'  purging '  being  the  more  common  word  used  to  express  the 
condition,  unless  some  more  forcible  but  less  elegant  expres- 
sion be  employed.  It  is  always  of  serious  import :  yes,  critical 
reader,  akvays,  although  you  may  own  a  horse  whose  tendency 
to  looseness  is  habitual  and  no  harm  has  come  of  it  ;  yet  be 
warned  in  time  and  adopt  any  astringent  diet  and  other  means 
to  counteract  it  of  which  we  shall  hereafter  speak  particularly. 
There  are  horses  known  as  '  washy,'  perhaps  in  other  respects 
desirable  animals  ;  but  the  moment  their  harness  is  put  on, 
they  begin  to  unload  the  rectum,  and  as  they  journey  on  getting 
looser  and  looser,  positively  purging  at  the  end  of  a  moderate 
journey,  refusing  their  food,  and  as  a  consequence  being  unfit 
for  work  next  day,  and  having  that  '  tucked  up '  appearance 
which  every  good  horseman  avoids  when  making  a  purchase. 
Some  horses  can  never  be  cured  of  this  disposition  to  purge, 
as  it  appears  to  be  connected  with  a  nervous  excitability. 
Such  animals  arc  not  fit  for  hunting  or  hard  work  in  harness  ; 
they  arc  show  animals,  and  may  be  brought  out  twice  a  week 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  71 

for  an  hour  or  two,  and  require  all  the  remaining  interval  to 
regain  their  appetites  and  drop  their  tucked-up  bellies.  This 
is  serious  to  a  man  who  buys  a  horse  for  work  and  not  for 
show.  These  creatures  generally  come  to  an  untimely  end  in 
the  hands  of  some  ignorant  or  careless  persons,  who  bring 
them  in  hot  and  purging,  and  neglect  to  look  after  them  when 
they  are  by-and-by  found  to  be  very  ill,  suffering  from  muco- 
enteritis.     {See  Enteritis,  p.  76.) 

For  treatment  of  '  washy '  horses  a  good  deal  may  be  done 
in  the  matter  of  diet  and  drugs  in  careful  hands  \  but  the 
morality  of  horse-dealing  usually  points  to  an  early  sale. 

A\'ithhold  all  green  food  and  roots  as  well  as  bran  5  give  no 
hay  that  is  not  old  and  of  the  best ;  choose  sound,  heavy  oats 
at  a  price  that  will  place  them  above  suspicion  of  being  kiln- 
dried  or  musty,  or  in  any  way  defective,  and  let  a  moderate 
amount  of  good  beans  form  a  part  of  the  daily  diet.  Beans 
are  the  most  astringent  of  all  horse  foods,  and  contain  the 
largest  amount  of  nutriment  in  the  smallest  bulk  ;  they  should 
be  kebbled  or  crushed,  especially  for  old  horses  whose  teeth 
may  be  defective.  On  a  journey,  water  should  be  mixed  with 
a  little  oatmeal  and  ttie  chill  taken  off ;  careful  management 
will  do  a  lot  towards  making  such  an  animal  useful,  but  there 
is  no  specific  for  a  downright  'washy'  horse.  A  cordial  ball 
as  follows,  after  a  journey,  will  help  : — 


Pulv.  Opii  . 

• 

.       5SS. 

Ammon.  Carb.    . 

•     5J- 

Pulv.  Zingib. 

•     5iJ- 

Pulv.  Camphorre 

.       5SS. 

Pulv.  Anisi 

. 

•    5J- 

Pulv.  Gentianre  .         . 

•     5iv. 

]M.  ft.  bolus. 

Pro  re  nata. 

Or  a  draught  as  follows  :— 

Tinct.  Opii 

. 

■     5iv. 

Tinct.  Cardam.  Co. 

. 

•      5J- 

Sp.  Chloroformi  . 

•         > 

.     5iv. 

Aq.  Camph.  ad  .         , 

. 

.     gx. 

M.  ft.  haust. 

Pro  re  nata. 

72 


VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 


There  is  no  such  difficulty  in  treating  diarrhoea  that  is 
occasional  and  accidental.  It  may  be  that  nature  is  making 
an  effort  to  rid  the  horse  of  indigestible  or  improper  food,  and 
the  store  of  forage  should  receive  immediate  investigation. 
Whatever  the  cause,  it  must  not  be  suffered  to  continue  very 
long,  as  horses  die  of  super-purgation,  in  this,  as  in  many  other 
respects,  being  more  delicate  than  other  animals. 

Treatment. — Clothe  the  body  and  bandage  the  legs  ;  with- 
hold all  laxative  food,  such  as  grass,  bran,  roots,  linseed,  &c., 
and  give  the  following  draught : — 

Tinct.  Catechu    .         .         .         .         •  SJ- 

Tinct.  Opii  .....  5iv. 

Sp.  Camph.         .....  5iv. 

Bismuth.  Carb.  vel  Trisnit.  .         .  gj. 

Aq.  Menthse  Pip.  ad  .         .        .         •  Jx- 

M.  ft.  haust. 

This  may  be  repeated,  with  perfect  safety,  every  four  or  six 
hours  if  necessary.  If  a  ball  is  more  easy  to  administer,  the 
following  may  be  substituted  : — 

Pulv.  Catechu     .         ,         .         .         ,     5iv. 


Pulv.  Opii 
Pulv.  Camph. 
Bismuth.  Subnjt 
Glycerini    . 


5J- 
jss. 

q.  s.  ut  ft. 


bol. 


This  makes  a  heavy  but  not  too  bulky  ball,  and  most  horses 
can  take  a  very  much  larger  ball  than  the  ounce  size  that 
custom  has  prescribed. 

Inflammation  of  the  Liver  is  said  to  be  infrequent,  and  it 
is  so,  in  farm-horses  and  others,  not  habitually  fed  on  stimulating 
diet ;  but  it  is  not  a  rare  complaint  in  large  towns  and  among  an 
equine  population  habitually  fed  on  corn  and  dry  food,  stabled 
in  close  railway-arches  or  underground,  as  often  happens 
where  space  is  valuable. 

The  symptoms  are  loss  of  appetite,  scraping  with  the  front 
feet,  occasional  lameness  of  the  off  fore-limb,  hide-bound,  semi- 
insensibility,    often    standing  \s\\\\    tlie  head  in  ,i  corner  and 


DISEASES  OF   THE  HORSE  73 

apparently  deaf  or  wholly  indifferent  to  surrounding  objects 
and  noises.  The  pulse  is  quick,  but  feeble  ;  the  white  of  the 
eye  reddish-yellow  ;  the  other  visible  membranes  more  or  less 
yellow,  and  tongue  sticky.  The  bowels  do  not  act,  and,  if  the 
rectum  be  unloaded  mechanically,  the  dung-balls  will  be  small 
and  glazed,  dr}',  and,  when  trodden  upon,  will  squeeze  out 
instead  of  readily  falling  to  pieces. 

Tenderness  sometimes  exists  on  the  right  side,  and  the 
horse  groans  when  turned  round ;  but  these  last  are  not 
reliable  symptoms,  as  the  same  occur  in  pleurisy,  a  wholly 
different  affection. 

The  old-fashioned  treatment  was  to  bleed  and  give  calomel 
and  aloes,  and  we  should  not  like  to  say  it  was  bad  ;  but,  now 
that  the  lancet  has  gone  out  of  fashion  among  the  leading 
veterinarians,  it  will  hardly  do  for  the  rank  and  file  to  practise 
it,  lest  one  of  the  great  ones  should  be  called  in  and  condemn 
the  treatment  and  bring  discredit  upon  the  less  eminent  but 
not  less  useful  prescriber. 

The  treatment  that  commends  itself  to  the  present  genera- 
tion is  to  give  enemata  of  soap  and  water  at  frequent  intervals, 
counter-irritation  on  the  right  side  over  the  region  of  the  liver, 
and  salines.  Mustard  may  be  used  as  the  counter-irritant, 
though  the  counter  prescriber  would  do  better  to  supply 
'  Hn.  amnion.  §vj.  statim  applicand.'  A  bold  aperient  dose 
is  also  advisable  at  the  outset,  since  constipation  is  an  obstinate 
concomitant  of  liver  inefficiency,  and  retained  ingesta  fre- 
quently cause  the  death  of  horses  when  very  little  else  is  the 
matter  with  them. 

Give  a  dose  of  aloes  of  from  5iv.  to  Sviij.  according  to  the 
size  of  the  animal,  with  calomel  5j.  as  a  first  dose.  The 
prescriber  must  not  be  disappointed  if  the  animal  will  not  eat 
and  shows  no  immediate  improvement,  as  the  aloes  will  not 
probably  act  as  an  aperient  to  any  extent ;  but  it  will  just  pre- 
vent that  complete  stagnation  of  the  bowels  which  is  the  cause 
of  death  more  frequently  than  the  actual  disease  of  the  liver. 
One  of  the  chief  functions  of  bile  is  to  give  that  stimulating 
fiction  to  the  intestines  which  propels  the  contents  find  at  the 


74  VETERL^ARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

same  time  arrests  fermentation  ;  hence  constipation  follows 
when  the  proper  quantity  or  quality  of  bile  is  not  poured  into 
the  intestine. 

A  saline  draught  night  and  morning,  containing  a  stimu- 
lating tonic,  is  advisable,  as  all  appetite  is  lost,  and  the  circu- 
lation is  much  enfeebled,  as  may  be  known  by  the  coldness  of 
the  extremities  ;  sometimes  two  legs  feeling  cold,  and  at  others 
three  or  four,  although  the  bodily  temperature  may  be  as  high 
as  105°  Fahr.  taken  at  the  rectum. 

Saline  Dra2(ght. 

Mag.  Sulph gij. 

Potass.  Nit 5vj. 

Potass.  Bicarb.     .         .         .         .         •     BJ- 

iEther.  Rect §ss. 

Aq.  ad gx. 

M.  ft.  haust.     Node  maneque  sumend. 

After  three  or  four  doses  of  the  above  a  couple  of  drachms 
of  ext.  gent,  should  be  added  to  each  dose,  as  there  is  nothing 
in  the  Pharmacopceia  that  will  induce  appetite  in  a  horse  if 
gentian  fails. 

Jaundice  is  a  condition  in  which  the  bile  enters  into  the 
general  circulation  from  some  obstruction  in  the  liver  or  its 
duct.     It  is  easily  recognised  by  the  staining  of  the  visible  mem- 
branes, as  the  eye,  mouth,  nostrils  (Schneiderian  membrane), 
&c.     The   treatment  should  be  aimed  at  getting  the  liver  to 
work,  subduing  nausea,  unloading  the  bowels,  promoting  cir- 
culation and  skin-action  by  clothing,  bandaging,  and  gentle 
exercise,  green  food  when  obtainable,  or  carrots  in  winter;  and 
for  medicine — 

Potass.  Nit.  .         .         .         .         •     SJ- 

Mag.  Sulph.         .....     5iv. 

Liq.  Amnion.  Acet.  ad         .         .         .     Oj. 
M.  ft.  haust.     Omni  nocte  sumend. 

About  three  such  doses  if  the  bowels  respond,  when  vege- 
table tonics  should  be  resorted  to.     Much  debility  follows  on 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  75 

jaundice,  and  a  subsequent  tonic  treatment  is  generally  neces- 
sary. 

Vegetable  Tonic. 

Ext,  Gentians     .         .         .         .         •     5j' 

Ext.  Calumbae     .         .         .         .         •     5J. 

Pulv.  Fcienugroec.  ....     5iv. 

Pulv.  Zingib.       .         .         .         .         ■     5J. 

Excipient.  q.  s.  ut  ft.  bolus.     Nocte  maneque. 

In  all  affections  of  the  horse's  liver  there  is  one  common 
symptom  of  nausea,  denoted  by  curling  of  the  lip,  '  turning 
up  the  nose,'  as  is  the  expression,  while  the  urine  is  in  every 
case  high-coloured. 

The  practice  of  drenching  horses  with  gruel,  &c.,  should 
only  be  resorted  to  when  for  several  days  at  a  time  they  cannot 
be  induced  to  eat  at  all. 

There  are  practitioners  who  do  not  hold  this  view,  but  we 
give  it  as  the  result  of  much  careful  observation.  You  may 
indulge  a  fussy  client  by  letting  him  do  it,  but  it  is  doubtful  if 
his  interference  does  not  annoy  and  nauseate  the  patient  when 
he  might  otherwise  pick  over  a  little  food.  Sick  horses,  like 
sick  men,  should  be  tempted  with  a  variety  of  food. 

Stomatitis. — This  is  a  term  over  which  some  of  our  phar- 
maceutical brethren  stumble.  It  is  inflammation  of  the  mucous 
membranes  of  the  mouth,  not  of  the  stomach,  which  will  be 
found  under  the  head  of  gastritis.  There  are  several  forms  of 
it,  into  which  it  is  not  necessary  for  us  to  enter.  The  chief 
symptom  is  the  eruption  of  vesicles  in  and  around  the  mouth. 
It  has  some  resemblance  to  thrush  in  infants,  aged  persons, 
and  those  in  extremis  ;  varying  in  its  intensity  from  a  simple 
eruption  to  ulcerative  sores.  Bad  sanitary  conditions  and  im- 
proper food  are  thought  to  be  the  chief  causes,  and  its  greater 
frequency  among  the  young  is  also  noted.  Treatment  consists 
in  good  hygienic  conditions,  exercise,  fresh  air,  mild  aperients 
preferably  of  the  oleaginous  or  saline  type,  and  for  mouth 
washes,  or  application  to  the  lips,  a  saturated  solution  of  boric 
acid  (one  oz.  to  a  wine  bottleful  of  water). 


76  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Inflammation    of  the    Stomach,    or  Gastritis,    is 

sometimes  met  with  in  horses.  When  they  are  suffering  from 
it  the  mouth  is  full  of  frothy  saliva,  and  dribbling  in  ropes  is 
almost  constant.  The  habitual  use  by  carters  and  others  of 
irritant  drugs  may  be  the  cause,  but  it  is  a  very  serious  condi- 
tion when  it  exists,  and  the  most  skilful  treatment  too  often 
fails  to  save  the  animal's  life.  Gastric  sedatives  are  indicated, 
and  a  soft  diet,  easy  of  digestion — crushed  and  scalded  oats, 
carrots,  grass,  &c.  ;  and  for  medicine — 

Acid.  Hydrocyanici  dil.  (B.P, )     .         .  555. 

Potass.  Bicarb.     .         .         •         •         ■  SJ- 

Aq.  ad 5X. 

M.  ft.  hauit.     Nocte  maneque. 

The  chemical  incompatibility  of  the  ingredients  in  the 
above  mixture  need  not  be  considered  ;  the  sedative  effect  is 
well  proved.  Diet  and  rest  are  of  importance  ;  chilled  water 
should  be  allowed  at  the  animal's  discretion. 

Enteritis  is  an  inflammation  of  the  mucous  membrane 
lining  the  intestines.  This  inflammation  may  extend  and 
involve  the  muscular  and  even  the  peritoneal  coats.  It  thus 
differs  from  spasmodic  colic,  which  affects  the  muscular  coat. 
It  is  very  fatal,  and  too  often  .'not  recognised  in  time  to  be 
treated  with  a  fair  hope  of  success.  Sometimes  a  shivering 
fit  and  the  usual  accompaniments  of  a  febrile  condition  arouse 
the  attendant's  notice,  but  it  more  commonly  happens  that 
the  animal  is  discovered  scraping  with  his  fore  feet,  looking 
round  at  his  flanks  from  time  to  time,  getting  down  and  up 
again,  and  in  many  respects  behaving  as  if  suffering  from 
colic,  but  not  to  the  ordinary  observer  so  bad.  The  pulse, 
which  in  colic  or  gripes  is  not  much  affected,  is  in  enteritis 
quick  and  wiry,  the  extremities  cold,  and  tenderness  of  the 
belly  is  evinced  on  pressure,  which  is  not  the  case  in  gripes. 
The  breathing  is  quick  and  the  countenance  extremely  anxious. 
In  colic  there  are  remissions  of  pain,  and  the  horse  will  com- 
mence to  feed  until  a  fresh  paroxysm  occurs  ;  but  in  enteritis 


DISEASES  OP  THt  HORSE  77 

he  gradually  gets  worse,  and  persistently  refuses  food,  the  pain 
being  continuous,  with  paroxysms  of  excessive  severity^  Among 
the  causes  of  this  disease  may  be  mentioned  drinking  cold 
well-water  when  heated  by  exercise,  east  winds,  chills,  over- 
feeding, bad  hay,  musty  oats.  The  absorption  of  some  ptomaine 
has  also  been  suggested. 

Treatment. — Bleeding  from  the  jugular  vein  to  the  extent  of 
two  or  three  quarts  is  often  attended  with  good  results  ;  mus- 
tard applied  all  over  the  belly ;  opium  (pulv.)  and  calomel  in 
doses  of  5ij.  and  5j.  should  be  given  immediately,  and  after 
two  such  doses  Jj  pint  of  linseed  oil  with  5ij.  tinctura  opii  bis 
die.  Repeated  small  doses  (5j  to  5ij).  Tinct.  chloroformi  et 
morphinae  have  proved  successful  in  the  hands  of  several  prac- 
titioners whom  we  have  consulted.  Injections  of  warm  water 
per  rectum  should  be  frequently  employed.  The  legs  should 
be  hand-rubbed  and  bandaged  with  woollen  bandages,  the  ears 
pulled  and  a  hood  supplied  ;  a  loose  box  with  the  fresh  air  but 
no  draught,  plentiful  bedding,  chilled  water  to  drink. 

Cold,  or  Catarrh. — Just  as  a  man  neglects  a  cold  in  his 
own  person,  so  is  the  horse-owner  apt  to  disregard  a  cold  in  his 
horse.  We  are  all  aware  that  a  neglected  cold  often  ends 
fatally  with  other  people,  but  in  this  matter  we  act  on  the 
belief  that  '  all  men  are  mortal  but  ourselves,'  and  so  we  assume 
that  our  horse  will  get  all  right  again.  But  a  cold  or  catarrh  is 
always  a  matter  of  serious  concern  in  a  horse.  His  great 
volume  of  lung-power  is  not  a  safeguard  but  a  danger  to  him, 
and  a  common  cold  is  far  more  likely  to  do  irreparable  injury 
to  him  than  it  is  to  a  weakly  human  being.  It  is  a  common 
observation  that  robust  men,  mature  or  middle-aged,  are  more 
likely  to  die  when  attacked  with  pneumonia  than  are  children 
with  much  less  respiratory  capacity.  So  with  the  horse  :  his 
great  lungs  are  liable  to  congestion  from  comparatively  small 
causes,  and  the  results  are  very  serious. 

The  symptoms  of  a  cold  are  rigors  or  shivering,  standing 
with  the  legs  under  the  belly,  all  the  feet  being  brought  nearer 
and  the  back  arched  ;  refusal  of  food,  sore-throat,  evinced  by 


78  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

nodding  the  head  and  cough,  '  quidding '  or  dropping  the  food 
out  of  the  mouth,  coat  '  staring '  or  sticking  up  instead  of 
looking  smooth  and  shiny — these  are  the  prehminary  symptoms 
of  a  bad  cold  ;  Avhen  less  severe  the  rigors  may  not  be  noticed 
by  any  but  a  good  horseman,  and  the  first  indication  to  be 
observed  may  be  a  cough  or  a  cold  and  running  at  the  nose, 
with  more  or  less  languor  and  indifference  to  food.  Here  is 
the  danger  with  an  inexperienced  horseman — he  puts  the  horse 
to  work  as  usual  and  brings  him  home  seriously  ill.  If  a  cold 
is  observed  to  be  coming  on,  the  horse  should  not  be  put  to 
work,  but  given  a  bran  mash  with  pot.  nit.  §ss.,  and  mag.  sulph. 
§iv.  to  |viij. — the  legs  warmly  bandaged  and  the  stable  kept 
moderately  warm,  not  hot,  and  by  no  means  draughty,  and  this 
will  probably  be  all  the  treatment  required.  If  successive 
rigors  follow  and  common  fever  seems  to  accompany  a  cold,  a 
fever  draught  should  be  given,  the  temperature  taken  at  the 
rectum,  and  the  observation  repeated  in  a  few  hours,  when,  if 
it  has  run  down  again,  no  great  good  will  be  derived  from 
internal  medicines. 

If  sore-throat  is  evinced  as  well  as  the  above  symptoms,  a 
good  warm  liniment  should  be  applied  freely.  The  following 
has  proved  servicea])le  and  can  be  recommended  :  — 


Lin.  Aconiti 

. 

•  iv 

Lin.  Tereb.  Acct. 

. 

■    5"j' 

Lin.  Saponis 

•     5iJ- 

Ft 

.  linimentum. 

Mustard  applied  rather  thin  answers  well  for  closely-clipped 
or  fine- skinned  animals,  but  for  cart-horses  and  others  with  a 
heavy  coat  the  liniment  suggested  can  be  better  depended  on 
to  penetrate  through  the  thick  and  greasy  covering.  If  this 
produces  a  sharp  reaction,  and  swelling  and  soreness  to  the 
touch,  the  cough  will  probably  be  rapidly  relieved  and  softened  ; 
the  swelling  outside  appears  to  '  clear  the  pipes,'  and  the 
animal  breathes  better  as  soon  as  the  distress  caused  by 
the   stinging   of   the   liniment  has   subsided.      If  the  throat 


DISEASES   OF  THE  HORSE  79 

symptoms  continue,  a   belladonna  electuary  should  be  used 
as  follows  : — 

Ext.  Belladonna         .  .         .         •     5J' 

Potassii  Chlorat.  .  .  .  .      5J. 

Oxymel.  Scillre  q.  s.  ul  ft.  electuariiini. 
Bis  terve  die  si  opus  sit. 

This  should  be  prepared  sea/ndinn  artein  and  placed  upon 
the  end  of  a  broad  spatula  as  a  preliminary  to  putting  it  high 
up  on  the  back  of  the  tongue.  It  is  not  a  difficult  operation 
if  the  tongue  is  quietly  drawn  out  of  the  mouth  with  the  left 
hand  and  the  spatula  introduced  with  the  right.  This  has 
given  immediate  and  permanent  relief  in  many  very  bad  cases 
where  to  atternpt  to  give  a  drench  or  a  ball  would  have  brought 
on  a  paroxysm  of  coughing. 

We  have  also  seen  great  benefit  in  acute  sore-throat  from 
homceopathic  doses  of  aconite  and  belladonna  alternately.  It 
is  about  the  net  result  of  some  years'  observation  of  homoeopathy 
as  applied  to  animals. 

A  discharge  from  the  nostrils,  at  first  watery  and  gradually 
thickening,  is  often  the  only  symptom  of  catarrh  apparent  to 
the  attendant ;  this  should  be  sponged  off  the  muzzle  frequently 
and  the  adjacent  parts  anointed  with  a  little  lard  or  vaseline. 
When  we  say  vaseline  we  do  not  mean  the  crude  rubbish  that 
has  been  sold  under  that  name  to  veterinary  practitioners, 
and  in  some  cases  has  actually  caused  blisters.  If  the  muzzle 
is  anointed  frequently,  much  scalding  and  discomfort  are 
avoided. 

It  is  also  a  good  plan  to  give  carrots,  placing  them  on  the 
floor  rather  than  in  the  manger,  as  the  head  is  better  cleared 
of  the  discharge  by  being  kept  in  a  pendulous  position — 
green  meat  taken  at  such  times  will  often  tinge  the  mucus 
green,  which  must  not  bj  mistaken  for  glanders.  As  sequelre 
from  a  bad  cold  may  be  mentioned  whistling,  thick  wind, 
and  roaring,  which  are  discussed  in  their  proper  place. 

Coughs. — A  cough  is  the  symptom  of  some  derangement 
of  a  portion  of  the  respiratory  organs.     That  all  coughs  should 


8d  VETERINARY  COUNTEk  PRACTICE 

not  be  treated  in  the  same  manner  is  evident  from  the  variety 
of  causes.  Irritation  of  the  larynx,  air  tul)es,  or  lung,  pneu- 
monia, pleurisy,  and  some  nervous  derangements,  all  give  rise 
to  coughing.  A  correct  diagnosis  in  each  case  requires  a  know- 
ledge of  some  other  symptoms  besides  the  cough  ;  this  of  itself, 
however,  is  so  different  in  sound  and  quality,  depending  upon 
its  cause,  as  to  give  a  fair  indication  of  its  nature. 

Irritation  of  the  larynx,  the  most  common  cause  of  cough, 
may  be  due  to  inflammation  of  its  lining  membrane,  or  to  the 
presence  of  a  foreign  body.  In  the  latter  case  removal  is 
necessary.  But  coughing  is  not  always  an  effort  to  expel  some 
obstruction  ;  it  maybe  a  nervous  action  depending  upon  irrita- 
tion of  sentient  respiratory  nerves.  Irritation  of  the  larynx  may 
l)e  acute  or  chronic.  In  the  acute  stage  the  cough  is  at  first 
loud  and  hard,  owing  to  checked  secretion  ;  it  soon,  however, 
becomes  softer,  as  the  membrane  is  covered  with  purulent  mucus. 
Diagnosis  is  helped  by  the  fact  that  swallowing  is  difficult,  even 
water,  during  attempts  at  drinking,  being  returned  through  the 
nose. 

Treatment. — Dry  hard  food  must  be  avoided  ;  and  in  giving 
medicines  do  not  use  the  form  of  balls  or  draughts.  The  former 
are  nearly  certain  to  be  coughed  back,  and  may  get  lodged  in 
the  nose,  an  awkward  accident,  whilst  draughts  require  the 
head  elevating  in  a  manner  favourable  to  choking.  Electuaries 
are  the  best  form.  The  application  of  a  roll  of  flannel  soaked 
in  hot  water  round  the  throat  covered  with  some  waterproof 
substance  is  often  of  great  service. 

As  regards  medicine,  keep  the  bowels  open,  and  use  a  seda- 
tive and  astringent  electuary,  as — 

Camphor.     ......  5iv, 

Ext.  Bclladonnre  .....  ?,iv. 

Acid.  Acet.  Dil =ij. 

Mellis  vel  Theriaca;      .         .         .         •  S^-     ^f. 

A  tablespoonful  twice  a  day,  to  be  smeared  on  the  tongue.  Or 
this :— 


DISEASES  OF   THE  HORSE  8i 


Tannin 

Rectified  Spirit     .... 
Honey 

■     5ij- 

•    in- 

Mix. 

To  be  given  as  above. 

Chronic  irritation  of  the  larynx  requires  different  treatment ; 
the  cough  here  is  loud  and  hard,  but  not  so  frequent,  occurring 
chiefly  when  the  animal  is  changed  from  the  stable  to  the  fresh 
air,  or  vice  versa.  There  are  no  general  symptoms.  Cough 
balls  are  here,  if  anywhere,  of  use.     Good  formulae  are  :  — 

Pulv.  Opii 5ss. 

Pulv.  Scillas          .....     5J. 
Pulv.  Aloes 5j. 

Make  into  a  ball  with  common  mass  or  linseed  meal  and  treacle. 
One  every  day. 

Pulv,  Caniphonv  .  ,  .  .  •  5J. 

Pulv.  Opii    .         .         .  .         .         •  5J- 

Pulv.  Digitalis     .         .         .         .         •  3J- 
Make  as  above.     One  every  day. 

Ext.  Belladonnse  .         ,         .         .  •  5J« 

Ext.  Hyoscyami   .         .         .         .  ■  SJ- 

Pulv.  Ipecacuanhje       .         .         .  •  5J. 

Make  and  give  as  above. 

Blisters  to  the  throat  afford  relief  in  some  cases,  or  setons 
may  be  used. 

Bronchitis,  or  inflammation  of  the  lining  membrane  of  the 
air  tubes,  is  accompanied  by  a  harsh,  wheezing  cough,  accom- 
panied by  a  loud,  rough  noise  in  the  windpipe.  It  is  dealt  with 
more  fully  in  the  next  chapter. 

The  treatment  is  general  and  local.  General  treatment  on 
the  plan  recommended  for  simple  fever.  Local  treatment  con- 
sists in  protecting  the  neck  and  chest  with  rugs,  &c.,  and  in 
chronic  cases  applying  blisters.  In  this  disease  there  is  an 
obstruction  in  the  air  tubes  of  purulent  mucus,  for  which  as 

G 


82  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

expectorants  may  be  added  ipecac,  and  tartar  emetic,  of  each 
half  a  drachm,  to  the  following  ball  : — 

Pulv.  Camphor 5J. 

Pulv.  Digitalis 5Jss. 

Pulv.  Potass.  Nit.  ....  5Jss. 

Pulv.  Lini  sine  oleo       ....  5ij. 
Theriacae  q.  s.     Ft.  Bolus 

One  every  day. 

There  is  a  cough  in  cases  of  broken  wind  which  is  almost 
diagnostic  of  the  disease.  It  is  long,  soft,  and  wheezy.  The  only 
other  symptom  requiring  mention  is  the  double  action  of  the 
flanks  in  expiration.  There  is  some  doubt  as  to  the  pathology 
of  this  disease.  Cienerally  on  post-mortem  examination  of  an 
old-standing  case  the  lung  is  found  to  be  emphysematous,  i.e. 
it  presents  little  bladders  on  its  surface  due  to  a  rupture  of  the 
smaller  air  cells  ;  but  this  condition  of  lung  is  also  found  in  some 
animals  which,  during  life,  showed  no  symptoms  of  broken 
■wind.  Nor  is  it  invariable  in  cases  of  broken  wind  showing  no 
change  of  lung.  Broken  wind  is  generally  due  to  bad  feeding, 
and  musty  hay  has  produced  it  in  a  few  days. 

The  treatment  must  include  attention  to  diet,  which  should 
be  of  the  best  quality,  and  not  in  too  great  quantities.  Avoid 
bulky  innutritions  food  ;  but  above  all  mouldy  or  dusty  hay. 
Linseed,  boiled,  and  then  given  cold  with  the  corn  every  night, 
has  a  marked  effect  in  some  cases.  There  are  two  medicines 
which  are  followed  by  good  results — arsenic  and  creasote. 
Great  relief  will  often  follow  their  use,  especially  arsenic,  which 
is  given  in  three-grain  doses  daily,  three  times  a  week  for  a 
fortnight  ;  then,  missing  a  week,  resume  for  another  fortnight. 
Creasote  is  given  in  half-drachm  doses  in  the  form  of  ball,  made 
with  linseed  and  treacle. 

Horse-copers  are  very  adroit  at  what  is  called  ""loading ' 
broken-winded  horses.  By  some  means  they  produce  a  tem- 
porary relief,  during  which  an  animal  is  sold  as  sound.  This 
loading  consists  in  giving  a  mixture  of  shot  and  tallow  to  the 
animal  about  half  an  hour  before  showing  him.  Others  trust  to  a 
pint  of  olive  oil,  while  some  add  a  preliminary  course  of  tar  balls. 


DISEASES   OF  THE  HORSE  83 

Bronchitis. — In  treating  of  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and 
pleurisy,  or  plcuritis,  it  is  usual  for  authors  and  lecturers  to  speak 
of  them  as  distinct  and  separate  affections,  and  they  may  be  so 
met  with,  but  the  practitioner  finds  them  very  often  together  in 
the  same  animal — broncho-pneumonia  and  pneumonia  with 
pleurisy,  and  so  on.  The  treatment  by  counter-irritants  is 
applicable  to  all,  but  in  bronchitis  the  mustard  or  liniment 
should  be  applied  from  the  larynx  all  the  way  down  the  wind- 

P'pe-  '        ' 

Bronchitis  is  distinguished  by  more  or  less  noise  inbreathing, 
which  in  bad  cases  may  be  heard  at  some  distance,  but  to  dis- 
tinguish milder  attacks  the  practitioner  places  his  ear  close  to 
the  windpipe,  and  again  upon  the  ribs,  when  a  rough  or  rattling 
sound  as  of  air  passing  over  roughened  surfaces  or  through 
frothy  fluid  may  be  very  distinctly  heard.  It  is  caused  by  chills 
and  exposure,  or  by  invasion  from  ordinary  catarrh,  and  occa- 
sionally by  foreign  bodies.  In  cattle  by  the  husk  parasite, 
Filaria  bronchialis  (see  Hoose  or  Husk,  under  Diseases  of  Cattle). 

A  cough,  at  first  hard  and  dry,  undergoing  modifications, 
with  the  ordinary  symptoms  of  fever,  such  as  accompany  in- 
flammation of  the  lungs,  may  be  looked  for,  and  treated  in  the 
same  way.     (See  Pneumonia,  p.  84.) 

Expectorants  should  be  more  freely  used  ;  although  the 
patient  does  not  expectorate  in  the  sense  that  men  do,  he 
coughs  up,  and  rids  himself  of  phlegm  by  the  nose  chiefly,  and 
sometimes  by  the  mouth.  The  distressing  hard  dry  cough  may 
be  frequently  relieved  by  the  following  electuary  : — 


Cetacei         ..... 

•     5iv. 

Ext.  Belladonnae. 

•     5J- 

Ext.  Opii 

•     5U- 

Potass.  Nit 

•     5'j- 

ISIellis  opt 

.     q.  s.  lit  ft.  elect 

Bis  die  supra  linguam. 

This   should   be   applied  in  the  manner   advised   in  sore 
throats.     (See  Catarrh,  p.  77.) 

To  give  balls  or  even  draughts  in  acute  affections  of  the 

G  2 


84 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


respiratory  apparatus  is  difificult  and  dangerous,  and  we  strongly 
advise  electuaries,  both  for  safety,  convenience,  and  directness. 

Linseed  and  bran  mashes,  scalded  corn,  damped  hay,  hay 
tea,  carrots,  &c.,  should  be  advised,  and  everything  dry,  dusty, 
or  inferior  in  quality  put  out  of  the  animal's  reach. 

If  for  any  reason  electuaries  cannot  be  given,  the  following 
draught  every  six  or  eight  hours  may  be  prescribed  :— 

Yin.  Antim.  Tart.         ....  5ij. 

Vin.  Ipecac.         .....  5ij. 

Tinct.  Camph.  Co.        .         .         ,         •  %]• 

Tr.  Scillae    ......  5J. 

Liq,  Ammon.  Acetatis  ad     .         ,         ,  Oss. 

M.  ft.  haust, 


Or  this:— 


Sp.  /Ether.  Nit.   . 
/Either.  Rect. 
Tinct.  Belladonnaj 
Syr.  Papav. 
Aq.  Camph.  ad    . 

M.  ft.  haust. 


aa  51V. 
gjss. 


Bis  terve  die. 


Pneumonia  is  inflammation  of  the  lung  substance  or 
parenchyma,  and  is  distinguished  from  congestion  of  the  lungs, 
which  is  engorgement  of  the  pulmonary  vessels,  and  brought 
about  in  a  different  way  {see  Congestion,  p.  95).  We  are  aware 
that  the  terms  are  somewhat  mixed  in  human  practice,  but 
they  must  be  carefully  distinguished  in  equine  medicine. 

Pneumonia  is  often  brought  on  by  a  neglected  cold,  '  inva- 
sion,' as  it  is  called  ;  that  is  to  say,  the  catarrhal  affection 
spreads  instead  of  abating,  invading  the  lung  substance.  This 
will  be  known  by  the  rapid  increase  of  temperature,  short, 
hurried  respirations,  redness  of  the  membranes  of  the  eye  and 
nostrils,  cold  extremities,  dilated  nostrils,  hanging  head,  con- 
tinual standing,  and  loss  of  appetite.  If  the  prescriber  is  called 
in  early,  he  should  apply  mustard  immediately  to  the  sides  of 
the  chest,  from  the  edge  of  the  blade  bone  to  the  last  rib  on 
one  or  both  sides  as  may  be  necessary  —a  pound  is  not  too 


much  for  a  full -sized  horse.  The  water  need  not  be  hot,  cer- 
tainly not  boiling,  and  the  mustard  should  not  be  mixed  too  stiff, 
but  well  rubbed  in,  which  latter  is  more  easily  said  than  done, 
since  good  mustard  is  blinding  to  the  person  who  takes  long 
rubbing  it  in.  The  day  after  applying  mustard  the  parts 
should  be  rubbed  gently  with  oil  to  complete  the  action  of 
the  mustard,  and  soften  the  corrugated  skin.  We  prefer  the 
camphorated  oil  of  the  B.P. 

The  following  draught  should  be  given  night  and  morning, 
until  the  temperature  falls  : — 

Tinct.  Aconiti  (B.P.)   .         .         .         .  itixx. 

Sp.  ^th.  Nit gj. 

Liq.  Ammon.  Acet.  ad  ...  5x. 

M.  ft.  haust. 

If  giving  a  draught  upsets  the  animal,  or  if  it  causes  cough- 
ing, the  following  ball  will  be  found  of  service  :-^ 


Pot.  Nit.      , 
Ammon.  Carb. 

•  5ij' 

•  5J- 

Gentianse 
Cinchonoe 

Glycerini 

One  to  be  given 

two 

or  three  times 

.     q.  s.  ut  ft.  bolus 
daily. 

After  the  first  two  or  three  days,  when  the  temperature  will 
be  down  if  the  case  is  likely  to  terminate  favourably,  the  fol- 
lowing should  be  given  : — 

^ther.  Sulph.       .....  5ij. 

Tinct.  Opii  ......  jj. 

Potass.  Nit 5ij. 

Inf.  Gentiance  Co.  ad    ,         .         .         .  ?xx, 
M.  ft.  haust.    Bis  die. 

Great  prostration,  if  nothing  worse,  follows  upon  pneumonia, 
and,  despite  the  most  careful  treatment,  a  large  proportion  of 
patients  die  either  from  suffocation  by  the  blocking  up  of  the 
lungs,  or  from  fluid  exudation  into  the  cavity  of  the  chest,  or 
from  relapse  and  exhaustion.  Puncturing  the  thorax  and 
drawing  off  the  serum  is  occasionally  performed,  but  it  is  doubt- 
ful if  it  ever  saved  a  case. 


86  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

In  the  convalescent  stages  tonics  should  be  given,  but  no 
iron,  copper,  or  other  minerals.  The  following  ball  is  suit- 
able : — 

Quinine  Sulph 5J. 


Ext.  Gentianse 

•     5iJ- 

Pulv.  Anisi  . 

•     5iJ- 

Pulv.  Opii    . 

.     gr.  XX. 

Picis  Liquidae 

. 

.     q.  s.  ut  ft.  bolus 

U 

num 

omni  die. 

During  the  early  stages  of  the  disease  it  may  be  necessary 
to  keep  the  bowels  open  with  clysters  of  warm  water  and  soap, 
but  no  aperient  should  be  given  stronger  than  mag.  sulph.  4  or 
6  oz.,  or  ol.  lini  10  to  20  oz.,  preference  being  given  to  the  latter 
unless  the  temperature  be  very  high.  After  aconite  and  pot. 
nit.  we  know  of  nothing  that  so  quickly  reduces  the  temperature 
without  harmful  consequences  as  mag.  sulph.  Horses  recover- 
ing from  this  disease  need  much  care,  and  should  have  only 
gentle  exercise  for  some  time. 

Pleurisy. — In  point  of  frequency  and  severity,  pleurisy  is 
the  most  important  disease  of  the  respiratory  organs  of  the 
horse.  Though  severe  no  case  ought  to  be  fatal  if  properly  and 
promptly  treated.  Pleurisy  may  result  from  a  wound  of  the 
chest,  but  usually  occurs  as  a  sequel  to  exposure.  It  may  occur 
on  one  side  only,  or  on  both.  It  is  generally  caused  by  horses 
standing  in  a  cutting  wind  when  heated,  as,  for  instance,  when, 
after  ploughing,  the  men  sit  down  to  their  mid-day  meal,  and 
leave  the  horses  on  a  hill -top.  Commercial  travellers,  doctors, 
and  others  who  drive  fast  and  leave  their  horses  standing  about 
in  a  draughty  street,  are  apt  to  pay  a  penalty  in  this  way.  Warm, 
badly  ventilated  stables,  excessive  use  of  warm  food  and  heavy 
clothing,  predispose  a  horse  to  an  attack. 

The  symptoms  are  much  the  same  as  in  pneumonia,  but 
the  sharp  dry  cough  is  different  at  first,  and  the  animal  grunts 
or  groans  when  made  to  turn,  and  flinches  when  the  ribs  are 
pressed  ;  he  often  looks  round  at  his  sides,  and  this  gives  rise 
to  mistakes  among  the  inexperienced  because  it  is  a  symptom 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  87 

of  gripes.  It  may  be  taken  as  a  general  rule  that  horses  suffer- 
ing from  inflammatory  diseases  of  the  chest  do  not  lie  down, 
while  they  seek  by  every  recumbent  attitude  to  get  ease  when 
afflicted  with  abdominal  pain. 

To  give  a  clear  idea  of  what  pleurisy  is,  the  anatomy  of  the 
chest  must  be  considered. 

Persons  who  have  seen  an  animal  opened  and  the  lungs  re- 
moved, have  noticed  that  those  organs  do  not  nearly  fill  the 
chest.  In  the  living  animal,  however,  they  fill  it  completely, 
their  surfaces  being  closely  applied  to  its  walls  ;  the  act  of 
opening  the  chest,  by  admitting  air,  allows  of  their  collapse. 
On  the  surface  of  the  lung  is  a  thin  membrane  called  the  pleura  ; 
a  continuation  of  it  also  lines  the  inside  of  the  chest.  Con- 
sequently, at  each  inspiration  the  two  layers  of  pleura  are 
pressed  together.  In  health  a  small  quantity  of  fluid  is  always 
found  between  the  layers ;  its  use  is  to  reduce  friction  to  a 
minimum.  Pleurisy  is  inflammation  of  this  thin  lining  mem- 
brane. It  is  usually  ushered  in  by  a  shivering  fit  and  general 
febrile  symptoms.  The  pulse  and  breathing  are  both  accele- 
rated, the  latter  visibly  altered  in  character,  inspiration  being 
quicker  and  shorter  than  expiration ;  there  is  generally  a  short, 
painful  cough,  pain  on  pressure  between  the  ribs,  and  great  dis- 
inclination to  move  the  fore  limbs.  There  is  no  heaving  of  the 
flanks  as  in  pneumonia ;  on  the  contrary,  the  abdominal  muscles 
are  contracted  to  fix  the  chest,  giving  the  flank  a  peculiar  tucked- 
up  appearance.  Inflammation  of  a  secreting  structure  in  the  first 
stage  arrests  secretion.  In  inflammation  of  the  pleura  there  are 
two  highly  sensitive  layers,  abnormally  dry,  pressed  together  at 
each  inspiration.  This  will  explain  why  the  inspiration  is 
short  and  quick,  and  why  a  cough  should  be  abruptly  stopped, 
giving  it  such  a  characteristic  catching  sound.  We  can  under- 
stand, too,  why  pain  is  so  great  from  pressure  on  the  sides, 
and  why  the  animal  shows  such  disinclination  to  move  the  fore 
legs. 

In  the  second  stage  of  inflammation  of  a  secreting  structure 
excessive  and  abnormal  secretion  occurs.  In  pleurisy,  after 
the  dry  stage,  an  excessive  quantity  of  fluid  is  discharged,  and 


88  VETERIh^ARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

*  water  in  the  chest,'  or  hydrothorax,  results.  We  have  said 
that  the  lungs  fill  the  entire  cavity  of  the  chest,  consequently 
any  additional  quantity  of  fluid  in  the  chest  must  diminish 
their  capacity.  This  fluid  in  the  pleural  cavity  has  a  tendency 
to  form  false  membranes,  or  to  increase,  so  as  to  fatally 
compress  the  lungs. 

There  is  no  disease  to  which  horses  are  subject  more  quickly 
subdued  by  counter-irritants  than  pleurisy.  Put  mustard  on 
the  ribs,  as  advised  under  Pneumonia,  immediately,  or  apply  a 
strong  liniment  such  as  Lin.  Camph.  Co.,  or  Lin.  Tereb.  Acet., 
or  Lin.  Sinapis  Co.  There  are  some  advanced  practitioners  who 
have  lost  faith  in  counter-irritants  without  offering  us  anything 
better  in  exchange,  but  the  rank  and  file  of  veterinary  practi- 
tioners are  fairly  unanimous  in  their  advocacy  of  vesicants,  which 
they  are  convinced  bring  about  a  rapid  and  lasting  improvement 
in  their  patients. 

The  treatment  of  pleurisy  should  be  directed  to  modify  the 
inflammation  and  allay  pain  in  the  first  stages,  then  to  support 
the  system  and  promote  absorption  of  fluid  in  the  chest. 
Most  veterinary  works  recommend  bleeding  in  pleurisy.  The 
idea  is  founded  upon  erroneous  pathology,  for  bleeding  does 
not  check  inflammation,  but  certainly  favours  exudation  of 
fluid.  A  case  of  pleurisy  should  be  put  into  an  airy  loose-box  ; 
the  body  well  clothed,  and  a  diffusible  stimulant  given  with  a 
view  to  regulating  the  circulation.  To  open  the  bowels,  aloes 
must  not  be  used,  as  super-purgation  is  easily  induced.  Six 
ounces  of  linseed  oil  and  one  of  spirit  of  nitre,  or  four  or  five 
ounces  of  magnes.  sulph.,  is  preferable.  To  allay  pain  nothing 
is  equal  to  hot  rugs.  Dip  the  rug  into  boiling  water,  wring  it 
out,  and  quickly  apply  it  to  the  chest ;  keep  it  in  position  by 
another  rug  and  a  roller,  and  as  soon  as  cool  replace  by  another. 
When  the  acute  symptoms  have  passed  off,  the  following  ball 
may  be  given  twice  a  day : — 

Carb.  Ammon 5J. 

Pulv.  Zingib.         .....  5ij. 

Pulv.  Resinae         .         .         .         .         •  SJ* 

Lini  Far.  ct  Theriacce  .         .         .         .  q.  s.  ut  ft.  bt>l. 


DISEASES   OE  THE  HORSE  §9 

It  has  a  remarkably  beneficial  action  on  the  bowels.  Should 
the  pulse  remain  at  50  or  55  per  minute,  and  the  breathing  be 
laboured,  considerable  effusion  in  the  chest  is  probably  the 
cause;  auscultation  will  prove  the  surmise.  Then  diuretics 
and  stimulants  are  indicated.  A  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  sp. 
aeth.  nit.  and  liq.  ammon.  acet.,  given  three  or  four  times  a  day, 
is  veiy  active  ;  dose,  half  an  ounce.  The  remedies  suggested 
for  bronchitis  are  generally  suitable  for  pleurisy,  but  the  after 
treatment  should  combine  pot.  nit.  and  iodides,  as  the  effused 
material  is  apt  to  cause  adhesions,  and  anything  likely  to  promote 
absorption  and  excretion  is  of  benefit  : — 

Potass.  lodidi       .....     Jss. 


Potass.  Nit. 
Ext.  Belladonnoe 
Ext.  Opii     . 
Ext.  Gentians 
Pulv.  Anisi 


51J- 
5J- 
5SS. 

q.  s.  ut  ft.  bol. 


Omni  nocte. 
Blisters  to  the  sides  seem  to  promote  absorption.  As  a 
last  resort  tapping  may  be  tried.  This  is  a  simple  operation ;  a 
small  canula  and  trocar  are  thrust  into  the  chest  at  the  anterior 
border  of  the  sixth  or  seventh  rib ;  but  this  had  better  be  done 
by  a  professional  man.  Do  not  starve  the  animal  on  bran- 
mash,  but  allow  carrots,  turnips,  grass,  &:c.,  with  boiled  linseed 
and  barley,  and  a  constant  supply  of  clean  cold  water. 

Pink  Eye  is  a  form  of  horse-sickness  which  was  first  called 
by  this  name  in  America,  but  is  now  known  all  over  Europe  as 
a  form  of  influenza,  and,  like  its  congener  in  man,  takes  different 
forms. 

The  pecuhar  pink  injection  which  was  at  first  so  marked  a 
symptom  has  not  been  present  in  subsequent  years  to  anything 
like  the  same  extent,  and,  not  being  constant,  may  lead  to 
confusion  among  those  having  but  little  experience  of  an  epi- 
zootic which  at  one  time  appears  as  an  acute  attack  of  catarrh, 
at  another  affecting  the  liver,  and  again  in  other  seasons  dis- 
playing some  depressing  influence  on  the  meninges  of  the 
spinal  cord,  with  symptoms  of  paralysis  or  lameness,  which  is 


90  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

not  confined  to  any  particular  limb  but  may  affect  the  muscles 
of  the  loins. 

With  such  a  hydra-headed  monster  it  is  difficult  to  lay  down 
any  one  plan  of  treatment,  but  it  is  essential  to  advise  the  im- 
mediate nursing  of  smitten  animals.  In  nearly  all  cases  it  will 
be  safe  to  give  a  stimulant,  as  follows  : — 


Ammon.  Carb. 

. 

•     5ij- 

Ext.  Gent. 

•     5U- 

Sp.  ^th.  Nit. 

•    3J- 

Aq.  ad 

•     2-^^i 

M. 

ft. 

haust. 

An  eminent  veterinary  surgeon  (the  late  Mr.  Greaves, 
of  Manchester)  used  to  speak  of  the  blood-vessels  of  the  ex- 
tremities as  being  absolutely  empty  and  pulseless  at  one  period  of 
the  disease.  To  counteract  this  tendency  to  collapse  should  be 
the  first  care  of  the  veterinarian.  The  legs  should  be  bandaged 
and  body  clothed,  the  stable  kept  warm  but  well  ventilated, 
and,  after  a  few  stimulants  have  been  given  at  intervals  of  four 
hours  or  so,  the  treatment  should  be  directed  to  the  alleviation 
of  any  special  symptoms.  If  the  patient  comes  on  'blowing,' 
the  sides  of  the  ribs  should  be  stimulated  with  mustard  or  an 
ammonia  liniment. 

The  bowels  should  be  regulated  by  small  doses  of  mag. 
sulph.,  gij.  to  5vj.  daily,  with  pot.  bicarb.  5J.  and  pot.  nit.  3SS, 

Belladonna  is  a  favourite  remedy  with  some  vets,  who  give 
5j.  or  more  of  extract  night  and  morning.  It  may  almost  be 
said  that  any  and  every  tonic  should  be  given  after  the  first 
acute  symptoms  have  passed  away.  Of  the  many  agents 
the  Pharmacopoeia  offers  we  prefer  quinine  5ij.  to  5iv.  and 
extract,  gent,  in  5ij.  to  5iv.  doses  alternately  ;  the  latter  may  be 
given  as  an  electuary  or  in  solution.  Balls  should  be  avoided 
in  all  diseases  accompanied  by  sore  throat.  Mustard  or  lini- 
ments to  the  throat  also  give  relief 

The  parotid  and  submaxillary  glands  often  become  enlarged, 
and  have  a  tendency  to  remain  so.  One  of  the  best  remedies 
for  reducing  them  after  the  disease  has  spent  itself  is  i  part  of 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  91 

iodine  to  sapo  mollis  20  parts,  bis  hebdomacla — as  an  external 
application,  of  course. 

Carrots,  mashes,  linseed,  scalded  corn,  steamed  hay,  and 
everything  that  can  moisten  the  food  and  tempt  the  invalid 
should  be  adopted,  as  loss  of  appetite  is  a  common  symptom. 
When  convalescent,  great  care  should  be  exercised  in  getting 
the  patient  to  work,  which  should  be  done  by  slov/  degrees. 

Broken  Wind  is  fortunately  of  less  frequent  occurrence 
now  than  formerly,  owing  to  the  better  dietary  and  greater 
air-space  that  horses  enjoy,  besides  which  it  seldom  happens 
that  a  broken-winded  mare  is  bred  from.  They  are  very  apt 
to  be  sterile  when  tried. 

A  really  pronounced  case  of  broken  wind  can  be  distin- 
guished by  anyone  without  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  subject, 
yet  there  is  scarcely  any  equine  defect  that  gives  rise  to  more 
swindling  among  '  copers '  or  low  horse-dealers  who  frequent 
fairs  and  palm  off  useless  creatures  upon  the  unwary. 

Broken  wind  is  generally  preceded  by  and  accompanied 
with  a  characteristic  cough,  which  the  veterinarian  will  recognise 
although  the  flanks  may  have  been  '  stilled  '  by  a  master  of  the 
art  of  setting  horses'  wind. 

The  causes  are  generally  agreed  to  be  feeding  on  bulky 
and  innutritious  food,  causing  distension  and  undue  pressure 
upon  the  diaphragm.  The  lungs,  when  examined /t"^/ wf/'/fw, 
are  found  to  have  some  of  the  air-cells  ruptured  into  one 
another,  besides  other  alterations  of  structure  both  of  the  lung- 
substance,  heart,  and  pericardium.  The  pathological  condition 
is  not  so  clear  as  to  be  definable  in  a  few  words  ;  neither  are 
the  best  authorities  altogether  in  accord. 

Palliative  remedies  are  frequently  in  demand,  and  of  con- 
siderable service ;  and  of  these  we  will  mention  a  few  of  the 
new  and  of  the  old  school,  concoctions.  Whatever  remedies 
are  given,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  dieting  is  the  chief 
consideration  ;  the  horse  which  is  comparatively  useless  when 
fed  on  offal  hay,  and  the  rubbish  farmers  cannot  sell,  may  be 
quite  a  useful  animal  in  the  hands  of  a  judicious  stableman, 


92  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

who  will  feed  it  on  good  food  in  small  bulk  and  always 
damped,  never  allowing  anything  like  an  approach  to  distension 
or  too  much  water  previous  to  starting  on  a  journey.  Granted 
these  conditions,  a  great  deal  of  help  can  be  afforded  by  the 
sedative  agents  suggested. 

In  a  work  on  '  Farriery,'  some  two  hundred  years  old,  we  find 

the  foregoing  conclusions  already  recognised  in  the  following: — 

'  Broken-winded  horses  should  eat  sparingly  of  hay,  which, 

as  well  as  their  corn,  may  be  wetted  with  chamber-lye  or  fair 

water,  as  this  will  make  them  less  craving  after  water.' 

The  same  author  recommends  garlic — '  two  or  three  cloves  ' 
(of  garlic),  '  given  at  a  time  in  a  feed,  or  three  ounces  bruised 
and  boiled  in  a  quart  of  milk  and  water,  and  given  every  other 
morning  for  a  fortnight.' 

We  have  alluded  to  the  tricks  practised  by  unscrupulous 
horsedealers  for  'setting  the  wind ;'  it  is  wonderful  to  what  extent 
they  succeed.  The  horse  is  fasted  for  many  hours  and  then  given 
largequantitiesof  shot  and  tallow,  bacon  fat  and  tar,  so  that  on  the 
morning  of  sale  very  little  motion  of  the  flank  is  observed,  and 
that  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  seller  in  many  ways,  such  as 
'hot  weather,'  'ridden  a  great  many  miles,'  &c.  Of  course,  the 
fraud  is  discovered  when  too  late,  and  in  a  case  tried  not  very 
long  ago,  we  heard  a  witness,  with  a  delicate  sense  of  honour, 
specially  adapted  to  the  profession,  say,  '  any  respectable  dealer 
w^ould  tell  the  purchaser  afterwards,  so  that  he  might  know 
what  to  do.'  This  gentleman  did  not  intend  to  '  convey  the 
idea  that  the  seller  w^ould  teach  him  how  to  set  his  wind,  but 
caution  him  that  the  horse  was  quite  unfit  to  go  to  work.'  An 
old  remedy  is  the  following  : — 

Auri  Mosaici  (pulv.)  '  ,  .         .     gviij. 

Myrrhce jiv. 

Inulae         ......     jiv, 

Anisi giv. 

Baccre  Lauri       .....     jj. 

Croci  ......     Jss. 

Oxymel  Scillx q.  s.      M. 

'  Aurum  niosaicum  consists  of  mercury,  tin,  sal-ammoniac,  and  sulphur, 
equal  parts. 


I 


I 


DISEASES  OF   THE  HORSE 


93 


The  author  of  the  foregoing  recipe,  having  a  doubt  as  to  the 
efficacy  of  aurum  mosaicum,  substitutes  for  it  a  Hke  quantity 
of  pulv.  scillae.       A  ball  of  the  size  of  a  pullet's  egg  is  recom- 
mended daily,  or  the  following  :  — 
Gum  Ammoniacum     . 


Galbanum 
Asafetida  . 

Cinnabar  of  Antimony 
Saffron 


of  each  51], 
Svj. 

gss. 


To  be  made  into  paste  with  honey,  and  again  a  quantity 
the  size  of  a  pullet's  egg  is  prescribed  every  morning. 

Modern  practitioners,  recognising  the  pathological  condition 
of  the  heart  and  lungs  in  this  disease,  give  digitalis  and  camphor, 
tar  and  other  sedatives,  of  which  the  following  is  a  good  com- 
bination : — 


Or 


Pulv.  Uigitahs  .... 

•     5'J- 

Pulv.  Camphorse 
Pulv.  Antim.  Tart.     . 

•  5J- 

•  3J- 

Pulv.  Opii          .... 
Pulv.  Anisi         .... 

•  5J- 

•  5J- 

Gum.  Ammoniaci 

•     5J- 

Picis  Liquidae     .... 

.     q.  s.  ut  ft.  bol. 

Alternis  noctibus. 

Gum.  AsafetidK 

•     5J- 

Gum.  Ammoniaci 

•    5J- 

Pulv.  Glycyrrhizre 

Pulv.  Digitalis  .... 

Adipis 

Picis  Liquids     .... 

■     3iv. 
•     3J- 

.     q.  s.  ut  ft,  bol 

Omni  nocte. 

These  remedies  should  not  be  persisted  in  when  the  acute 
symptoms  have  yielded,  but  recourse  may  be  had  to  them  from 
time  to  time.  Any  kind  of  fat  with  tar  gives  relief,  and  many 
horses  will  grow  to  like  tar  and  lick  it  up  if  offered. 

Roaring  and  Whistling  are  terms  applied  to  horses 
which  make  a  noise  during  inspiration  when  their  breathin» 


9 J  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

is  accelerated  by  exercise.  Tiiey  represent  degrees  of  unsound- 
ness, as  the  words  imply,  and  commonly  follow  upon  diseases  of 
the  respiratory  organs,  but  they  are  also  hereditary.  Either 
defect  is  a  great  detriment  to  a  horse,  and  of  course  a  cause  of 
unsoundness,  although  some  celebrated  horses  have  won  races 
despite  the  fact  that  they  were  confirmed  roarers.  Whistling  is 
not  so  bad,  but  still  is  very  objectionable,  and  liable  to  become 
worse.     There  is  not  much  to  be  done  in  the  way  of  treatment. 


Jones's  tracheotomy  tube  as  inserted  into  the  trachea. 

The  operation  of  tracheotomy,  by  which  a  tube  is  introduced 
into  the  windpipe,  answers  the  purpose  in  some  cases,  and  there 
are  a  few  veterinarians  who  make  a  speciality  of  it.  Mr.  Jones, 
of  Leicester,  is  perhaps  the  most  celebrated  and  successful 
operator.  These  tubes  are  an  eyesore  as  well  as  a  necksore, 
and  need  careful  attention  on  the  part  of  the  owner  or  attendant, 
since  they  act  as  foreign  bodies  and  maintain  more  or  less  in- 
flammation and  the  production  of  matter.  They  are  therefore 
last  resorts  and  are  only,  as  a  rule,  adopted  in  the  case  of  good 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  95 

hunters,  who  in  other  respects  are  valuable,  but  by  reason  of 
their  whistling  or  roaring  become  unpleasant  to  ride,  or  so 
impeded  in  their  breathing  as  to  make  the  operation  necessary. 
Removal  of  one  of  the  vocal  chords  and  some  cartilage 
from  the  larynx  has  been  practised  by  some  eminent  surgeons 
as  a  cure  for  roaring,  but  has  not  been  attended  with  sufficient 
success  to  bring  it  into  general  favour. 

Congestion  of  the  Lungs  is  engorgement  of  the 
pulmonary  vessels — not  the  vessels  which  go  to  supply  the 
lungs  with  nutrition,  but  those  conveying  blood  into  the  lungs 
for  re-oxidation.  It  is  a  result  of  over-riding  and  driving,  and 
not  so  frequently  of  chill  or  exposure.  Horses  that  are  not 
in  '  condition  '  are  the  subjects  of  it.  By  '  condition '  we 
mean  in  training  for  work.  To  '  condition  '  horses  or  prepare 
them  for  races  is  in  these  days  almost  a  fine  art.  Its  adepts 
are  not  perfect  in  the  way  of  educational  attainments  and 
manners,  but  their  special  skill  is  sought  for  by  princes  and 
noblemen.  By  diet,  exercise,  &c.,  the_  big  gross  belly  is  dis- 
posed of,  and  all  the  muscles  of  the  body  and  limbs  are  made 
to  stand  out  like  cords  and  feel  quite  hard.  The  horse  in 
hard  or  racing  condition  looks  thin  and  'tucked  up,'  as  his 
muscular  powers  and  heart  have  been  developed  to  the  highest 
possible  pitch,  even  at  the  expense  of  his  vegetative  system, 
which  presently  demands  a  relaxation  from  the  carefully  sifted 
corn  to  a  diet  of  grass,  slops,  &c.  This  means  of  course 
letting  a  horse  get  out  of  condition,  and  has  to  be  done  from 
time  to  time  with  racers,  who  cannot  be  always  in  such  high 
fettle,  even  if  their  legs  did  not  fail  and  necessitate  a  holiday. 
Hunters  are  treated  in  somewhat  the  same  way,  being  taken  up 
from  grass  or  straw  yailds  in  August  or  September,  and  trained, 
or  conditioned  as  it  is  called,  by  degrees,  so  as  to  be  ready  for 
the  hunting  season.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the  condition- 
ing has  not  been  begun  soon  enough,  or  has  been  hurried  on 
too  fast,  so  that  the  first  good  run  over  a  country  finds  out 
the  animal  that  is  not  thoroughly  'fit,'  and  congestion  of  the 
lungs  is  too  often  the  result.     On  reaching  the  stable,  if  not 


96 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


before,  dulness  is  observed,  the  animal  shivers  and  trembles, 
the  legs  and  ears  are  cold,  the  respirations  rapid,  the  pulse 
fluttering  and  weak,  the  visible  membranes  darkly  congested, 
the  appetite  is  lost,  and  the  horse  stands  with  his  head  in  a 
corner,  panting  and  wretched.  Cough  may  or  may  not  be  a 
symptom.  If  the  prescriber  is  called  in  at  this  stage,  and  not 
the  next  morning,  he  will  give  a  powerful  stimulant  without 
delay,  recognising  the  fact  that  pulmonary  congestion  is  not 
at  first  inflammation,  but  stagnation,  engorgement,  apoplexy  ; 
and  if  the  heart  can  be  roused  to  pump  on  the  blood  at  once, 
all  may  yet  be  well.  Alcoholic  stimulants  can  generally  be 
had,  but  can  be  improved  upon  if  the  pharmacy  is  near. 

Half  a  pint  of  whisky  in  one  pint  and  a  half  of  water  is 
not  too  much  for  a  dose.     Or  the  following  : — 


Spt.  /^th.  Nit.      . 
Spt.  Amnion.  Arom. 
Tinct.  Opii  . 
Tinct.  Digitalis     . 
Aq.  ad 

M.  ft.  haust. 


§.vx. 


We  recommend  the  following  ball:  — 

Ammon.  Carb.     .....  5ij. 

Camphoras  ......  5ij. 

Pulv.  Opii  ......  5SS. 

Pulv.  Anisi  .         .         ,         ,         .  jiss, 

Glycerini  q.  s.  ul  ft.  bul. 
Statim  sumendus. 

The  ball  may  be  '  washed  down '  with  the  following 
draught : — 

Mist.  Sp.  ViniGallici  (B.P.)        .         .     Jx. 

Mustard  should  be  applied,  as  in  cases  of  pneumonia  and 
pleurisy,  without  delay,  or  in  the  case  of  heavy-coated  or  hairy 
subjects,  lin.  camph.  co.,  or  lin.  camph.  co.  and  lin.  saponis 
partes  aequales,  may  be  applied. 

The  animal  should  have  a  roomy,  well-ventilated  box — too 
cold  rather  than  too  hot ;  the  extremities  kept  warm  by  hand- 


DISEASES   OF   THE   HORSE  gj 

rubbing  and  bandaging  the  legs  and  pulling  the  ears,  and 
clothing  with  hoods  and  rugs  to  induce  surface  warmth.  If 
the  patient  does  not  rally,  the  stimulants  may  be  repeated 
every  four  hours,  or  at  even  shorter  intervals.  If  the  animal 
is  going  to  die,  the  legs  and  ears  will  get  colder,  the  flanks 
move  more  rapidly,  the  head  hang  low  or  be  poked  out,  while 
the  nostrils  dilate  and  the  increasing  look  of  anxiety  in  the 
horse's  countenance  will  tell  its  tale  even  to  men  who  know 
nothing  of  pulses  and  pharmacopoeias.  The  patient  stands 
generally  till  he  falls  to  rise  no  more,  and  a  black  bloody 
matter  runs  out  of  the  nostrils.  The  lungs  if  examined 
will  be  found  black  with  engorgement,  and  feel  like  liver 
to  the  touch  instead  of  the  light  elastic  material  of  healthy 
lung. 

The  cases  that  rally  generally  do  so  very  quickly  and  with 
few  of  the  bad  results  that  accompany  sore  throats,  bronchitis, 
or  pleurisy.  It  is,  as  we  have  explained  under  Pneumonia, 
quite  a  different  part  of  the  lung  apparatus  which  is  affected. 
To  prevent  such  accidents,  condition  powders,  if  not  made  of 
mill  sweepings  and  rubbish,  but  of  pot.  nit.  and  flor.  sulph. 
with  antimony  and  ground  seeds,  help  a  horse  very  much  to 
carry  off  effete  material  while  he  is  being  trained  or  conditioned, 
but  such  medicaments  should  not  be  given  indiscriminately. 
Horses  do  not  require  drugging  all  the  year  round,  but  may  be 
greatly  helped  by  the  judicious  administration  of  medicines 
when  making  sudden  changes  in  their  mode  of  life,  or  diet. 
The  old  practice  of  preparing  a  horse  for  conditioning  by  a 
physic  ball  first,  and  giving  him  another  before  turning  out  or 
soiling,  has  experience  to  recommend  it. 

Fever. — Simple  undefined  or  sympathetic  fever  occurs  as  a 
symptom  of  other  disorders  ;  it  accompanies  inflammation  of 
internal  organs,  and  follows  severe  injuries  ;  frequently,  however, 
it  appears  as  a  primary  affection,  without  any  local  disorder.  It 
is  customary  to  speak  of  catarrhal,  gastric,  and  bilious  fevers. 
These  are  merely  cases  of  simple  fever,  with  a  local  complication. 
In  one  case,  there  is  a  local  derangement  of  the  air  tubes  ;  in 

H 


98  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

another,  of  the  digestive  apparatus,  not  as  the  cause,  but  as  the 
effect  of  the  fever. 

Under  the  name  of  influenza,  fever  is  frequently  met  with 
in  the  horse.  Cases  are  generally  caused  by  cold,  run  a 
definite  course,  and  terminate  in  a  quick  return  to  health.  In 
fever  we  have  increased  heat,  a  rapid  pulse  and  breathing,  with 
arrested  excretion  and  secretion.  In  the  first  stages  there  is 
an  irregularity  in  the  circulation  ;  this  is  as  far  as  a  number  of 
cases  ever  get,  as  a  good  stimulant  and  a  little  care  produce  a 
healthy  reaction. 

Stock  fever  draughts  should  contain  an  alcoholic  or  am- 
moniacal  stimulant,  a  sedative,  and  a  tonic.  The  effect  of 
alcohol,  after  the  primary  diffusion  of  blood  to  the  surface,  in 
itself  a  desirable  property,  is  to  reduce  the  bodily  heat.  Am- 
monia or  digitalis,  by  increasing  the  force  and  diminishing  the 
frequency  of  the  heart's  contractions,  helps  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, and  some  bitter  tonic  carries  on  or  sustains  the  good 
work ;  hence  the  esteem  in  which  a  good  '  fever  drink  '  is  held 
by  practical  horsemen,  who  know  when  to  give  them.  This  is 
a  good  formula  : — 

/Ether.  Sulph.       .....     5iv. 

Tinct.  Digitalis    .         .         .         .         •     Sij- 

Tinct.  Gent.  Co.  ....     =ij. 

Aq.  Menthre  Pip.  ad     .         ,         .         .     ^xij. 

M. 
and  this  : — 


Sp.  Ammon.  Arom. 

•    5vj. 

Tinct.  Card.  Co. 

•     5vj. 

'i'inct.  Hyoscyam. 

•    5iv. 

Sp.  /Ether.  Nit.    . 

•    BJ- 

Aq.  Chloroformi  ad 

•     Sxv. 

M. 

Care  should  be  taken  not  to  give  an  ordinary  dose  of  aloes 
in  violent  fever,  as  super-purgation  frequently  results.  Four 
ounces  of  linseed  oil  or  sulphate  of  magnesia  is  preferable  ; 
or  good  effects  may  be  relied  on  by  giving  carbonate  of  am- 
monia in  two-drachm  doses  twice  a  day.  The  body  should 
be  well  clothed  ;    fresh  air  and    cold  water  allowed   ad  lib. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  99 

Green  food  and  boiled  barley  and  linseed  arc  much  belter  than 
a  continuance  of  bran  mashes,  which  only  act  as  a  laxative 
from  being  indigestible,  and  so  do  not  support  the  system. 

Mud  Fever. — The  disease  known  among  horse-owners  as 
mud  fever  is  more  or  less  of  a  regular  visitor  in  winter  time 
both  in  town  and  country  districts,  and  the  conditions  which 
bring  it  about  are  not  very  clear.  It  is  more  frequently  the 
scourge  of  the  gentleman's  than  of  the  poor  man's  stable  ; 
while  most  diseases  find  a  home  among  the  ill-cared-for  and 
ungroomed,  this  is  an  exception,  and  it  was  as  if  by  accident 
that  the  remedy,  or  rather  preventive,  was  discovered. 

In  187 1  many  London  horses  died,  and  so  aggravated  a 
form  did  the  disease  take  that  many  firms  were  unable  to 
horse  their  vehicles,  and  great  inconvenience  and  loss  resulted. 
Some  one  then  observed  that  night-cabbers  and  other  horses 
that  are  put  away  dirty  escaped,  while  the  carefully  washed 
and  bandaged  hunter  was  laid  up.  It  was  found  that  when  the 
hair  was  left  on  the  lower  parts  of  the  limbs,  and  the  dirt  was  left 
on  the  hair  till  dr}\  very  few  cases  of  mud  fever  appeared  ; 
since  that  time  the  custom  of  clipping  down  to  the  elbows  and 
nearly  to  the  hocks  has  become  much  more  fashionable,  and 
is  adopted  by  many  without  knowing  the  reason.  Still,  with 
all  precautions,  mud  fever  is  met  with  every  winter.  Metro- 
politan 'vets'  say  the  tram  companies  are  to  a  great  extent 
responsible,  as  they  put  down  salt  to  make  the  track  clear 
when  frosted,  and  the  salt  increases  the  irritating  power  of  the 
mud.  This  may  be  so  ;  but  horses  suffer  that  have  never 
been  in  a  town  at  all,  and  on  chalky  and  clay  soil  alike,  so 
that  many  horsemen  think  the  disease  comes  from  within,  and 
is  but  a  local  manifestation  of  a  systemic  condition. 

The  horse,  be  he  carriage,  hunter,  or  other  breed,  comes  in 
all  plastered  with  mud,  and  is  washed,  dried  (more  or  less), 
and  put  away  for  the  night ;  if  badly  attacked  he  will  be 
feverish  and  off  his  feed  in  the  morning,  stiff  behind,  and  sore 
to  the  touch  all  down  the  front  of  the  hind  legs,  and  often  all 
along  the  belly  ;   the  hair   comes  off  very  tjuickly,  and  the 

n  2 


ICO  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

outer  skin,  or  cuticle,  desquamates  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
leave  a  raw  surface  and  great  tenderness.  Sometimes  there  is 
great  swelling  of  the  hind  legs,  the  front  ones  participating  to 
a  lesser  degree,  and  the  belly  often  much  swollen  right  along 
to  the  posterior  portion  of  the  sternum.  In  very  bad  cases 
the  whole  surface  assumes  a  confluent  condition,  and  the  con- 
stitutional symptoms  are  proportionately  severe,  the  thermo- 
meter registers  104°  to  105'',  and  the  animal  rapidly  becomes 
emaciated. 

The  treatment  will  be  directed  to  reduce  the  pain  and 
irritation,  and  prevent  the  malignant  condition  above  de- 
scribed ;  to  lower  the  temperature  and  restore  appetite,  and 
make  the  horse  sufificiently  comfortable  and  supple  in  his 
limbs  to  lie  down  on  a  good  bed.  First,  foment  with  a  lotion 
composed  of  glycerini  Oss.,  aquse  Cj.,  at  a  temperature  of 
about  100°  F.  ;  and  having  with  this  softened  off— and  not 
rubbed — any  adhering  dirt  or  serosity,  carefully  dry  the  parts 
with  a  very  soft  towel,  or  lint,  and  apply  one  of  the  following 
lotions  : — 

Acidi  Carbolici     .....     5J. 

Glycerini      ......     gij. 

Aquoe  ad      .....  .      Oj. 

M.  ft.  lotio.     Ter  die  utend. 

Acidi  Carbolici     .         .         .         .         •     5J- 

01.  Sesam^e §x. 

M.  ft.  lotio.     Applic.  omni  die. 


Liq.  Plumbi  Subacet.  . 

•     .!J- 

01.  Lini 

.     Oj 

M.  ft.  lotio. 

Omni  die. 

All  the  foregoing  are  well  tried  and  old  friends  of  good 
veterinary  surgeons.  The  last  named  is  much  favoured  in 
the  south  of  London  in  ordinary  cases,  and  the  carbolic 
form  when  there  is  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  skin  to 
slough. 

The  benefit  of  bathing  the  inflamed  parts  with  very  much 
diluted  glycerine  can  be  scarcely  credited  by  those  who  have 
not  used  it,  and  we  know  of  a  celebrated  lotion  which  is  com- 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  lot 

posed  of  this  only,   with  a  Httle  Hquor  rosse,  with  elaborate 
directions  as  to  the  use  of  rain-water  with  it,  and  so  on. 

As  regards  internal  remedies.  If  the  fever  runs  high,  doses 
of  15  to  30  minims  of  tincture  of  aconite  (B.P.),  with  5ij.  chloral 
hydras  or  pot.  bromid.  5SS.,  bis  die.  If  there  is  constipation 
linseed  mashes  or  tea  should  be  ordered,  but  no  aloes  given, 
or  other  purgatives  stronger  than  mag.  sulph.,  giv.  c.  p.  foenug., 
5J.,  or  other  spice,  to  induce  the  horse  to  eat  it.  With  the 
abatement  of  fever  small  doses  of  tinct.  opii  and  spt.  seth.  nit., 
5ss.  of  each,  may  be  given  ;  or,  if  a  ball  be  preferred,  give  pulv. 
opii  ^ij-)  ammon.  carb.  5j.,  lini  farin.  q.  s.  ut  ft.  bolus,  bis 
die.  A  little  daily  exercise  should  be  enjoined,  however  stiff 
and  unwilling  the  horse  may  be  to  move.  Carrots,  bran 
mashes,  &c.,  in  small  quantities  to  tempt  the  appetite  and 
regulate  the  bowels,  and  on  returning  to  work  a  good  coating 
of  the  liq.  plumbi  and  oil  lotion  ;  some  tonic  powders  in  the 
daily  food  will  help  to  get  the  horse  in  condition  again.  The 
following  is  a  good  recipe  : — 

Sodii  Chlor.  .....  51]. 

Pulv.  Fcenug.       .....  5ij. 

Pulv.  Gentiance    .....  5ij. 

Pulv.  Ferri  Sulph.        .         .         .         •  5J- 

RI.  ft.  pulv.     Nocte  maneque  c.  cibo. 

To  prevent  a  recurrence  of  the  disease,  the  legs  should  not 
be  clipped,  and  the  mud  should  be  allowed  to  dry  and  then 
brushed  off.     Washing  should  be  strictly  prohibited. 

Strangles.— A  disease  of  colthood.  The  chief  symptom 
is  a  swelling  under  the  jaw,  which  increases  until  the  formation 
of  pus  and  the  pressure  within  make  a  thin  place  where  the 
abscess  is  said  to  '  point.'  There  is  often  a  great  amount 
of  constitutional  disturbance  and  high  temperature.  Febris 
pyogenica  is  the  scientific  name. 

Treatment  consists  in  forwarding  the  pus  formation  and 
inducing  it  to  come  to  the  surface.     When  a  soft  place  or 


102 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


prominent  one  is  felt  the  lancet  is  to  be  boldly  plunged  into 
the  abscess  and  the  matter  liberated.     It  is  often  very  thick 

and  may  need  some  manipula- 
tion to  get  it  out.  The  intro- 
duction of  a  little  ol.  tereb.  and 
ol.  olivas,  partes  ^equales,  will 
facilitate  the  discharge,  after 
which  it  commonly  heals  with 
great  rapidity.  Poulticing  is 
seldom  practicable,  as  the  dis- 
ease occurs  most  often  with 
youngsters  at  grass,  and  it  is 
better  to  prescribe  a  stimulating 
liniment  such  as  lin.  alb.  or  sa- 
ponis,  and  advise  trough  feeding 
with  soft  foods,  like  linseed  and 
bran  mashes.  A  tonic  of  iron 
and  gentian  is  found  very  useful 
in  restoring  strength  when  the 
pus  has  been  liberated,  the 
disease  being  very  debilitating  and  sometimes  causing  death 
from  rupture  into  the  chest  of  secondary  formations. 

Bastard  Strangles  is  a  term  sometimes  applied  where 
multiple  abscesses  form,  and  by  others  it  is  used  to  describe 
inflamed  glands  and  catarrhal  symptoms  in  seasoned  horses, 
which  often  threaten  to  develop  into  genuine  strangles.  Pro- 
fessor Williams  gives  the  term  to  that  more  severe  form  of 
strangles  in  which  multiple  abscesses  are  formed  and  other 
glands  often  affected  besides  those  in  the  sub-maxillary  space. 
Notwithstanding  careful  treatment  colts  sometimes  die  of 
strangles  from  the  bursting  of  internal  abscesses  ;  in  some 
seasons  a  more  malignant  type  of  the  disease  prevails,  and 
although  it  is  a  moot  question  as  to  its  infectivity,  there  is  a 
characteristic  benignity  in  the  symptoms  some  years  as  com- 
pared with  others.  Inoculation  and  reproduction  of  abscess 
with  pus  is  not  sufficient  proof  of  infection,  as  the  introduction 
of  any  foreign  material  may  produce  an  abscess. 


Strangles  :  showing  the  swelling  under 
the  jaw. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  103 

Treafmefif. — The  great  oljject  to  be  aimed  at  is  to  get  the 
abscess  to  '  point,'  and  any  and  every  remedy  calculated  to 
produce  such  a  result  may  be  used.  If  the  convenience  exists 
for  constant  hot  poulticing,  by  means  of  a  bag  of  bran  tied  to 
a  head  collar,  it  should  be  done,  at  the  same  time  introducing 
a  dram  or  two  of  ung.  resinas  into  each  poultice.  If  the 
animal  is  wild  or  there  is  reason  to  suppose  poulticing  will  not 
be  properly  carried  out,  it  is  better  to  prescribe  a  liniment  of 
ol.  tereb.  rub.  and  ol.  sesamce,  p.  re.,  and  repeating  the  first 
brisk  rubbing  in  the  course  of  a  few  days  if  the  abscess  has 
not  broken  or  is  not  ready  to  lance  ;  its  ripeness  can  be  pretty 
easily  determined  by  pressing  the  thumb  or  finger  over  the 
most  prominent  part,  when  it  will  feel  as  though  only  the  skin 
or  a  Aery  thin  partition  remains  between  the  contained  fluid 
and  the  parts  being  pressed  upon. 

An  opening  an  inch  or  more  long  should  be  made,  and 
gentle  pressure  exerted  to  remove  the  ropes  and  clots  of  pus 
which  sometimes,  but  not  always,  form,  and  are  a  source  of 
further  trouble  if  the  abscess  is  not  fully  evacuated.  The 
further  treatment  of  the  wound  consists  in  draining  by  the 
insertion  of  a  wisp  of  tow  dressed  with  the  liniment  above 
mentioned.  As  this  disease  rapidly  undermines  the  animal's 
strength,  and  in  the  case  of  colts  arrests  their  growth,  it  is 
advisable  to  give  tonics,  and  supply  tempting  and  nutritious 
food,  such  as  carrots,  scalded  oats,  soaked  peas,  and  green - 
meat  if  obtainable. 

A  tonic  powder  will,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  be  most 
convenient  to  administer,  and  the  following  is  seldom  '  nosed ' 
over  and  neglected  : — 

Cupri  Sulph.     .... 

Ferri  Carb.  Sacch.    . 

Pulv.  P'oenug.  .... 

Pulv.  Gentiance 

Sodii  Chloridi .... 

M.  ft.  dosis.      Semel  die  c.  cibo. 

Light  diet,  gentle  exercise,  regular  grooming,  demulcent 
drinks,  such  as  barley-water  or  water  mixed  with  honey  and 
powdered  marshmallow  or  liquorice,  are  accessories  to  the  treat- 
ment. 


5J- 
5J- 
5J- 
5ij- 


104  Veterinary  counter  practice 

The  animal  must  be  kept  in  a  warm  place,  and  covered  with 
a  cloth.  Give  no  drink  cold,  but  mix  it  with  barley-meal  and 
honey ;  for  food,  give  clover  mixed  with  barley-meal  and 
moistened  with  water. 

Shivering. — This  term  does  not  apply  to  rigors  or  the 
shivering  fits  which  usher  in  febrile  complaints,  but  it  is  used 
to  denote  a  serious  affection  of  the  spinal  cord.  It  is  the 
analogue  of  chorea  in  dogs,  and  comes  on  during  colthood 
almost  always,  though  similar  symptoms  are  known  to  follow 
injuries  to  the  spine  and  the  meningitis  of  influenza.  It  is 
nearly  always  incurable,  because  due  to  some  lesion  of  the 
spinal  cord.  The  symptoms  often  do  not  display  themselves 
until  a  horse  is  required  to  back  a  load  or  keep  one  back  in 
coming  downhill,  but  in  bad  cases  horses  will  stand  still  and 
shudder  or  shiver,  with  a  sort  of  general  spasm  of  the  body 
and  rigidity  of  the  limbs.  It  passes  away  again  quickly,  but 
such  animals  are  unsound  and  sooner  or  later  become  in- 
capable of  lying  down  and  finally  of  getting  up  when  they  fall 
down  in  sleep. 

Megrims.— The  pathology  of  this  most  dangerous  disease 
of  the  horse  is  not  very  clearly  made  out.  Some  hold  the  theory 
that  the  fit  is  caused  by  an  apoplectic  condition  of  the  brain, 
while  others  suggest  anaemia  of  that  organ  as  the  cause.  In 
its  manifestation  it  more  nearly  resembles  epilepsy  than  any- 
thing else. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  examination  of  a  horse  that  will 
enable  a  veterinary  surgeon  to  diagnose  the  subject  of  megrims. 
He  will  appear  to  be  perfectly  well,  even  if  sold  on  a  short  trial ; 
but  one  day  the  fit  will  come  on  when  he  has  been  out  for 
some  time  ;  he  stops  suddenly,  shakes  his  head,  sways  his  body, 
and  even  falls  down  in  bad  cases,  but  the  fit  does  not  usually 
last  long,  and  if  nothing  is  broken  he  will  resume  his  journey 
apparently  only  dull  and  depressed  in  manner.  It  is  com- 
monly harness  horses  that  suffer  from  this  disease  ;  and  warm 
weather,  uphill  work,  and  tight  collars  contribute  to  bring  on  a 
fit.     A  '  2)ipcd '  collar  should  be  used. 


D/SEAS.ES  OF  THE  HORSR  to^ 

Bleeding  from  the  palate,  aloetic  purges,  and  bran  mashes 
are  commonly  recommended  ;  but  a  horse  subject  to  megrims 
is  a  dangerous  creature,  and  the  owner  will  save  himself  loss  by 
an  early  sale — to  a  stranger. 

Sore  Throat. — Acute  inflammation  of  the  throat  some- 
times causes  suffocation,  when  it  arises  from  an  abscess  formed 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  throat  at  the  back  of  the  tongue,  as  in 
strangles.  Do  not  bleed  on  any  account.  Linseed  poultices 
should  be  placed  on  the  throat ;  barley-water,  sweetened  or 
acidulated,  should  be  given  as  a  drink  or  a  gargle.  Milk  diet 
should  be  provided  without  delay.  The  following  is  another 
method  of  treatment : — Make  an  electuary  of  i  part  each  of 
nitre  and  sal-ammoniac,  and  2  of  Glauber's  salt  with  water  and 
meal.  Smear  on  the  tongue  five  or  six  times  daily  a  quantity 
twice  the  size  of  an  egg.  Rub  the  swollen  parts  three  or  four 
times  daily  with  a  mixture  of  2  parts  each  of  mercury  and 
marshmallow  ointments  with  i  part  of  camphor  ointment. 
Protect  from  chills,  and  give  only  warm  water  to  drink. 

Stomach  Staggers,  or  Grass  Staggers,  is  an  affec- 
tion of  the  brain  caused  by  impaction  of  the  stomach.  It  is 
commonest  among  young  animals  at  grass  in  the  autumn. 

Symptoms. — Dulness,  disinclination  to  move,  fulness  of  the 
abdomen,  perhaps  distension  and  constipation  ;  breathing  slow 
and  heavy,  pulse  slower  than  usual,  30  to  35  a  minute  instead 
of  40.  It  comes  on  suddenly,  and  soon  ends  in  death  or 
recovery. 

Treatment. — If  discovered  in  time  a  brisk  aperient  is 
usually  effective,  but  bleeding  from  the  jugular  vein  is  even 
more  rapid  in  removing  the  brain  pressure,  for  it  is  in  the 
cerebral  vessels  that  the  trouble  is  displayed,  though  primarily 
caused  by  engorgement  of  the  stomach  and  bowels. 

Sleepy  Staggers,  a  similar  disease,  comes  on  gradually, 
runs  a  slower  course,  and  is  not  attended  by  the  marked 
fulness  and  constipation  of  stomach  staggers. 


io6  X'ETERINARV   COUNTER   PRACTICE 

Treatmetit. — As  the  stomach  is  packed  with  food,  balls  and 
powders  can  hardly  be  assimilated.  Strong  solutions  should 
therefore  be  given.  The  horse  cannot  vomit,  so  that  relief 
must  be  obtained  through  the  bowels.  Give  several  doses  of 
mag.  sulph.  in  a  good  deal  of  water.  Abstinence  from  food 
for  some  time  must  be  enforced,  and  when  again  fed  it  should 
be  from  a  manger  or  rack.  Horses  liable  to  staggers  should 
never  be  turned  out  to  grass,  as  the  pendent  head  is  provocative 
of  a  return.  Salines  are  especially  useful  in  combination  with 
one  or  two  small  doses  of  aloes,  as  the  latter  in  small  doses  is 
diuretic,  while  salines  by  osmosis  more  rapidly  deplete  the 
system  than  anything.  Bleeding  is  recommended  to  relieve 
the  acute  symptoms  in  the  first  place — the  saline  lakes  up 
the  running  and  prevents  the  increase  of  temperature  and 
blood-making  which  follows  blood-letting — a  circumstance 
which  renders  bleeding  so  seldom  desirable  except  in  certain 
acute  cases. 

Cystitis — Inflammation  of  the  Bladder. — Symptoms. 
— Cording  of  back,  straddling  of  the  hind  legs  and  posturing 
for  urination  without  result,  and,  in  the  case  of  males,  frequent 
partial  unsheathing  of  penis  ;  thirst,  movements  of  the  tail ; 
the  horse  turns  to  look  at  its  flanks.  A  high  degree  of  fever 
accompanies  the  malady,  quick,  small,  irritable  pulse,  and  dis- 
tressed countenance.  There  is  an  indisposition  to  lie  down 
though  rest  is  needed.  This  disease  is  liable  to  be  mistaken 
for  laminitiSj  as  the  animal's  behaviour  is  very  similar  when 
the  hind  feet  are  affected,  arching  the  back  and  standing  '  all 
of  a  heap  as  though  made  in  one  piece.' 

Treatment. — Clysters  act  as  internal  poultices  and  should 
be  frequently  thrown  up  the  rectum.  They  may  contain 
glycerine  and  some  extract  of  belladonna.  For  internal  use, 
too,  there  is  no  other  drug  which  acts  so  well  upon  the  urinary 
organs  when  inflamed.  A  first  bold  dose  of  an  ounce  of  the  tinc- 
ture may  be  given  and  followed  up  three  times  daily  with  two- 
drachm  doses,  regulating  the  amount  and  continuance  not  only 
by  the  condition  of  the  patient  but  tlie  effect  upon  the  pupil 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  107 

of  the  eye.  If  the  latter  is  found  much  dilated  and  unable  to 
contract  in  the  presence  of  a  strong  light,  the  medicine  must 
be  stopped.  Give  mucilaginous  drinks  and  clysters,  and  apply 
a  poultice  of  boiled  bran  to  the  loins.  The  bladder  may  be 
emptied  by  means  of  a  catheter,  an  operation  which  requires 
experience.  As  the  patient  improves  give  bitter  decoctions 
with  nitre.  When  the  inflammation  is  due  to  stone  in  the 
bladder,  this  can  only  be  removed  by  operation. 

Eczema. — The  skin  diseases  of  the  horse  commonly 
called  eczema  are,  in  reality,  distinct  affections,  but  having 
in  common  the  production  of  minute  vesicles  which  break, 
and  by  coalescing  form  a  serous  mass,  or  scabs.  It  is  not 
contagious,  but  often  occurs  upon  several  animals  in  the 
same  stable  from  an  error  of  diet  in  which  all  have  shared. 

Treatment. — Change  of  food,  especially  to  green-meat  and 
carrots,  washing  with  soap  and  dressing  the  sore  places  with 
ung.  zinci  or  ol.  carbol.  i  in  25,  or  acid,  carbol.  i  part,  glycerin. 
2  parts,  aq.  20  parts,  with  a  few  alterative  powders,  will  generally 
effect  a  cure.  Half  an  ounce  of  pot.  bicarb,  and  pot.  nit.  5j. 
in  the  drinking-water  night  and  morning  is  also  beneficial. 
Where  balls  are  preferred,  either  of  the  recipes  for  alteratives 
may  be  used  with  advantage. 

Mallenders  and  Sallenders. — A  skin  trouble  which 
comes  in  the  flexures  of  the  knee  and  hock  (behind  the  former 
and  in  front  of  the  latter ;  see  illustration,  p.  60)  is  often 
described  as  a  form  of  eczema ;  the  horseman's  name  being 
'  mallenders  '  when  affecting  the  fore  limb,  and  '  sallenders  '  if 
a  hind  one  is  implicated.  This  affection  is  really  on  a  par  with 
cracked  heels  (see  p.  125),  the  parts  being  provided  with 
more  or  less  glandular  structure,  whose  office  is  to  keep  the 
skin  soft  and  unctuous  where  friction  would  arise  from  the 
bending  of  knees  and  hocks.  When,  from  the  irritation  of 
dust  or  mud,  these  are  inflamed,  we  get  the  results  described 
under  cracked  heel.  The  disorder  w'ould  seem  to  be  associated 
with  some  constitutional  disturbance,  and  become  chronic,  and. 


log  VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

for  this  reason  perhaps,  has  been  classed  as  eczematous.  We 
have  known  horses  with  whom  the  discharge  seemed  to  have 
become  necessary,  as  in  the  case  of  ulcerated  legs  in  human 
beings,  drying  up  the  mallender  or  sallender  being  followed 
by  some  congestion  of  the  foot  and  more  or  less  lameness. 

Treatment. — An  aloetic  ball,  where  circumstances  permit, 
followed  by  alterative  powders  in  which  pot.  nit.  or  pulv.  resinae 
has  a  prominent  place.  As  an  ointment,  hamamelis  and  vase- 
line or  ung.  zinci  ox.  with  acid,  carbol.  ntx  ad  unciam.  Quite 
recent  cases  may  be  dried  up  and  lastingly  cured  by  a  more 
astringent  ointment,  as  alum,  exsic.  5j.  to  mel.  exot.  5J. 

Pityriasis. — Is  a  condition  of  the  skin  resembling  bran — 
small  scales  without  a  visible  vesicle  or  other  antecedent  erup- 
tion form  in  great  quantities  and  produce  a  very  unsightly 
condition.  It  is  often  caused  by  poverty,  and  both  horses  and 
cattle  are  affected  with  it  at  the  end  of  the  winter. 

Treatment. — Change  of  food,  alteratives,  and  oily  dressings. 
It  is  said  to  be  the  result  of  incomplete  oxidation  of  the 
carbonaceous  principles  of  the  food,  and  hence  it  is  advisable 
that  all  starchy  and  sugary  foods  should  be  withheld. 

Prurigo  or  Pruritus  is  a  scientific  term  for  an  irritation 
of  the  skin  that  cannot  be  made  to  fit  in  any  of  the  squares 
which  an  exact  system  of  nomenclature  would  design  for  it. 
In  veterinary  practice  such  cases  are  frequently  met  with,  and 
no  cause  can  be  assigned,  and  too  often  no  remedy  be  found. 
"We  use  a  good  many  long  w^ords  in  connection  with  skin 
diseases,  but  our  knowledge  of  dermatology  is  very  meagre, 
and  the  treatment  empirical.  If  no  definite  disease  is  to  be 
found  to  account  for  a  violent  itching,  and  no  parasite  can  be 
accused  of  the  mischief,  it  is  well  to  give  remedies  that  have  a 
distinct  action  on  the  skin,  like  antimony,  sulphur,  pot.  nit., 
&c.,  and  apply  a  sedative  lotion  as  follows  :— 

Liq.  Potassx ......      5j. 

Acid.  Ilydrocyanici  dil.  ....     ^ss. 

Aquas  ad Oj. 

M.  ft.  lutio.     Sa:pc  utcnd. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  109 

A  lotion  that  has  sometimes  succeeded  when  all  others 
have  failed  consists  of  : — 

Potassae  Sulphuratne       ....  »iv. 

Glycerini       ......  gviij. 

Aqu?e  I'luvii  .         .         ,         ,         .  Cj. 

M.  ft,  locio. 

The  animal's  skin  is  previously  prepared  for  this  application 
by  washing  in  an  alkaline  water  such  as  a  packet  of  Hudson's 
Extract  of  Soap  in  a  bucket  of  warm  water.  Partially  cleared 
with  a  scraper  and  the  lotion  brushed  on  with  an  ordinary 
water  brush. 

Itchy  Tail. — This  is  a  form  of  prurigo  which  spoils  the 
appearance  of  many  a  horse,  and  he  who  prescribes  success- 
fully for  it  will  earn  the  gratitude  of  both  master  and  servant. 
No  doubt  in  many  cases  it  is  nothing  more  than  a  vicious 
habit,  but  it  had  its  origin  in  some  irritation  of  the  tail  or  the 
rectum,  and  often  ceases  when  the  latter  has  been  cleared  of 
fundament  bots  or  of  those  small  round  worms  which  haunt 
the  terminal  portion  of  the  intestinal  canal.  Treatment  should 
not  be  despaired  of  until  the  prescriber  is  quite  assured  that 
no  parasites  are  present.  We  have  known  many  cases  relieved 
for  a  considerable  time  by  first  washing  the  tail  thoroughly 
with  soft  soap  and  abundance  of  water,  and  then  applying  the 
above  lotion. 

Many  remedies  have  been  suggested  for  bots,  but  they 
come  away  in  their  own  time,  and  are  perfectly  indifferent  to 
immersion  in  ol.  terebinth,  and  other  reputed  vermifuges. 

Acne  or  German  Measles  in  the  horse  is  a  pustule 
which  occurs  in  the  mane  and  occasionally  in  the  tail ;  the 
rubbing  of  the  collar  either  produces  or  favours  the  site  for 
the  parasite  which  causes  it.  It  works  its  own  cure  when  it 
breaks,  but  a  little  ung.  resinae  favours  the  healing  process. 
The  collar  should  be  kept  off  the  place,  and  this  may  be  done 
oftentimes  by  tying  the  harness  to  the  saddle  pad,  since  it  is  in 


no  VETERINARY   COUNTER  PRACTICE 

going  downhill  that  the  collar  jolts  upon  the  mane.  It  is  some- 
times necessary  to  give  the  horse  a  holiday  for  a  few  days. 

Of  late  years  there  has  been  a  very  troublesome  form  of 
this  malady,  known  among  job  masters  as  German  measles 
because  introduced  from  the  Continent.  It  begins  under  the 
harness,  but  often  spreads  along  the  back  and  over  the  poll,  the 
withers,  shoulders,  tail,  &:c.,  making  the  horse  very  unsightly 
and  causing  much  annoyance. 

Treatment. — The  best  of  all  remedies  is  that  of  sweating  in 
several  rugs  while  calling  upon  the  animal  for  severe  exertion  ; 
dressing  with  a  cresol  ointment  while  still  wet,  and  the  daily 
administration  of  flor.  sulph.  in  doses  of  an  ounce  or  more. 
This  exhales  through  the  skin  and  makes  the  host  untenable 
after  a  time. 

Surfeit,  or  Nettle  Rash,  is  a  name  given  to  an  eruption 
of  the  horse's  skin  which  is  not  parasitic  or  contagious,  but 
appears  to  arise  from  acute  indigestion,  from  chills,  drinking 
cold  water  when  hot,  &c.,  and  generally  occurs  when  the 
coat  is  being  changed.  In  the  form  known  as  urticaria  it 
will  sometimes  appear  in  a  few  minutes,  lumps  coming  up 
the  size  of  a  hazel-nut  along  the  neck,  shoulders,  and  sides, 
and  disappearing  again  almost  as  quickly.  The  more  common 
form  of  it  is  not  so  sudden  either  in  coming  or  going,  but 
the  lumps  are  hot  and  irritable,  and  the  outer  skin  or  cuticle 
desquamates  and  leaves  scaly  semi-bald  spots,  or  else  the 
growth  of  white  hairs. 

An  aloetic  purge  of  from  4  to  8  drachms  should  be  given, 
if  the  horse  can  be  spared  for  two  or  three  days  from  work,  or 
alteratives  in  the  case  of  a  seven-day  cabber.  The  alterative 
powders  in  common  use  are  sufficient — sulphur  and  nitre 
affecting  the  skin  very  quickly  and  carrying  off  effete  material 
by  the  diuretic  action  of  the  latter.  It  may  here  be  remarked 
that  vicarious  function  is  more  readily  excited  in  horses  than 
other  animals,  and  even  in  health  the  urine  of  the  horse  is 
often  loaded  with  material  which  precipitates  inunediatcly  on 
contact  with  the  cool  air. 


DISEASES  OF   THE  HORSE  ill 

If  the  horse  is  disposed  to  bite  himself  (or  his  clothing) 
and   rubs   the   stall-posts,  it   is  well   to   apply  the   following 
lotion  : — 

Acid.  Ilydrocyanici  dil.  .         ,         •     3j. 

Liq.  Potassce  ......     §ss. 

Aquje  picis  ad  .....     Oj. 

M.  ft.  lotio.     Srepe  utend.  si  opus  sit. 

Worms  in  Horses. — The  intestines  of  the  horse  are 
infested  by  three  or  four  different  kinds  of  worms,  of  which 
tapeworms  are  rarest,  and  ascarides,  or  round  worms,  com- 
monest. These  latter  are  usually  located  in  the  stomach  and 
small  intestines.  'When  in  large  quantities  they  are  voided  at 
times  with  the  f?eces,  and  this,  and  the  poor  condition  of  the 
animal,  are  the  two  symptoms  of  their  presence.  The  absence 
of  worms  in  the  dung  is  not  proof  positive  that  an  animal  is 
free  from  them.  In  this  case  we  can  onlj'  diagnose  negatively, 
by  the  poor  condition  and  absence  of  any  other  cause.  The 
most  effectual  remedy  is  a  good  dose  of  aloes,  given  on  an 
empty  stomach.  This  effectually  removes  the  parasites,  but  as 
the  patient  is  probably  weak  a  little  tonic  medicine  is  re- 
quired, a  very  good  form  in  such  cases  being — • 

Santonini        .....     ^xij. 
Arsenici  alb.  .         .         .         .         •     SJ- 
Ferri  Sulph 5xij. 

made  into  twelve  powders,  and  one  given  in  the  corn  every 
day  ;  or  we  may  give  half  the  powders  and  then  the  physic,  and 
then  the  other  six. 

As  a  matter  of  tact,  it  will  be  found  best  to  give  the  pow- 
ders as  zvonn  powders,  and  advise  a  dose  of  physic  after,  and 
this  because  horsemen  have  a  sort  of  idea  that  worm  medicine 
is  only  correct  in  the  form  of  powders.  The  tapeworm  of  the 
horse  is  only  small,  and  the  joints  might  easily  pass  out  in  the 
dung  unobserved.  The  best  remedy  is  ol.  filicis  maris,  in 
doses  of  two  or  three  drachms. 

It  is  unfortunately  true  that  nothing  is  more  uncertain  in 
veterinary  practice  than  worm  medicines.     The  same  ball  is 


112  VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

sworn  by  in  one  stable,  and  at  in  another.  Like  fish  sometimes 
the  worms  will  bite,  and  at  others  they  are  off  their  feed,  not- 
withstanding all  the  fasting  on  the  one  hand  or  ground-baiting 
on  the  other.  Some  practitioners  give  '  ground  bait '  in  the  form 
of  mashes,  and  others  prescribe  abstinence  ;  but  these  tricks 
are  often  as  worthless  as  fishing  from  the  opposite  bank  when 
sport  fails  on  the  first  side.  The  only  thing  to  do  is  to  give 
those  remedies  that  are  rough  on  worms,  and,  failing  on  one 
occasion,  to  try,  try,  try  again,  and  patience  will  generally  be 
rewarded  at  last. 

It  is  a  matter  of  common  observation  that  the  large  round 
worms  of  the  horse  {Ascaris  jnegalocephald)  come  away  freely  in 
May  and  June,  when  horses  first  get  a  cut  green-meat.  If  the 
dose  of  aloes  already  recommended  should  not  be  effectual, 
the  following  may  be  tried  : — 


Santonin! 

.     gr.  XX. 

Pulv.  Vitrei      . 

•     5ij- 

Ant.  Tart. 

•     5J- 

Aloes  Barb. 

•     5ij- 

Ferri  Sulph.  Exsic. 

•     .=ij- 

Alum.  Exsic. 

•     5J- 

Excipient.  q.  s. 

ut  ft.  bol. 

Bol.  j, 

.  bis  hebdomada. 

This  may  be  given  in  powder  with  the  exception  of  the 
aloes  and  alum,  exsic,  though  some  horses  will  take  them. 

If  the  remedies  given  should  fail,  the  vendor  had  better  be 
slow  to  pooh-pooh  the  presence  of  worms,  or  it  may  happen 
that  some  carter  with  the  boldness  of  ignorance  will  after- 
wards give  arsenic  5j.,  c.  antim.  tart.  5ij.,  and  bring  round  half 
a  bucketful  of  ascarides  to  show  what  he  can  do  when  he 
chooses.  We  should  not  recommend  this  remedy,  though 
often  successful,  as  we  have  seen  ulcerated  bowels,  causing 
death,  afterwards — a  long  time  afterwards,  when  no  one  would 
believe  the  real  cause  of  it,  and  least  of  all  the  carter  who  has 
'  taken  you  down  a  peg '  over  the  worms. 

It  is  not  the  large  round  worm  that,  as  a  rule,  does  so 
much  harm  to  horses,   but   the   palisade   worms  {Strongylus 


bjSEASES   OF  THE  NORSE 


"3 


Armatiis  and  tLtracantlius),  that  infest  the  mucous  hning  and 
make  nests  in  it  ;  these  and  some  of  the  strongyles  are  im- 
possible to  cast  out,  as  they  bore  through  the  intestines  and 
make  nests  on  the  junctures  of  blood-vessels,  returning  to 
the  intestines  to  feed  when  arrived  at  a  certain  stage.  \\'e 
have  known  scarecrows  of  horses  from  this  cause  upon  whom 
enough  money  has  been  spent  in  anthelmintic  medicines  to 
buy  a  better  horse,  but  they  have  never  been  cured  ;  the 
adults  liave  been  constantly  expelled  when  on  their  feeding- 
grounds,  but  the  young  keep  taking  their  places,  and  '  the  cry 
is  still,  they  come.' 


Bots  are  the  larvae  of  a  gad-fly  {(Estrus  equi).     The  eggs 
of  this  fly  are  deposited  upon  the  legs,  &c.,  of  the  horse,  and 


Eggs  of  Bot 

Fly  on 
Horse's  Hair 
(Magnified). 


Fundanlent 
or  Red  Bot. 


Stomnch  Bot. 


Female  Bot  Fly. 


are  taken  into  the  stomach  by  the  horse  licking  himself. 
The  larv^  escape  from  the  eggs,  and  fi.x  themselves  to  the 
mucous  lining  of  the  stomach,  where  they  remain  during  the 
winter.  The  following  spring  they  let  go  their  hold,  and  are 
removed  along  with  the  faeces. 

Another  variety,  known  as  the  '  fundament '  bot,  is  found 
just  within  the  anus,  the  fly  depositing  its  eggs  while  the  horse 
at  grass  is  in  the  act  of  defsecation  and  the  folds  of  membrane 
are  momentarily  exposed.  The  presence  of  these  is  often  the 
origin  of  itchy  tail  (see  p.  109).  They  are  best  got  rid  of 
by  hand  picking — an  operation  both  tedious  and  unattractive, 

{ 


114  VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

but  the  results  are  worth  the  trouble.  It  is  thought  by  some 
that  the  introduction  of  ung.  hydrarg.  is  inimical  to  their  exis- 
tence, and  it  is  as  well  to  provide  the  stableman  with  some  of 
it,  as  he  will  the  more  likely  persevere  in  the  use  of  his  fingers 
if  supplied  with  an  unguent  calculated  to  make  the  parasites 
loose  their  hold.  No  medicine  will  totally  destroy  stomach 
bots,  but  a  very  useful  draught  is  |ij.  of  ol.  terebinth,  given  in 
ol.  lini  Oj. 

Glanders  is  the  greatest  scourge  known  in  the  equine 
world.  It  is  as  old  probably  as  civilisation,  and  was  described 
2,000  years  ago  by  Hippocrates.  Acres  of  paper  and  rivers  of 
ink  have  been  consumed  in  its  discussion,  and  the  midnight 
oil  has  been  burned  by  learned  professors  and  zealous  students 
cultivating  the  '  specific  bacillus '  of  glanders.  There  are  two 
forms  of  glanders — the  acute,  and  chronic  or  subacute — and 
it  was  of  course  the  latter  kind  that  the  old-fashioned  veterinary 
surgeons  treated  medically.  Of  farcy  and  water  farcy  so  called 
we  shall  presently  have  occasion  to  speak. 

As  glanders  may  not  be  treated  by  chemists,  and  its  dia- 
gnosis must  be  left  to  the  duly  qualified  veterinary  surgeon,  we 
need  not  here  discuss  it  save  to  enumerate  some  of  its  promi- 
nent symptoms  and  warn  readers  against  giving  balls  or 
handling  the  nostrils  of  suspected  horses,  since  the  disease  is 
transmissible  to  man,  and  several  veterinarians  and  horsemen 
have  lost  their  lives  by  it.  It  is  an  infectious  disease,  and 
always  present  in  some  large  cities  with  old  and  insanitary 
stables. 

The  symptoms  of  glanders  are  chiefly  :  Discharge  from 
one  or  both  nostrils,  frequently  one  only,  and  that  the  left— at 
first  watery,  and  seldom  recognised  as  of  any  importance, 
afterwards  becoming  glutinous  and  lastly  pus  like  ;  loss  of  con- 
dition, staring  coat,  inappetence,  glandular  swelling  under  the 
jaw,  cough,  scalded  nostrils,  ulceration  of  the  lining  membrane 
of  the  nose,  lumps  upon  the  skin,  most  often  on  the  inside  of 
the  hind  legs,  front  legs,  and  about  the  head  in  the  order  in 
whicli  we  have  placed  them.     Some  or  all  of  these  symptoms 


DISEASES   OF  THE  HORSE  115 

may  exist,  and  a  veterinary  surgeon  should  always  be  consulted 
in  any  case  the  least  suspicious. 

The  Mallein  test. — A  substance  termed  '  Mallein,'  which  is 
an  extract  of  the  products  of  the  bacillus  of  glanders  {B.  Mallei), 
is  now  extensively  employed.  It  is  injected  subcutaneously  and 
(in  the  case  of  glandered  animals)  causes  a  rise  of  temperature 
and  characteristic  swelling.  This  substance  has  proved  of  the 
utmost  diagnostic  value,  but  only  an  expert  can  appreciate  the 
exact  value  of  the  reaction  or  certify  to  the  authorities. 

//  should  be  clearly  understood  that  710  treatment  is  lawful, 
but  that  notice  is  required  to  be  given  where  a  horse  is  clinically 
affected. 

Farcy  is  generally  described  in  veterinary  works  before 
glanders,  as  it  is  too  often  the  precursor  of  it.  So  much  so  and 
such  a  malignant  form  does  it  take  that  the  Veterinary  Depart- 
ment of  the  Privy  Council  place  it  in  the  same  category,  and 
require  animals  so  affected  to  be  destroyed.  Veterinary  sur- 
geons are  now  unanimous  as  regards  glanders  and  farcy  being 
one  and  the  same  disease,  and  due  to  the  same  micro- 
organism, viz..  Bacillus  Mallei. 

The  counter  prescriber  should  very  clearly  understand  that 
he  ought  not  to  be  a  party  to  the  treatment  or  keeping  alive  of 
an  animal  affected  with  farcy.  The  Privy  Council  has  lately 
(1899)  issued  very  stringent  orders  in  this  connection,  particu- 
lars of  which  can  be  had  from  the  Agricultural  Department. 
It  is  important  to  call  attention  here  to  the  fact  that  most 
horse  owners  persist  in  calling  a  swelled  leg  by  the  name  of 
farcy,  or  '  water  farcy,'  or  '  fassy.'  This  malady  is  perfectly 
amenable  to  treatment  and  is  not  in  any  way  related  to  farcy 
or  glanders. 

Water  Farcy  is  often  confounded  with  farcy.  It  has  no 
relationship  whatever  to  the  latter,  is  rarely  fatal  by  itself,  and 
may  generally  be  cured  in  a  few  days,  or  at  most  in  a  week  or 
two,  but  is  liable  to  recur.  It  is  an  inflammation  of  the  lym- 
phatics {lymphangitis),   due  to  irritation  of  rich    food   when 


Ii6  VETRRINARY  COUNTER  FRAGTICE 

the  animal  is  not  working,  and  hence  its  h'ability  to  occur  aftef 
the  animal  has  been  standing  in  the  stable  during  the  week- 
end and  having  the  same  amount  of  food  as  if  it  had  been 
working.  It  is  consequently  frequently  called  '  Monday  morning 
disease,'  and  is  also  known  as  'Weed,'  'Shivers,'  'Shakes,' 
and  by  a  variety  of  other  names.  Cart-horses  and  heavy  or 
crossbred  animals  are  common  subjects.  Its  appearance  is 
sudden,  and  usually  ushered  in  by  a  rigor  (although  this  is 
frequently  overlooked) ;  the  horse  may  be  apparently  well  over- 
night and  unable  to  move  across  the  stall  in  the  morning  ; 
the  leg — for  it  more  often  affects  one  leg  than  two,  and  usually 
the  off  hind — is  very  much  swollen,  hot,  tender,  and  stiff ; 
the  swelling  too  has  a  more  or  less  defined  line,  sometimes 
looking  as  though  a  cord  had  been  drawn  tightly  round 
the  thigh,  differing  in  this  respect  very  much  from  a  farcy  leg, 
which  does  not  pit  on  pressure  as  this  does  ;  there  are  no 
nodules  or  buds  here,  though  surfeit  bumps  may  coexist  and 
deceive  the  unwary.  It  is  a  common  thing  to  find  healthy  cart- 
horses of  the  hairy-legged  variety  with  bunchy  legs,  but  it  is  not 
farcy. 

The  medicinal  treatment  most  effectual  must  be  directed 
to  '  calling  upon  those  emunctories  the  kidneys,'  and  we  may 
say  they  should  be  called  on  by  a  variety  of  visitors  to  get  the 
needed  response. 

Aloes  is  known  to  everyone  as  a  purgative  in  the  form  of  a 
physic  ball,  but  it  is  too  often  forgotten  that  it  is  one  of  the  best 
diuretics,  especially  when  given  in  solution  or  in  small  doses  in 
form  of  a  ball.  Of  pot.  nit.  and  pulv.  resinae  we  may  require 
assistance,  but  in  the  first  stage  of  big-leg  or  water  farcy,  or 
whatever  else  we  may  choose  to  call  it,  there  is  no  beating  the 
following  draught,  unless  constipation  exists  to  an  alarming 
extent  and  necessitates  a  purge. 

Sol.  Aloes  (i  in  4)      .         ,         .         .     jij. 
01.  Tereb.  .....     giv. 

01.  Lini  ad Ojsj. 

M.  ft.  hausl. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  HORSE  117 

This  may  seem  a  bold  dose  of  turpentine,  but  we  have 
known  more  than  that  given  to  a  pony  with  good  effect, 
and  we  are  now, supposing  a  cart-horse  to  be  the  subject  of  our 
remarks.  This  should  not  be  repeated,  but  the  local  symptoms 
should  be  relieved  by  fomentation  with  hot  water,  into  a  gallon 
of  which  should  be  poured — 

Tinct.  Opii §j. 

Tinct.  Arnicoe  .         .         .         .         •  5J- 

Liq.  Plumbi  .  .  ,  .  •  SJ- 

Glycerini    .  ,         .         .         ,         •  ^'j-     M. 

After  which  the  limb  should  be  encased  in  woollen  bandages 
put  on  moderately  tight.  Diuretics  should  be  continued,  as 
well  as  the  fomentation,  for  several  days,  and  exercise  enjoined 
as  soon  as  possible,  or  '  rather  sooner,'  as  the  difficulty  of  getting 
the  horse  to  move  at  first  should  not  prevent  the  attempt.  A 
loose  box,  if  possible,  should  be  obtained,  and  every  encourage- 
ment given  to  lie  down  by  the  provision  of  an  ample  bed.  As 
a  subsequent  diuretic  we  recommend— 


Aloes  Barb. 
Pulv.  Resinse 
Sapon.  Duri 
Far.  Lini    . 


Excipient.  q.  s.  ut  ft.  bol 


•  5J- 

•  5J- 

Qmni  nocte. 


Water  farcy  sometimes  affects  a  front  leg  and  one  half  the 
surface  below  the  breast-bone,  but  it  has  the  same  defined 
line  and  doughy  feel  whether  in  one  or  both  hind  legs  or 
forward. 

Where  there  is  reason  to  suppose  that  fomentation  will  be 
but  indifferently  carried  out,  we  would  substitute  for  it — ■ 


Liq.  Plumbi        %         .         %         , 
01.  Sesamre         .         .         .         • 

.     Oj 

M.  ft.  Embrocatio. 

Apply  this  all  over  the  swollen  surface  ;  it  gives  much  relief. 
The  horse  should  have  bran  mashes  only  until  th?  inflamma- 
tion has  subsided. 


Ii8  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Diabetes— Polyuria— Frequent  Staling. — Under  the 
above  names  a  disease  of  the  horse  often  calls  for  attention. 
It  is  not  true  diabetes  as  met  with  in  the  human  subject,  as 
sugar  is  not  present  in  the  urine.  It  is  characterised  by  ex- 
traordinarily intense  thirst,  and  by  the  evacuation  of  urine  to  an 
abnormal  extent.  This  has  been  known  to  amount  to  from  ten 
to  fifteen  quarts  daily.  The  animal  loses  appetite  and  rapidly 
becomes  weak  and  emaciated.  The  condition  is  readily  and 
most  effectually  treated  by  iodine,  and  the  following  formula  is 
given  by  Finlay  Dun,  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  Dollar,  as  having 
proved  in  his  experience  superior  to  other  combinations  more 
correct  chemically. 

lodini  ....  .         .     5ss. 

Ferri  Sulphatis    .....     5ij. 

Pulv.  Geatianffi  .....     555. 

Islake  into  a  bolus,  and  give  one  daily.  In  very  bad  cases  a 
dose  may  be  given  night  and  morning,  but  ordinarily  once 
a  day  is  sufficient.  About  six  doses  will  generally  effect  a 
complete  cure.  The  food  should  also  be  inspected,  as  it  is 
well  known  that  the  condition  is  frequently  caused  by  musty 
hay,  kiln-dried  oats,  &:c. 

The  iodine  may  be  combined  with  pot.  iod.  in  such  a  ball 
as  this  : — 

lodini     ......     5J. 

Pot.  Iod 5J. 

Pulv.  Gentians        ....     5VJ. 

Glycerini  q.  s.  ut  ft.  bolus. 

One  to  be  given  night  and  morning. 

Another  ball  which  appears  to  have  a  beneficial  effect  is 
composed  of : — 

Plumbi  Acctatis 553. 

I'ulv.  Gallffi 5iv. 

Lini  Farinai         .....  5iij. 
Tlieriacrc  q.  s.  ut  ft.  bolus. 

One  of  these  balls  to  be  given  every  night.  The  iodine  balls 
should  be  freshly  prepared,  and  wrapped  (but  not  sealed)  in 
paraffin  paper. 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES  119 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES 

One  of  our  most  eminent  veterinary  surgeons  has  been 
heard  to  say  that  half  a  vet.'s  Hving  is  got  below  the  horse's 
knees  and  hocks.  If  this  statement  be  not  strictly  accurate,  it 
serves  to  illustrate  the  importance  of  the  subject.  The  principal 
causes  of  lameness  are  fractures,  sprains,  ring-bones  and  side- 
bones,  splints,  spavin,  pricks  in  shoeing,  corns,  canker,  thrush, 
sand-crack,  seedy-toe,  false  quarter,  quittor. 

To  the  hock  may  be  attributed  by  far  the  greater  number 
of  hind-limb  lamenesses,  though  many  stablemen  believe  horses 
to  be  lame  in  the  'round  bone,'  by  which  they  sometimes  mean 
the  stifle-joint  (or  patella-bone),  and  sometimes  the  haunch 
or  hip.  We  knew  a  farrier  who,  when  in  doubt,  used  to  blister 
all  the  lot,  on  the  principle  of  a  larger  net  catching  more  fish 
than  a  small  one. 

Lameness  caused  by  injuries  to  the  hip  and  stifle  are  not 
very  frequent,  and  cannot  generally  be  diagnosed  by  any  but 
an  expert  veterinary  surgeon  ;  when,  however,  this  lameness  is 
known  to  be  caused  from  a  fall  or  blow  upon  the  hip  or  upon 
the  stifle-joint,  treatment  may  be  adopted  such  as  would  apply 
to  any  other  direct  injury,  and  failing  an  early  recovery  a  blister 
charge  may  be  applied,  and  Dr.  Time  called  in  to  complete  the 
cure — valuable  allies  are  time  and  the  vis  medicatrix  naturce. 
If  few  of  us  would  like  to  confess  to  our  clients  how  much  we 
are  indebted  to  these,  we  should  not  forget  them  in  the  case  of 
obscure  and  obstinate  lame  cases.  We  have  known  lame  horses 
get  sound  again  and  prove  good  servants  after  a  rest  of  eighteen 
months  and  even  two  years,  which  to  a  farmer  is  not  so  great 


120  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

a  loss,  though  to  a  town  horse-owner  the  expense  is  ruinous  and 
not  to  be  entertained.  Some  farmers  do  a  good  business  by 
buying  broken-down  omnibus  and  tram-car  horses  and  keeping 
them  at  grass  till  restored.  One  farmer  we  know  uses  some 
marsh-land  where  are  many  leeches,  and  does  nothing  but 
turn  out  crooked  and  '  stale '  horses  for  the  leeches  to  make 
sound  again. 

Some  lamenesses  are  caused  by  injuries  to  the  spine,  '  over 
the  bridge '  as  horse-dealers  say,  and  may  be  due  to  degenera- 
tion of  the  spinal  cord  or  'chinked  back,'  which  is  generally 
intended  to  mean  some  injury  to  the  spine-bones,  which  makes 
a  horse  unable  to  back  or  turn  or  support  a  heavy  load  down- 
hill ;  to  a  disease  of  colthood  known  as  '  shivering '  and  due  to 
some  spinal  degeneration  but  little  understood  (see  p.  104). 
It  is  often  of  such  a  nature  as  not  to  be  observed  till  the 
animal  is  put  to  work,  and  the  same  '  flat-catcher '  is  frequently 
sold  at  auction  to  the  unwary  till  he  becomes  so  well  known  as 
to  excite  a  laugh  among  the  habitues  who  attend  the  various 
metropolitan  sale-yards. 

Of  causes  connected  with  the  feet  producing  lameness  there 
are  many  ;  among  the  commonest  are  pricked,  stabbed,  and 
wounded  laminse  in  shoeing.  Many  horses  go  lame  from  bad 
shoeing,  though  these  are  only  a  small  proportion  of  the  cases 
laid  at  the  farrier's  door.  Farriers  are  not  less  intelligent 
or  careful  than  other  craftsmen,  but  unreasonable  things  are 
expected  of  them.  While  every  novice  with  his  first  horse 
thinks  himself  capable  of  giving  the  smith  instruction,  old  hands 
expect  him  to  make  cripples  go  sound,  no  matter  what  their 
defects.  When  it  is  actually  proved  that  a  horse  has  been 
pricked  in  shoeing,  it  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  the 
farrier  is  to  blame  :  ahorse  will  plunge  at  the  moment  of  driving 
the  nail,  or  the  horse  standing  next  him  be  frightened  by  the 
'  sparks  that  fly  like  chaff  from  a  threshing  floor,'  and  sees 
more  danger  than  poetry  proceeding.  Or  a  nail  will  sometimes 
'  sliver '  or  split  at  the  end  ;  especially  docs  this  apply  to  hand- 
made nails,  which  are  rapidly  disappearing  with  the  starvelings 
who  make  them.     Again,  it  often  happens  that  a  hprse  niay 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES  121 

be  lamed  in  shoeing  by  the  nail  going  so  near  the  sensitive 
part,  that  it  presses  upon  the  quick  and  causes  lameness  after  a 
few  hours  or  days.  There  is  no  absolute  rule  to  be  laid  down 
as  to  how  soon  a  prick  will  manifest  itself;  it  may  show  before 
the  horse  gets  back  to  his  stable,  or  fester  after  more  than  a 
week  has  elapsed.  If  he  is  observed  to  go  '  feelingly  '  and  the 
shoe  is  removed  at  once,  he  may  be  all  right  again  immediately, 


T,  Lower  jaw;  2,  superior  maxillary;  3,  atlas,  first  vertebra  of  the  neck  ;  4,  dentata; 
5,  remaining  vertebra ;  6,  superior  spinous  processes :  7,  dorsal  and  lumbar  vertebrae  ; 
8,  sacrum;  9,  coccygeal,  or  tailbones ;  10,  scapula,  or  blade  bone;  11,  humerus;  12, 
radius;  13,  carpel,  or  knee  bones  ;  14,  cannon,  or  shank  bones  ;  15,  splint,  or  splent  bones  ; 
16,  long  pastern,  or  os  suffraginis :  17,  sesamoid  bones ;  18,  os  corona,  coronet  bone,  or 
short  pastern ;  19,  os  pedis,  pedal  bone,  or  coffin  bone  (navicular  bone  behind) ;  20, 
elbow,  or  ulna;  21,  sternum,  or  breast  bone;  22,  ribs;  23,  ossa  innominata  (including 
pelvis);  24,  femur;  25,  patella,  or  stifle  joint  ;  26,  tibia;  27,  fibula;  28,  astragalus;  jg, 
OS  calcis  ;  30,  small  bones  of  hock. 


or  he  may  not.  Many  horses  get  a  '  stab,'  as  farriers  call  it, 
and  receive  no  other  treatment  than  the  pouring  into  the  wound 
of  a  little  nitric  acid.  If  this  had  not  proved  successful,  or  at 
least  not  harmful,  in  many  thousands  of  cases,  we  should  have 
said  it  \yas  a  barbarous  custom  ;  but  as  nothing  succeeds  like 


122  VETERhYARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

success,  we  must  pass  it  by  ;  unless  indeed  we  stop  to  note  the 
fact  that  modern  knowledge  of  microbes  explains  how  entirely 
satisfactory   a   remedy  is,   that   will   at   once   and  effectually 


A  FcRK  Leg. — B,  lower  thirdof  radius;  C,  trapezium;  D,  small  bones  of  knee  arranged 
in  layers  ;  E,  splint,  or  splent  bone;  1'",  cannon,  or  shank  bone;  G,  sesamoid  bones ;  H, 
long  pastern,  or  os  sulTraginis  ;  I,  short  pastern,  or  coronal  bone  ;  J,  os  pedis,  pedal,  or 
coffin  bone;  K,  navicular,  or  shuttle  bone. 

Z  HiNo  Leg.— U,  lower  third  of  tibia ;_C,  os  calcis  ;  D,  astragalus;  E,  small  bones 
of  hock.  The  bones  below  the  hock  are  designated  by  the  same  names  as  in  the  front 
limb. 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES 


123 


exclude  those  pyogenic  organisms  which  give  rise  to  suppura- 
tion. If  a  horse  is  lame,  and  the  cause  is  not  actually  known, 
it  is  best  to  consult  a  veterinary  surgeon.  The  diagnosis  of 
lameness  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  branches  of  veterinary 
practice,  and  the  counter  prescriber  who  would  do  justice  to 
his  client  will  not  attempt  it.  If  a  prick  is  known  to  be  the 
cause  of  lameness,  no  time  should  be  lost  in  removing  the  shoe, 
and  enlarging  the  nail-hole  with  a  searcher,  the  practitioner 
not  resting   satisfied  till   the   sensitive   parts   are  discovered. 


A  Good  Open  Foot. 


A  Contracted  Foot. 


The  degree  of  lameness  from  pricks  seems  to  be  out  of  all  pro- 
portion to  the  extent  of  injury,  and  a  horse  may  be  unable  to 
bear  the  least  weight  upon  the  foot,  though  only  the  tiniest 
drop  of  matter  may  be  confined  in  it.  When  once  given  exit, 
he  is  greatly  relieved.  A  matter  like  green  sap  is  more  often 
discovered  than  pus  ;  it  is  decomposed  horny  matter  of 
characteristic  colour  and  offensive  (H2S)  smell. 

If  pricks  are  not  very  quickly  relieved  by  enlarging  the  ori- 
fice below,  the  matter  makes  its  way  upwards  in  the  line  of 
least  resistance,  coming  out  between  hair  and  hoof,  when  it  is  a 
much  more  serious  affair.  If  one  is  not  called  upon  to  treat  it 
until  this  stage,  a  drain  should  be  attempted  below  all  the  same, 
as  sinuses  are  always  feared,  which,  when  once  established,  con- 
stitute quittor. 


124  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

The  treatment  of  pricks  consists  in  first  of  all  having  the 
nail-hole  thoroughly  pared  out  to  give  exit  to  any  matter  ; 
then  placing  the  foot  in  hot  water  for  about  an  hour,  after 
which  a  poultice  consisting  of  equal  parts  of  bran  and  sem. 
lini  cont.  should  be  applied.  A  fresh  poultice  should  be  put 
on  every  day  for  two  or  three  days  until  there  is  no  discharge, 
after  which  the  following  ointment  on  a  pledget  of  tow  should 


I,  Pendulous  lips;  2,  cataract  and  amaurosis;  3,  hollow  orbits;  4,  pigs'  ears;  5, 
enlarged  glands  ,  6,  itchy  mane  ;  7,  fistulous  wither  ;  8,  saddle-galls  ;  9,  hollow-backed  ; 
10,  knocked-down  hip  ;  11,  crupper  galled  ;  12,  slab-sided  ;  13,  goose-rumped ;  14,  thoro- 
pin  ;  15,  enlarged  stifle  ;  16,  bog  spavin  ;  17,  capped  hock  ;  18,  capped  elbow  ;  19,  wind 
galls  ;  20,  enlarged  ligaments  ;  21,  spavin  :  22,  curb  ;  23,  sprained  tendon  ;  25,  greasy 
heel  ;  26,  contracted  tendons;  27,  sprained  back  tendons  ;  28,  shotover  fetlock;  29,enlarged 
sesamoids;  30,  cracked  heels ;  31,  sand-crack  ;  32,  pumiced  foot;  33,  crown  scab;  34, 
quittor  ;  35,  enlarged  knee. 

be   introduced   into   the   wound   and   kept   there   by   means 
of  strips  of  wood  or  hoop-iron  wedged  under  the  shoe. 
Cerse  Flav.      .         .         .         .         •     5J- 
Adipis    ......     gss. 

01.  Nucis  Coc ,^ss, 

Picis  Arch,      .         ,         .         .         •     5i^'< 
Ft,  ungiienUini, 


tAM^NSSS  IN  HORSES  til 

A  dose  of  physic  should  also  be  recommended  during  the  time 
the  foot  is  being  poulticed. 

Cracked  Heels  are  a  frequent  source  of  trouble  to  the 
horse-owner,  and  are  generally  caused  by  bad  management. 
Some  horses  are  constitutionally  disposed  to  this  troublesome 
complaint.  It  more  often  occurs  in  white  legs  than  others, 
and  is  not  peculiar  to  any  particular  breed  or  class  of  horse. 
Working  in  snow  or  crossing  streams  of  cold  water  will  account 
for  a  few  of  the  cases  met  with,  but  the  majority  are  caused 
by  washing  the  heels  after  work,  and  allowing  the  moisture  to 
evaporate  and  produce  a  chill  to  the  sebaceous  glands  of  the 
heel,  which  become  thereby  inflamed,  and  pour  out  an  irritating 
material,  which,  instead  of  performing  its  usual  function  of 
keeping  supple  the  skin,  produces  cracks,  which,  if  neglected, 
go  on  to  ulcers.  Horses  subject  to  cracked  heels  should  not 
have  the  legs  washed  on  coming  in  from  work,  but  be  brushed 
clean  after  the  legs  are  dry.  Even  the  carefully  coddled 
hunter  does  not  always  escape,  though  the  heels  be  dried  and 
bandaged. 

In  a  mild  case  of  cracked  heels  mild  remedies  are  best, 
such  as  either  of  the  following  : — 

Liq.  Plumbi       .  .  .  ,  •     5J« 

Ol.  OlivK  ad     .  .  .  .  .      gxx. 

M.  ft.  lollo. 

Liq.  Plumbi jj. 

Glycerin!  ......  gj. 

Aq.  ad       .....  .  gxx. 

M.  ft.  lotio. 

If  the  heel  has  already  become  encrusted  with  dry  matter, 
the  former  will  soften  it,  and  enable  the  animal  to  work  with 
less  likelihood  of  aggravating  the  affection  ;  but  the  glycerine 
preparation  will  be  found  to  allay  inflammation  better  even  if 
the  heel  be  very  red  and  tender  to  the  touch,  but  not  actually 
discharging  matter. 

In  very  bad  cases,  rest,  poultices,  and  fever  medicines 
become  necessary.     The  poultices  should  contain  a  little  liq. 


136  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

carb.  deterg.,  or  Jeyes's  fluid,  or  acid,  carbolic,  i,  to  glycerine  20 
parts.  Equal  parts  of  sem.  lini  cont.  and  bran  are  to  be  pre- 
ferred, but  the  practitioners  in  some  out-of-the-way  places 
will  have  to  make  shift  with  turnips,  or  anything  that  comes 
handy. 

Cracked  heels  also  occur  in  dry  summer  weather,  and  are 
not  traceable  to  any  mismanagement,  but  rather  to  the  irri- 
tating effects  of  the  dust  settling  in  the  heel.  When  caused  in 
this  way  greasy  preparations  are  perhaps  the  best,  and  among 
these  ung.  zinci  carb.  has  a  good  reputation  where  the  ung. 
zinci  ox.  is  too  irritating.  Professor  Simonds  used  to  recom- 
mend pulv.  zinci  ox.  mixed  with  flour,  and  mentioned  an 
obstinate  case  which  was  finally  cured  by  flour  alone.  In  the 
summer,  when  flies  are  troublesome,  a  little  tar  or  phenol 
should  be  added  to  the  ointments.  When  ulcerated  cracks 
are  developed,  they  need  treating  with  powerful  astringents, 
which  should  be  carefully  applied  to  the  ulcers  only.  For  this 
purpose  we  have  found  the  following   better  than  anything 

else  : — 

Cupri  Sulpli.  Pulv.     .         .         .         .1 

Alum.  Exsic.  P.B }  partes  .Tq. 

This  may  be  dispensed  as  a  lotion  if  preferred,  dissolving  a 
drachm  of  each  in  aqua  3VJ. 

The  milder  astringents  are  to  be  preferred  in  the  treatment 
of  cracked  heels,  as  the  union  is  the  more  lasting  if  not  hurried. 
Only  in  chronic  gaping  sores  with  indurated  edges  should  we 
resort  to  the  last  formula.  Cracked  heels  is  a  condition  always 
liable  to  recur,  and  should  be  looked  upon  with  suspicion  when 
making  a  purchase. 

Corns. — A  corn  is  an  injury  to  the  horn  of  the  foot,  at 
the  same  time  involving  the  tissues  beneath,  causing  rupture 
of  the  minute  blood-vessels  and  the  escape  of  blood,  which,  by 
permeating  the  horn  in  the  neighbourhood,  gives  it  a  dark 
colour  when  cut  down  upon.  Corns  arc  usually  situated  on 
the  inside  of  the  foot,  between  the  bars  and  the  wall  of  the 
heel.     Many  horses  have  such  corns,  and  never  sufler  lame- 


Lameness  in  horses 


127 


ness  while  properly  looked  after.  If,  however,  the  farrier 
fails  to  keep  a  corn  pared,  or  puts  on  a  shoe  having  a 
bearing  upon  the  part,  lameness  soon  results,  and  festering 
too  often  follows.  The  shoeing-smith,  or  farrier,  as  he  is 
more  properly  called,  usually  gets  all  the  credit  of  producing 
corns  in  horses  ;  but  in  this  and  many  other  cases  he  gets 
more  than  his  share  of  the  blame.  Corns  much  more  often 
arise  from  the  owner's  meanness  or  the  groom's  neglect  than 
from  the  farrier's  method  of  shoeing.  While  the  horse's 
foot  continues  to  grow  the  shoe  does  not,  and  the  shoe  that 
once  had  a  bearing  on  the  crust  only,  finally  presses  upon  the 
seat  of  the  corn,  and  produces  the  mischief  we  have  now  under 
consideration.  If  the  horse-owner  insists  upon  wearing  out 
shoes  to  the  thinness  of  a  sixpence,  no  matter  how  long  they 
may  have   been  on,  he  has  only  himself  to  blame  if  corns 


Section  of  Pastern  and  Foot. 
Showing  portions  of  Lonp  Pastern, 
Short  Pastern,  Pedal  Bone, 
Navicular,  &c.,  &c. 


A  Bad  Case  of  Laminitis  or  Fever 
in  the  Foot. 


result.  Some  horses  with  lov\',  flat  feet,  like  those  of  the 
Netherlands,  have  a  predisposition  to  corns,  while  the  upright 
feet  of  the  Arab  type  are  not  so  susceptible. 

When  a  corn  festers  and  causes  lameness,  the  knife  must 
be  used  freely  to  lay  it  bare,  and  ung.  resins,  or  other 
drawing  or  '  digestive '  material,  applied,  and  the  whole  foot 
should  be  enveloped  in  a  poultice.     If  this  is  done  promptly 


128  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

relief  is  soon  obtained,  and  the  parts  may  be  hardened  off 
with  hq.  antim.  chlor.  or  tar  on  tow,  and  the  shoe  replaced 
so  as  to  have  no  bearing  upon  the  tender  parts.  If  this  is  not 
done  in  good  time  the  matter  will  break  out  at  the  coronet  (see 
Quittor).  Bar-shoes  and  other  contrivances  help  to  reduce 
the  bad  results  of  corn,  but  it  is  a  serious  objection  to  a  hofse, 
and  always  liable  to  be  a  cause  of  lameness. 

Ring-Bones. — This  is  a  term  given  to  an  abnormal  growth 
or  deposit  of  bone  upon  the  pasterns  or  lower  bones  of  the 
legs.  There  are  two  pastern  bones,  called  respectively  the  long 
and  short,  or  Os  suffraginis  and  Os  corona. 

All  breeds  of  horses  are  liable  to  ring  bones,  but  heavy 
draught-horses  are  especially  liable,  as  their  bones  are  short  as 
compared  with  the  blood  horse,  and  more  upright,  and  con- 
cussion is  more  violent  as  a  consequence.  The  arrangement 
or  anatomical  construction  of  the  horse's  foot  and  leg  is  such 
as  to  minimise  the  chances  of  concussion  and  subsequent  in- 
flammation ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  we  are  almost  always 
dealing  with  animals  in  an  artificial  state  when  we  are  asked  to 
prescribe  for  lameness  or  deformity.  Ring-bone  may  occur 
on  the  front  or  hind  pasterns  ;  it  may  be  on  the  upper  bone, 
when  it  is  called  '  high  ring-bone,'  or  on  the  lower,  just  above 
the  hoof,  when  it  is  denominated  '  low  ring-bone,'  and  must  be 
distinguished  from  side-bone,  of  which  we  shall  treat  here- 
after. It  is  often  hereditary,  and  found  upon  the  same  horse 
as  splint,  spavin,  and  other  exostoses,  as  growths  of  bone 
are  technically  termed.  It  should  be  remembered  that  the 
growth  of  a  ring-bone  is  from  the  outside.  Bones  do  not  grow 
from  within  outwards,  but  from  the  periosteum,  or  covering 
membrane,  and  when  by  concussion  this  membrane  becomes 
inflamed  its  function  of  secreting  bone  is  excited,  and  calcareous 
phosphatic  matter  is  produced  in  excess.  Unless  ring-bones 
happen  to  be  an  hereditary  production,  the  animal  having  a  bony 
diathesis,  or  predisposition  to  throw  out  deposits  of  bone,  they 
are  caused  by  a  greater  strain  than  the  existing  bones  can 
endure,  and  the  production  of  more  bone  is  within  certain 


LAMENESS  IN  IIORSRS  J29 

iimits  a  i)hysiological  process  destined  to  prevent  the  recurrence 
of  the  strain  by  providing  against  a  hke  contingency.     The 
process  and  the  products  of  inflammation   are  now  regarded 
in  a  totally  different  manner  from  that  adopted  formerly.   Inflam- 
mation of  any  structure  is  in  reality  an  effort  of  nature  to  accom- 
modate the  parts  to  altered  circumstances.     This  may  best  be 
illustrated  by  reference  to  the  human  hand.     The  soft  palm 
will  blister  with  an  hour's  rowing  ;  the  blister  is  the  result  of 
inflammation.     The  sequel  is  a  corn,  and  the  rower's  altered 
condition  will  soon  enable  him  to  use  the  oars  without  blister- 
ing.     If  he  leave  off  rowing,  and  the  corns  are  no  longer 
required,  nature  will  absorb  them  or  cast  them  off.     If  this  is 
borne  in  mind  in  the  treatment  of  horses,  good  results  will 
follow.     All  ring-bones  do  not  require   the   same   treatment. 
AVe  will  suppose  a  client  has  a  young  cart-horse  which  has  fallen 
lame  with  incipient  ring-bone.     This   is   the  time   to   use   a 
sedative  or  evaporating  lotion,  in  order  to  modify  the  extent  of 
the  inflammation,  and  not  produce  a  lot  of  bone,  which  will  be 
an  eyesore  and  a  detriment  to  the  horse.     In  such  a  case  an 
excellent  lotion  may  be  made  as  follows  :  — 


Acidi  Acetici 

•    5J- 

Tinct.  AiniCc'e 

•     5ij- 

Liq.  Plumbi  Acet. 

•     5J- 

Sp.  Vini 

•      5J-  vel  5ij. 

Aq.  Dest.  ad 

,     Oj. 

M. 

ft. 

lolio. 

To  be  applied  on  a  wet  swab  or  bandage,  renewing  it  fro 
quently.  In  a  young  horse  this  will  probably  so  reduce  the 
irritation  in  the  course  of  a  few  days  that  he  will  go  sound 
again  ;  but  the  cmise  must  be  removed,  and  the  colt  turned  out 
to  grass  till  his  bones  become  more  consolidated  and  fit  to  bear 
the  concussion  and  strain  of  starting  heavy  loads  on  macadam- 
ised roads.  If  the  owner  cannot  or  will  not  be  persuaded  to 
turn  the  colt  out,  or,  as  often  happens,  has  not  the  capital  to 
invest  in  another,  then  blistering  must  be  resorted  to.  Blister- 
ing will  probably  not  remove  the  ring-bone,  but  it  will  absorb 

K 


i-o  VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

\ 

some  of  the  deposited  material,  and,  by  thickening  the  skin  and 

subjacent  structures,  give  increased  support  to  the  parts,  as 
does  the  corn  upon  the  rower's  hand.  It  often  happens  that, 
with  a  steady  driver  or  considerate  carter,  a  ring-bone  will  en- 
tirely disappear,  the  horse  never  being  again  subjected  to  so 
severe  a  strain  as  that  which  caused  it,  and  its  absorption  being 
undertaken  by  nature  because  found  to  be  unnecessary. 

This  does  not  apply  to  hereditar}-  ring-bones  ;  their  absorp- 
tion is  seldom  accomplished  with  or  without  treatment.  A 
great  many  cart-horses  have  ring-bones  without  experiencing 
any  particular  inconvenience,  and  they  are  best  let  alone  unless 
there  is  lameness  or  a  palpable  increase  in  their  size,  when 
blistering  should  be  resorted  to.  There  are  blisters  and 
blisters,  and  before  deciding  what  to  use  the  question  should 
be  asked  at  what  age  and  under  what  circumstances  has  the 
subject  developed  ring-bone.  If  it  be  a  recent  case,  a  can- 
tharides  blister  will  do  well  enough.      If  of  long   standing, 

then 

Hydrarg.  Biniodid.       .         .         .         •     SJ- 
Adipis  ad     .         .         .         .         .         •     SJ- 

M.  ft.  ung. 

should  be  employed.     The  biniodide  is  generally  preferred  for 
all  bony  enlargements. 

Three  or  four  ounces  will  be  required  for  a  cart-horse's  leg 
even  when  clipped  tolerably  close.  All  veterinary  preparations 
should  have  an  allowance  for  waste  ;  if  it  be  an  ointment  some 
will  run  down  and  fall  off,  and  if  it  be  a  drench  some  will  be 
spilt.  '  Half  in  and  half  out,  like  a  farrier's  drench,'  is  quite  a 
stable  proverb.  A  practical  prescriber  will  not  fail  to  tell  his 
client  to  tie  the  horse's  head  up  for  at  least  two  nights  and 
days,  lest  the  patient  should  gnaw  the  parts,  damage  the  skin 
irreparably,  and  blister  his  own  nose,  a  most  unsightly  accident. 
A  basket  suspended  from  the  ceiling  can  be  used  for  the  food 
if  the  horse  shows  a  disposition  to  strike  the  manger  with  a 
front  leg  that  has  been  blistered.  Whenever  a  blister  is  pre- 
scribed for  any  of  the  lower  parts  of  the  legs  the  owner  should 
be  cautioned  to  remove  the  straw,  as  much  unnecessary  pain 


LAMENESS  IN  HOKSES  131 

nnd  sleeplessness  are  produced  by  the  ends  tickling  and  irritating 
the  blistered  surface. 

On  the  third  day  after  blistering,  a  simple  ointment  should 
be  used  to  soften  the  skin  and  prevent  cracks  and  ulceration  5 
this  is  very  grateful  to  the  patient  and  will  usually  prevent  him 
from  gnawing  it  when  his  liberty  is  restored  to  him  and  the 
opportunity,  given  to  lie  down.  Blisters  indifferently  applied 
cause  pain  without  benefiting  the  animal,  and  humanity  demands 
that  we  shall  take  every  care  to  apply  them  properly,  not  in 
a  perfunctory  manner,  requiring  repetition,  or,  as  with  acid, 
sulph.,  causing  sloughing  of  the  skin  and  permanent  blemish. 
Careful  veterinary  surgeons,  after  seeing  that  the  limb  to  be 
blistered  has  been  properly  clipped,  begin  the  operation  by 
putting  a  little  ung.  simplex  into  the  heel,  as  that  is  the  part 
most  likely  to  crack  and  cause  lasting  trouble. 

The  following  is  an  effectual  blister,  and  in  much  request 
by  veterinary  practitioners  : — 

Pulv.  Canthar.      .  ,  .  .  •      SJ- 

Pulv.  Resinae        .         .         .         .         •     SJ- 
Adipis  ......     giv. 

The  lard  and  resin  to  be  melted  together,  the  cantharides 
added  and  stirred  till  cold. 

Large  surfaces  should  not  be  blistered  with  cantharides, 
and  not  more  than  two  legs  at  one  time,  as  absorption  and 
kidney  disease  have  been  known  to  occur. 

Preparations  of  hyd.  bichlor.  and  blisters  containing  ol.  tere- 
binth, or  tereb.  venet.  should  be  avoided  :  they  are  extremely 
painful,  liable  to  produce  sloughing,  and  not  lasting  in  their 
effects,  while  the  effect  of  a  biniodide  blister  is  often  oliservable 
for  months  after  application. 

If  a  horse  is  gross  and  disposed  to  ha  f  swelled  legs,  he 
should  be  kept  on  bran  mashes  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  get 
a  physic  ball  of  from  four  to  six  drachms,  according  to  his  size. 

Side-Bones  are  a  frequent  cause  of  lameness,  espe- 
cially  in   the   formative   period,   but   the  majority   of  heavy 

K  2 


132  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

draught  horses  have  them  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  &nd 
may  work  sound  for  years  despite  them.  Farm  horses  are 
not  so  Hable  as  those  subjected  to  the  concussion  of  paved 
roads. 

Side-bone  is  a  conversion  of  the  lateral  cartilages  found  on 
the  wings  of  the  cottin-bone  into  bony  material  by  the  deposi- 


A 


I 


A.  Lateral  Cartilage,  in  which  !iide-bone  form';. 
B.     Short  Pastern  Bone.  C.     Pedal  or  Coffin-bone. 

tion   of  lime  salts.      They  usually  only  affect  the  fore  feet. 
The  treatment  is  much  the  same  as  for  ring-bones. 

Spavin  is  a  frequent  cause  of  lameness  in  the  hind  limbs, 
though  there  are  bony  deposits,  known  as  knee  spavins,  in 
front  legs.  A  spavin,  when  not  otherwise  defined,  may  be 
taken  to  mean  an  alteration  of  the  hock  on  its  inner  surface. 
In  old  works  three  kinds  of  spavin  were  described  under  the 
title  bone,  bog,  and  blood  spavin  ;  but  the  latter  is  now  seldom 
heard  of,  being  in  reality  but  a  varicose  condition  of  the  large 
vein  (saphena)  passing  over  the  seat  of  spavin.  Bone  spavin 
consists  of  a  deposit  of  bony  matter  on  the  inner  surface  of  the 
hock  at  or  about  the  junction  of  the  shank-bone  (metatarsal), 
the  splint-bone,  and  the  lower  row  of  small  bones  of  the  hock. 
It  arises  from  concussion  and  subsequent  inflammation  of  the 
periosteum,  and  results  in  more  or  less  enlargement  at  what 
is  commonly  called  the  '  spavin  place.'  The  majority  of  cases 
yield  to  treatment  or  become  '  callous '  without  any  treatment, 
and  beyond  the  fact  that  they  circumscribe  the  sphere  of  move- 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES  133 

ment  of  the  joint,  may  not  be  any  great  source  of  trouble, 
though  ahvays  constituting  unsoundness,  since  an  old  spavin 
may  at  any  tim€  cause  trouble.  (Unsoundness  is  defined  as 
'anything  which  does  now,  or  may  hereafter,  interfere  with  the 
usefulness  of  the  animal.') 

The  treatment  commonly  adopted  is  that  of  blistering  and 
rest,  with,  if  possible,  a  run  at  grass  or  three  months  in  a  straw- 
yard.  In  blistering  for  the  cure  of  bony  growths  we  should 
always  advise  hyd.  biniod.  of  a  strength  varying  from  i  to  7  to 
I  to  12  of  vaseline,  or  lard,  or  lanoline.  Some  veterinarians 
prefer  goose-grease  as  more  penetrating,  and  having  in  itself  a 
mollifying  influence  upon  stiff  joints. 

Bog  spavin  is  a  soft  enlargement  in  the  front  of  the  seat 
of  bone  spavin.  It  may  be  only  an  enlargement  of  a  bursa— 
one  of  those  lubricating  sacs  filled  with  a  glycerine-like  fluid, 
and  placed  upon  all  the  points  most  liable  to  friction — or  it 
may  be  associated  with  thoropin  or  a  dropsical  condition  of 
the  whole  joint.  Continued  pressure,  by  bandages  and  other 
special  apparatus  designed  for  the  purpose,  will  often  reduce 
recent  cases,  but  a  blister  repeated  in  a  month  with  rest  is  a 
more  effectual  remedy,  since  the  thickening  and  contraction 
of  the  skin  that  follow  act  as  a  permanent  bandage.  '  Charges  ' 
are  of  especial  value  for  the  treatment  of  these  bursal  enlarge- 
ments (see  p.  38).  Firing  produces  a  still  firmer  bandage, 
as  the  elasticity  of  the  skin  is  removed  by  the  new  and  inelastic 
material  which  nature  produces  to  fill  up  the  gaps  made  by 
the  iron  ;  thus  it  is  that  firing  sometimes  succeeds  when  all 
other  remedies  have  failed. 

False  Quarter  is  a  fault  in  the  hoof  produced  by  some 
injury  to  the  coronet,  or  coronary  band,  from  which  the  outer 
wall  of  the  hoof  is  secreted.  It  frequently  follows  upon  treads, 
quittor,  &c.,  and  there  is  not  much  to  be  done  for  it. 

Tread,  or  Over-reach,  is  a  bruised  or  wounded  coronet 
caused  by  over-reaching  or  treading  one  foot  upon  the  other  in 
turning  or  backing.  It  is  generally  among  heavy  draught  horses 


134 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


\ 


that  it  occurs 
ung.  cetacei 


Rest,  poulticing,  and  emollient  applications,  as 
].,  acid,  carbolic,  nix.,  generally  effect  a  cure, 
unless  the  injury  is  too  deep,  when  sloughing  ensues,  and 
sometimes  quittor  and  false  quarter.      If  a  slough  soon  comes 


Thoropin 


Spavin 


Bog     Spavin 


Timber     Leap  .._ 


SandcracW, 


Curb 


WindqaU 


away  with  poulticing  and  emollients,  a  healthy  wound  is  left, 
which  may  be  very  well  treated  with  tinct.  benzoin,  co.  or  ung. 
picis. 

Sand-crack  is  a  division  in  the  wall  of  the  foot.  In  the 
forefoot  it  generally  appears  on  the  inside,  and  at  the  toe  or 
in  front  of  the  hind  feet.  It  is  a  serious  defect,  and  should  be 
looked  for  in  purchasing  a  horse,  the  crack  being  sometimes 
neatly  filled  up  with  shoemaker's  wax,  and  blacked  over  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  escape  the  eye  of  the  unwary. 

Treatment  consists  in  taking  the  bearing  off  the  shoe, 
approximating  the  cracks  by  screws  and  other  mechanical  con- 
trivances, and  by  stimulating  the  coronary  band  to  form  new 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES  135 

material  by  blistering  it  repeatedly  with  some  mild  blister  such 
as  hyd.  biniod.  i  to  12.  Firing  a  V  in  the  hoof  so  as  to  leave 
the  top  of  the  crack  in  the  centre  of  the  V  is  a  very  good  plan  ; 
the  concussion  of  the  foot  is  thereby  diverted  from  the  injured 
part  of  the  coronet,  and  gives  it  the  nearest  approach  to  rest 
that  can  be  obtained. 

Canker  is  a  disgusting  fungous  growth  occupying  a  greater 
or  less  surface  of  the  sole  and  frog.  It  is  seldom  curable, 
though  it  may  be  kept  in  check  with  nitric  acid  and  other 
escharotic  and  caustic  agents  combined  with  pressure.  It 
is  better  left  to  the  regular  practitioner,  aided  by  the  smith, 
and  consummated  by  the  knacker.  Stripping  the  sole  is 
sometimes  resorted  to,  but  is  a  very  severe  operation  and  of 
doubtful  advantage.  There  are  not,  however,  wanting  authentic 
instances  of  recovery  due  to  such  treatment. 

Seedy  Toe  is  an  imperfect  or  perverted  secretion  of  horn, 
a  cheesy  kind  of  material  being  produced  and  causing  sepa- 
ration between  the  horny  laminse  and  the  crust.  It  is  not 
confined  to  the  toe,  but  derives  its  name  from  being  most 
often  found  there. 

Treatment  consists  in  removing  all  the  defective  horn  and 
stimulating  the  growth  of  new  material  by  blistering  the 
coronet  and  stuffing  the  foot  with  tar  ointment,  &c.  It  is  an 
occasional  cause  of  lameness,  and  constitutes  unsoundness. 
It  may  easily  be  detected  by  tapping  the  unsound  foot  with  a 
hammer,  and  comparing  the  sound  with  that  of  a  healthy  one. 

Navicular  Disease  may  be  said  to  cause  more  lameness 
of  the  chronic  form  than  all  others  put  together.  It  begins  as 
concussion,  and  ends  in  ulceration  of  the  navicular  bone.  It 
is  hereditary,  and  often  comes  on  very  early  in  horses  working 
on  the  stones.  No  class  of  horse  is  exempt  from  it,  but 
light  horses  with  good  action  are  the  most,  and  heavy  horses 
the  least,  frequent  subjects. 


136  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Pointing  one  foot  in  front  of  the  other  alternately  and  ad 
vancing  the  opposite  hind  leg  is  a  common  symptom.  Many 
horses  are  able  to  work  though  suffering  from  this  disease,  as 
the  lameness  goes  off  with  exercise  and  only  returns  after 
standing  some  little  time.  It  always  grows  worse,  however,  and 
is  a  very  serious  example  of  unsoundness  if  showing  even 
to  a  slight  extent.  Blistering  and  a  run  at  grass  appear 
to  cure  it,  but  if  the  history  of  the  patient  can  be  traced 
it  will  generally  be  found  that  the  operation  of  dividing 
the  sentient  nerves  (neurotomy  or  neurectomy)  has  to  be 
resorted  to.  Some  horses  go  sound  (but  without  any  feeling 
in  the  feet)  for  several  years,  while  others  have  to  be  killed  on 
account  of  the  hoof  sloughing  off,  or  of  the  tendons  breaking 
away  and  bringing  the  heel  down,  and  the  toe  up. 

Thoropin  is  a  soft  enlargement  between  the  bones  of  the 
hock  and  the  point  (os  calcis,  see  p.  121),  and  derives  its  name 
from  the  fact  that  pressure  on  one  side  will  make  it  bulge  on  the 
other  as  though  a  bolt  or  pin  were  run  through  it.  The  same 
cause  gives  rise  to  it  as  to  bog  spavin,  and  the  treatment  should 
be  the  same. 

Blister  charges  enveloping  the  whole  joint  save  at  the  point 
of  the  OS  calcis  are  recommended. 

An  animal  may  have  both  bog  spavin  and  thoropin  without 
lameness,  l)ut  both  defects  are  apt  to  increase  unless  timely 
treatment  is  adopted. 

Curb  is  another  source  of  lameness,  and  is  a  sprained 
ligament  at  the  back  of  the  hock-joint.  It  is  of  frequent  oc- 
currence in  young  horses  put  to  work  before  their  structures 
arc  capable  of  bearing  the  necessary  strain  entailed  in  jumping 
or  other  violent  efforts.  Many  Irish  horses  are  fired  over  the 
seat  of  a  curb  as  a  precaution  against  it,  and  must  not  be 
rejected  as  the  subjects  of  curl)  for  the  simple  reason  that 
firing-marks  are  to  be  observed. 

Fomentation,  cooling  lotions  (see  Sprains,  &c.)  may  be  used 
^vifh  ndvantagc,  l)ut  in  severe  cases  a  blister,  or  even  firing,  may 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES  137 

be  necessary,  and  some  slight  enlargement  will  still  remain, 
though  the  ligament  m.ay  have  become  as  strong  as  ever.  It  is 
an  unsoundness  liable  to  recur. 

Sprain. — Sprain,  by  which  is  meant  a  stretching  or  even 
partial  rupture  of  a  ligament  or  tendon,  varies  in  degree  ac- 
cording to  its  severity  and  situation.  Sprain  of  a  joint  ligament 
may  induce  organic  disease  in  the  joint  itself ;  sprain  of  a 
tendon  may  be  followed  by  permanent  thickening  and  defective 
action.  No  matter  how  slight  a  sprain  may  appear,  it  should 
be  carefully  treated.  The  most  common  error  in  the  treatment 
of  sprain  is  confusing  the  acute  with  the  chronic  stage,  applying 
cold  to  a  chronic  injury  and  stimulants  to  a  recent  one.  The 
objects  of  treatment  are  in  the  first  stages  to  keep  down 
inflammation  and  prevent  exudation  and  swelling  ;  in  the  second 
to  stimulate  absorption,  promote  repair,  and  guard  against 
complications.  In  the  first  stage  either  hot  or  cold  water  may 
be  applied  ;  but  whichever  we  use  must  be  kept  up  con- 
tinuously, so  as  not  to  produce  a  reaction.  Cold  water  is 
preferable  if  the  injury  be  quite  recent — not  if  much  swelling 
and  congestion  exist.  ^Vith  the  water  some  medicament  is 
expedient.  If  cold  is  used,  either  tincture  of  arnica  or  spirits 
of  wine  may  be  added  (the  spirit  is  probably  the  useful 
ingredient  in  the  tincture),  or  the  following  lotion,  which   is 

excellent  : — 

Potass.  Nit.     .         .         .         ,    \ 
Ammon.  Chlor.       .         .         .    ^  aa  gj. 
Sodii  Chlorid.  .        .         .         .    j 
Aq Ojss. 

If  warm  water  is  used,  some  anodyne  may  be  added,  as  bella- 
donna or  opium. 

The  treatment  must  be  continued  until  all  violent  symptoms 
have  passed  off — till  the  intense  pain  and  heat  are  gone  ;  then 
a  dry  bandage  and  occasional  mild  hand- rubbing  may  be 
adopted  for  a  day  or  two,  after  which  some  stimulant  is  needed 
to  promote  absorption  and  repair.  In  ordinary  cases  a  blister 
is  not  allowable  ;  it  is  too  active  and  its  effect  is  of  too  short 


138  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

duration.  It  is  better  to  adopt  some  milder  treatment  and 
continue  it  longer.  There  are  many  good  applications.  Lini- 
ments of  ammonia  and  iodine,  and  tincture  of  cantharides  are 
all  good.  They  should  be  applied  daily  in  small  quantities 
and  v/ith  moderate  friction. 

A    very    good    stimulating    liniment    may    be    made    as 

follows  : — 

Castor  Oil  .         .  .    '\ 

Rape  Oil  .         .  .    r2  oz.  of  each. 

Spirit  of  Turpentine  .  ) 

Shake,  and  then  add — 

Stronfi  Solution  of  Ammonia  .         .  1  ,  ,       1. 

,,,      '^  \X  oz.  of  each. 

Water J  "^ 

This  preparation  has  the  merit,  too,  of  being  elegant,  and 
can  be  diluted  with  water  in  proportion  to  its  own  bulk, 
without  losing  in  appearance.  Should  this  treatment  not  effect 
a  cure,  the  part  must  be  blistered  once  or  twice,  and,  as  a  last 
resort,  firing  and  a  run  at  grass  may  be  necessary.  Rest  in  all 
cases  is  absolutely  essential,  and  that  too  for  a  considerable 
time.  Cases  seemingly  incurable  will  frequently  come  up 
sound  after  a  summer's  run.  While  confined  to  the  stable  an 
animal  should  not  be  allowed  much  corn  ;  bran  should  be 
used  with  grass  or  hay,  and  the  bowels  should  be  kept  open 
with  physic  if  necessary. 

Capt.  Hayes,  F.R.C.V.S.,  is  a  great  advocate  of  wrapping  a 
recent  sprain  with  cotton  wool,  and  a  bandage  outside  to  afford 
even  and  gentle  pressure. 

Thrush.— Every  horseman  knows  this  disease  of  the  horse's 
foot  by  sight,  many  know  how  to  cure  it,  but  few  know  the 
cause,  and  thus  its  prevention  is  neglected.  Doubtless  dirt  is 
the  exciting  cause,  but  dirt  alone  seldom  produces  a  bad 
'  thrush.'  Heavy  cart  horses  are  of  all  most  subjected  to  dirty 
roads,  and  their  feet  are  most  neglected  in  the  stable.  Never- 
theless, with  few  exceptions,  they  are  free  from  this  evil.  The 
horses  of  gentlemen  and  dealers  are  not  as  a  rule  subjected  to 
much  dirt  ;  they  have  the  greatest  attention  in  the  stable,  and 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES  139 

yet  they  are  of  all  classes  most  troubled  with  thrushes.  The 
explanation  of  the  difference  is  probably  that  cart  horses  are 
neglected  by  the  horse-shoer,  while  the  feet  of  the  lighter 
horses  are  trimmed  and  pared  so  as  to  please  the  eye.  In  a 
state  of  nature  the  horse's  frog  comes  down  on  the  ground  at 
each  step.  When  shod,  and  especially  if  much  pared,  it  seldom 
gets  the  slightest  pressure.  Now  this  pressure  appears  to  be 
necessary  to  the  healthy  growth  of  the  frog.  Just  as  a  man's 
hands  become  hard  and  strong  by  work,  or  weak  and  tender 
by  idleness,  so  the  horse's  frog,  by  being  never  brought  into 
use,  '  gets  thinner  and  weaker.  Want  of  pressure  then,  we 
say,  is  the  predisposing  cause.  It  will  generally  be  found 
that  horses  standing  in  a  stall  have  the  hind  feet  affected 
more  frequently  than  the  fore  ;  the  reason  of  course  is  that  the 
hind  are  most  exposed  to  the  excreta  of  the  animal. 

Thrush,  unless  it  be  constitutional  and  in  the  nature  of 
an  issue,  is  not  difficult  to  cure,  and  is  just  one  of  those  com- 
plaints for  which  the  prescribing  chemist  is  often  consulted. 

It  is  a  foetid  discharge  from  the  frog,  and  its  disagreeable 
odour  is  characteristic  of  decomposed  horn.  The  frog  presents 
a  rugged  appearance,  with  holes  in  it  containing  decomposed 
matter,  but  the  bulk  of  the  discharge  is  from  the  cleft. 

The  treatment  is  very  simple.  First  thoroughly  cleanse  the 
foot  with  warm  water  and  remove  all  loose  portions  of  horn  ;  then 
apply  some  mild  astringent,  and  stimulant.  The  discharge 
should  not  be  dried  up  suddenly  by  any  strong  dressing,  as 
a  swollen  leg  is  a  not  uncommon  sequel.      The  following  is 

good  :— 

Alum        ......  I  part. 

Common  Salt    .         .         .         .         .  i     ,, 

Stockholm  Tar 4  parts. 

Some  alterative  balls  should  be  prescribed  in  cases  where 
the  disease  is  chronic  and  constitutional.  They  should  contain 
a  drachm  of  aloes,  and  otherwise  their  composition  will  be  that 
of  the  common  diuretic  ball. 

Should  the  case  prove  obstinate,  substitute  for  the  salt 
sulphate  of  zinc.     To  avoid  thrush  in  the  stable,  the  master 


I40  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

should  give  orders  that  the  frogs  are  not  to  be  pared  at  the 
forge,  but  that  merely  the  loose  portions  of  horn  are  to  be  re- 
moved. 

A  bar  shoe  is  often  an  aid  to  restore  a  healthy  secretion  by 
exercising  pressure. 

Many  chemists  are  possessed  of  '  a  good  remedy  for  the 
thrush.'  More  often  than  not  these  remedies  are  too  good  ; 
they  dry  it  up  and  shrink  the  frog  away  if  applied  properly, 
or  fail  to  penetrate  the  cleft  and  do  not  accomplish  their 
object.  In  curing  thrush  in  horses  or  foot-rot  in  sheep  a  fre- 
quent difficulty  consists  in  getting  the  diseased  parts  carefully 
trimmed  away,  and  the  cleft  cleared  out.  The  latter  should  be 
done  with  a  flat  piece  of  stick;  if  this  be  carefully  seen  to  in  a 
thrushy  foot,  very  strong  caustic  remedies  are  not  necessary. 
A  very  good  thrush-dressing  is  the  following  : — 

Sodium  Chloride  .         .         .         •     SJ- 

Russian  Tallow  .         .         .         •     ^ij- 

Tar     .......     jvj.     M. 

This  inelegant  preparation  removes  the  disease,  and  prevents 
the  drying  up  and  shrinking  of  the  frog.  It  is  quite  capable 
of  being  improved  by  our  pharmaceutical  readers  in  such  a 
way  as  to  look  and  'nose'  better  without  losing  any  of  its 
merits  as  a  curative  agent.  It  is  equally  good  for  foot-rot  in 
sheep.  Where  the  use  of  a  powder  is  desired  the  following 
may  be  recommended  : — ■ 

Zinci  Carbonat.         .         .  .1 

Acidi  Borici     .         .         .         .  -  Equal  parts. 

Ilydrarg.  Subchlor.  .         .1 

Calomel  is  almost  a  specific  for  thrush.  If  used  alone  it 
may  be  coloured  with  a  little  bol.  armen. 

Wind-Galls,  so  called,  are  occasionally,  but  not  often,  a 
cause  of  lameness;  they  usually  indicate  hard  work  or  premature 
use  of  a  horse,  and  reduce  the  value,  however  little  they  may 
interfere  with  the  usefulness  of  the  animal.  They  can  scarcely 
be  called  an  unsoundness,  unless  hard  and  inflamed  or  giving 
evidence  of  pain,  which  is  rare.     They  were  formerly  supposed 


LAMENESS  EV  HORSES  l4t 

to  contain  air,  hence  the  name,  but  they  are  really  enlarged  or 
dropsical  bursK  {see  Bog-spavin).  The  pressure  of  a  bandage 
will  reduce  them  temporarily,  and  if  constantly  applied  prevent 
them  getting  worse,  while  blistering  and  rest  will  for  a  time 
quite  remove  them.  A  bandage  dipped  in  glue  is  a  capital 
remedy  for  their  reduction  when  a  few  weeks'  rest  can  be  pro- 
cured.    They  should  on  no  account  be  pricked  or  opened. 

Rheumatism  in  Horses. — There  are  many  obscure 
cases  of  lameness  in  the  horse  which  the  veterinary  attendant 
is  obliged  to  assign  to  rheumatism  ;  and  some  inflamed  joints, 
where  the  cause  cannot  be  traced,  may  possibly  arise  from  that 
condition  of  the  blood.  \Xc  are,  however,  inclined  to  regard 
rheumatism  in  horses  as  very  rare,  and  the  name  is  but  a  cloak 
for  ignorance  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten.  If  horses  were  subject 
to  rheumatism  as  a  result  of  wet  and  exposure,  we  should  be 
called  upon  to  treat  them  most  frequently  when  lying  out 
through  the  winter  exposed  to  the  elements.  But  this  is  not 
often  the  case.  It  is  more  often  the  stabled  steed  which  is 
affected,  and  many  so-called  cases  of  rheumatism  of  the 
shoulder  turn  out  to  be  navicular  disease  of  the  foot.  Its 
shifty  character  from  one  limb  to  another  is  often  quoted  as 
a  characteristic  of  the  disease,  but  the  same  thing  applies  to 
laminitis  and  other  inflammatory  complaints,  and  it  is  not  yet 
at  all  satisfactorily  proved  that  true  rheumatism  is  a  disease  of 
the  horse.  For  the  pains  known  by  that  name  pot.  nit.  and 
pot.  bicarb,  may  be  given  in  doses  of 

Potass.  Nit.  .....     5ij. 

Potass.  Bicarb.     .         .         .         ,         •     oj- 

Or     Salicin         .         .         .         .         .         ,     5J.  to  5jss. 

daily,  and  the  application  of  belladonna,  opium,  and  aconite. 

A  very  good  liniment  is  the  following  : — ■ 

Lin.  Aconiti       .  .         .         .         •  .*j- 

Lin.  Belladonnce  ....  *ij. 

Tinct.  Opii  .  .         .         •         •  5J- 

M.  ft.  liniment. 


142  VETERiXARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Blistering  is  also  recommended  in  the  case  of  swollen  and 
inflamed  joints  supposed  to  be  due  to  rheumatism.  The 
scientific  reason  given  by  Dr.  Davies  of  the  London  Hospital 
is  that  blisters  act  as  eliminatives.  Whether  this  theory  be 
correct  or  not,  experience  for  hundreds  of  years  has  proved 
that  blisters  give  relief  to  swollen  and  painful  joints  from 
almost  any  cause  save  the  presence  of  matter. 

The  same  treatment  applies  to  cattle,  but  the  doses  of 
salines  may  be  increased  by  one-third. 

Laminitis,   Founder,  or  Fever  in  the  Feet,  is  a 

disease  of  the  horse's  foot,  in  which  the  sensitive  layer  imme- 
diately within  the  hoof  is  congested,  or  even  inflamed.  It  is 
commonly  caused  by  overwork,  such  as  a  long  journey  on  a 
hard  road,  or  hard  work  in  horses  out  of  condition. 

Symptoms. — First,  frequent  shiftings  of  the  feet,  and  signs 
of  pain,  as  quickened  breathing  and  pulse.  Next,  fear  of 
raising  one  foot  lest  extra  weight  be  thrown  on  the  other,  with 
swaying  of  the  body  backwards  and  forwards  without  the  feet 
being  moved.  If  force  is  used  the  animal  moves  as  though 
his  back  was  injured,  and  puts  the  heel  most  markedly  on  the 
ground.  When  the  forefeet  alone  are  affected,  as  is  usually 
the  case,  the  hind  feet  are  drawn  forward  under  the  belly, 
and  the  animal  leans  backwards  so  as  to  lighten  the  weight 
on  the  front  limbs.  The  afi'ected  feet  are  hotter  than  usual, 
and  throbbing  is  felt  above  the  coronet. 

Treatment. — Never  bleed.  Give  an  aperient  (ol.  lini  Oj.), 
to  which  may  be  added  tr.  opii  5J.  or  several  doses  of  sodae 
salicylas  5ij.  ;  remove  the  animal  to  a  smooth,  hard-bottomed 
loose-box,  with  a  light  covering  of  clean  straw.  The  shoes 
mi4st  be  removed.  It  has  been  found  possible  to  induce 
horses  to  stand  during  this  operation  by  injecting  cocaine  into 
the  coronary  band  when  they  could  not  otherwise  be  induced 
to  do  so.  Give  a  good  broad  bearing-surface  with  the  rasp,  but 
leave  the  .sole  untouched.  If  the  foot  is  level  when  the  shoes 
are  removed,  lower  the  toe  and  heels  a  little,  to  produce  a  sort 
of  rocking  surface.     This  relieves  the  pressure  on  the  front  of 


LAMEiYESS  nV  HORSES  145 

the  foot,  which  is  tlie  part  most  affected.  Use  warm  fomenta- 
tions and  bran  poultices  till  the  acute  pain  subsides,  but  no 
longer.  Then  use  hand-rubbing  to  the  limbs,  and  give  gentle 
walking  exercise.  Have  '  rocker '  shoes  put  on — that  is,  plain 
shoes  thin  at  the  heel  and  at  the  toe.  Simple  cases  generally 
recover  in  a  week,  or  at  most  two.  Some  cases  are  very  tedious, 
and  result  in  '  pumiced  foot ' — a  permanent  incurable  defor- 
mity ;  careful  shoeing  will  keep  going  even  such  animals. 

Capped  Hock  is  an  unsightly  enlargement  on  the  point 
of  the  hock.  It  is  at  first  soft  and  fluctuating,  and  at  this 
stage  treatment  yields  the  best  results.  It  is  seldom  a  cause  of 
lameness,  but,  taken  in  conjunction  with  other  blemishes  on  the 
hind  legs,  it  may  mean  vice  ;  if  not  kicking  in  harness,  it  may 
indicate  a  restless  animal  that  kicks  the  stall  post  or  his  com- 
panions instead  of  sleeping  at  night.  It  may  be,  and  is  generally, 
caused  by  insufficient  bedding  or  a  habit  of  scraping  away  the 
litter,  and  so  bruising  the  hocks  upon  the  floor  of  the  stable. 
It  is  often  associated  with  rubbed  or  sore  places  in  the  hollows 
outside  the  hocks,  which  are  hollows  only  when  the  horse  is 
standing  or  the  rubs  would  not  lake  place  at  that  part. 

It  is  usually  only  a  bursal  enlargement.  Old  practitioners 
were  very  fearful  of  operation,  but  there  is  really  nothing  to 
fear,  and  a  small  seton  may  be  used  to  run  it  off  if  evaporat- 
ing lotions  and  a  deep  bed  of  moss  litter  fail. 

A  liniment  of  equal  parts  lin.  saponis  and  aqua  dest.,  with 
massage,  night  and  morning,  has  often  proved  successful  in 
recent  cases. 

Repeated  blisterings  sometimes  remove,  but  at  other  times 
only  make  the  skin  thicker  and  the  hair  coarse.  Removal  of 
the  cause  is  the  chief  thing  to  be  attended  to,  as  many  capped 
hocks  subside  without  any  treatment  at  all.  If  it  is  hard  and 
callous  and  of  long  standing,  it  had  better  be  submitted  to  as 
a  permanent  eyesore. 

Splints  are  bony  growths  found  upon  the  inside  of  the 
forelegs  very  frequently,  but  occurring  also  on  the  outside  and 


144 


Peterinary  counter  practice 


less  often  on  the  hind  hmbs.  They  are  deposits  of  bone  upott 
bone,  brought  about  by  inflammation  of  the  periosteum  or  bone- 
secreting  membrane  which  covers  the  sphnt  or  splent  bones  in 
common  with  others.  They  are  so  common  on  the  inside  and 
between  the  knee  and  pastern  as  to  excite  little  comment,  and 
the  majority  of  horses  have  them  at  some  time  during  their 


Showing  Conditions  of  Leg-bones  in  Splint^. 


lives.  It  is  during  tlic  formation  of  them,  when  the  membrane 
is  inflamed,  that  lameness  results,  and  it  usually  passes  away 
when,  to  use  a  common  term,  they  become  callous.  Theo- 
retically Ihey  constitute  unsoundness,  but  the  best  veterinary 
surgeons  decide  rather  upon  their  position  on  the  limb,  the  age 
of  the  horse,  and  other  circumstances,  when  passing  such 
animals  with  a  certificate  of  practical  soundness.     If  a  young 


LAMENESS  IN  HORSES 


MS 


horse  of  four  or  five  years  is  being  purchased  from  country 
work  for  trotting  on  the  stones,  the  examiner  would  hesitate  to 
pass  a  splint,  but  seasoned  horses  are  well  known  to  suffer  but 
seldom,  and  therefore  need  not  be  rejected  for  splints,  if  situated 
well  forward  so  as  to  be  out  of  the  way  of  the  tendons  and  not 
likely  to  be  struck  by  the  foot  of  the  opposite  leg  and  not  too 
hi'^h  up,  as  near  the  knee  is  the  worst  of  all  situations. 


Showing  Conditions  of  Leg-bones  in  Splints. 


The  lameness  is  not  always  easy  to  diagnose  by  the  manner 
in  which  the  horse  goes,  but  it  generally  comes  on  when  he  has 
been  out  some  time,  while  foot  lamenesses  frequently  get  better 
on  the  road— warm  up,  as  it  is  called.  If  lameness  is  caused 
by  a  recent  or  newly  formed  splint,  the  animal  should  be  taken  off 


146  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

work  and  given  a  dose  of  physic,  proportionate  to  his  size, 
cold  applications  in  the  form  of  ammon.  chlor.  §j.,  aq.  ,^xx., 
on  bandages  for  two  or  three  days,  when,  if  the  inflammation  has 
subsided,  he  may  be  given  a  week's  rest  and  again  put  to  work, 
but  if  he  fails,  or  if  the  cooling  method  does  not  succeed,  it  will 
be  better  to  blister  him  with  hyd.  biniod.  one  part,  vaseline  or 
lard  eight  parts.  At  least  a  month  should  be  allowed  after 
blistering  and  before  putting  a  horse  to  work.  We  have  known 
splints  to  be  absorbed  by  painting  with  tinct.  iodi  twice  a 
week  and  keeping  a  horse  at  work,  but  the  lameness  has  not 
been  great  or  such  a  method  would  not  be  advisable.  Some- 
times old  splints  are  wakened  up  by  sellers  who  tiy  blisters  to 
get  rid  of  them.  If  they  do  not  cause  lameness  they  had  better 
be  let  alone,  on  the  principle  of  '  letting  sleeping  dogs  lie.' 

Sore  shins  is  also  a  periosteal  inflammation,  and  brings 
about  a  bony  deposit ;  it  is  more  often  met  with  in  racehorses 
than  others.     The  treatment  is  the  same  as  for  splint. 


DENTITION  OF  THE  HORSE  147 


DENTITION  OF  THE  HORSE 

The  periods  at  which  the  teeth  of  animals  are  cut  and  the 
appearances  they  present  arc  so  regular  that  for  the  most  part 
their  ages  can  be  told  within  a  very  little.  The  significance  of 
the  phrase  in  common  use  '  over  seven,'  as  applied  to  people 
sufficiently  sharp,  is  derived  from  the  fact  that  when  a  horse  is 
past  seven  years  his  age  cannot  be  told  with  certainty,  though 
good  judges  can  form  an  approximate  idea  by  the  greater  or 
less  signs  of  wear  and  altered  position  of  the  teeth. 

The  adult  horse  should  have  forty  teeth.  At  the  birth  of 
a  foal  the  first  and  second  grinders  and  molar  teeth  have  already 
broken  the  gums,  and  at  the  end  of  a  week,  if  not  sooner,  the 
first  pair  of  temporary  incisors  make  their  appearance  ;  within 
six  weeks  the  next  or  lateral  pair  come  through,  and  the  outer 
lateral  or  last  pair  come  through  between  the  sixth  and  ninth 
months.  The  molars  are  meanwhile  making  progress,  but  for 
telling  a  colt's  age  the  '  nippers '  or  incisors  are  a  sufficient 
ordinary  guide.  The  number  (six)  being  complete  in  the  upper 
and  lower  jaw,  no  further  changes  beyond  wear  upon  the 
surfaces  take  place  until  the  permanent  teeth  begin  to  come. 
A  yearling  may,  however,  be  distinguished  from  a  two-year-old 
by  a  glance  at  the  teeth  ]  at  one  year  they  appear  to  be  the 
right  size  for  his  mouth,  or  at  least  not  too  small  ;  they  are 
even  and  approximately  the  same  size,  though  not  actually, 
for  in  the  mouth  of  the  foal,  as  well  as  the  adult  horse,  the 
central  nippers  are  always  larger  than  the  rest.  In  a  two-year- 
old  the  mouth  has  grown  too  big  for  the  teeth,  and  they  look 
small  and  worn  on  the  crown,  and  spaces  are  beginning  to 
form  between  the  fangs.     We  are  speaking,  of  course,  of  the 

L  2 


148 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


common  appearances,  but  there  are  instances  of  colts  being 
so  well  developed  in  frame  and  the  teeth  so  regular  that 
they  have  been  sold  for  five-year-olds  with  complete  mouths. 


Transverse  Section  of  Molar. 


Longitudinal  Section  of  Horse's  Molar  Tooth. 


Longitudinal  Section  of  Incisor. 

The  permanent  nippers  are  larger,  and  intended  to  bear 
more  wear.  The  first  pair  should  displace  the  central  tem- 
porary ones  at  from  two  and  a  half  to  three  years.  The 
absorption  of  the  fang  of  the  temporary  tooth  is  usually 
advanced  enough  at  two  and  a  half  years  to  cause  it  to  fall 
out  and  the  permanent  tooth  to  break  the  gums.  The  greater 
size  of  these  teeth  enables  one  to  distinguish  at  once  an  animal 


bENl  irioM  OF   THE  IIOKSE 


I49 


in  its  third  year.  The  next  pair  of  incisors  are  cut  a  year  later, 
at  about  three  and  a  half  years,  and  the  last  pair  at  about 
four  and  a  half  years,  so  that  at  five  years  the  mouth  should 
have  all  the  teeth  present  though  the  outer  ones  will  still  be 


Four-year-old  Alouth,  show- 
ing four  Permanent  In- 
cisors. The  corner  ones 
ready  to  be  shed. 


Front  Teeth  at  Three  Years 
Old,  showing  two  Central 
Permanents  much  larger 
than  the  remainder. 


Five-year-old  Mouth. 
All  the  Permanent 
Teeth  up,  but  the 
Corners  not  fully  de- 
veloped, the  black 
marks  being  largest 
in  the  two  Centrals. 


imperfect  or  shelly.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  that  it 
is  really  very  easy  to  distinguish  youngsters  from  one  to  five 
years  old  by  the  number  of  the  teeth,  temporary  or  permanent, 


Six-year-old  Mouth.  The 
Corners  fully  developed 
and  the  two  Centrals  be- 
ginning to  lose  their 
black  marks. 


Seven  Years  Old.  The  black 
marks  fast  disappearing 
from  all  but  the  Corner 
Teeth.  (Compare  with  Six 
and  Five-year-old  Mouths.) 
The  Teeth  are  longer  and 
Interdental  Spaces  wider. 


A  ver>'  Old  Mouth. 
Teeth  long.  Tables 
triangular.  Inter- 
dental Spaces  in- 
creased. Infundibu- 
lum  gone  and  only 
an  irregular  mark 
in  centre  left.  Jaw- 
bone narrower. 


yet  there  are  many  experienced  coachmen  and  horse-keepers 
who  do  not  possess  this  knowledge.  When  the  incisors  first 
attain  their  growth  they  have  a  slight  concavity  on  the  crown, 


150  VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

which  is  filled  up  with  black-looking  material ;  this  will  be 
seen  in  the  foal's  teeth  as  well  as  the  permanent,  but  is  much 
more  marked  in  the  latter.  These  concavities  with  their  contents 
disappear  with  wear,  for  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  horses' 
t^eth  keep  on  growing  all  their  lives.  As  the  central  pair 
are  the  first  to  be  developed,  they  soonest  lose  the  markings;  the 
process  does  not  generally  occupy  longer  than  a  year,  making 
the  six-year-old  mouth  differ  from  the  five  by  having  the 
marks  gone,  or  nearly  so,  from  the  two  central,  while  the 
outer  laterals  have  grown  up  level  with  the  rest.  At  seven 
years  the  second  pair  have  lost  their  markings,  and  only  the 
last  or  outer  laterals  retain  the  mark,  which  after  this  time 
gradually  disappears,  the  horse  being  aged  seven  or  over. 
These  remarks  apply  equally  to  mares  and  geldings,  but  the 
latter  have  four  additional  teeth,  called  tushes  or  tusks,  which 
have  no  particular  function  to  perform,  and  are,  according  to 
the  evolution  theory,  the  last  link  with  the  past,  when  horses 
were  tapirs  or  something  else.  The  tushes  ^  come  through  at 
about  the  same  time  as  the  last  pair  of  incisors  ;  they  are  at 
five  years  old  on  a  level  with  the  nippers  for  length,  and  the 
inside  surface  is  concave  while  the  outside  is  convex,  the  point 
being  sharp.  The  age  of  geldings  when  past  seven  is  more 
or  less  ascertainable  by  the  shape  of  these  teeth,  which  is  not 
the  case  with  mares,  in  whose  mouths  they  are  often  found 
in  a  rudimentary  state.  As  age  advances,  the  point  of  the 
tush  loses  its  sharpness,  and  the  inner  surface  its  concavity, 
so  that  it  becomes  round.  In  some  old  horses  it  remains 
rounded  and  blunt,  while  in  others  the  position  changes, 
till,  in  extreme  old  age,  the  tushes  point  outwards  like  those  of 
the  boar. 

With  very  little  trouble  an  amateur  may  learn  to  distinguish 
between  colts  up  to  five  years  old  ;  it  is  the  varying  degrees  of 
attrition  and  retention  of  the  black  marks  that  deceive  any  but 
experts.  We  have  known  a  very  old  horse  retain  a  five-year- 
old  corner  tooth,  as  the  outer  laterals  are  called,  because  the 
tooth  has  never  been  fully  developed  or  received  any  wear  from 
'  They  arc  more  developed  in  entire  horses. 


DENTITION  OF   THE   HORSE  151 

the  corresponding  teeth  in  ihe  upper  jaw.  Not  a  few  disputes 
as  to  the  age  of  horses  occur  even  among  the  best  veterinary 
surgeons  ;  hence  it  may  be  conckided  that  the  signs  herein 
described  are  not  absolutely  to  be  trusted,  though  the  great 
majority  of  horses  cut  and  also  wear  the  teeth  in  the  manner  indi- 
cated. 

There  are  a  good  many  devices  for  making  colts  look  more 
than  their  age,  such  as  extracting  the  temporary  teeth,  but  no 
one  sign  should  be  trusted.  The  general  development  and  the 
time  of  year  should  be  taken  into  consideration.  For  conve- 
nience of  reckoning  all  half-bred  horses  date  their  birth  from 
May  I,  and  thoroughbreds  from  January  i.  The  latter  may  be 
and  are  foaled  at  all  times,  but  the  intending  racer  gains  advan- 
tages by  being  born  early  in  January,  and  getting  classed  as  a 
yearling  or  two-year-old  with  others  born  later  in  the  same  year. 
The  half-bred  horse,  by  which  we  mean  everything  but  the  race- 
horse, is  reckoned  from  May  i,  because  the  majority  of  foals  are 
dropped  between  April  and  Midsummer,  and  May  is  approxi- 
mately the  birth  month  of  them  all — the  colt  has  all  the  summer 
before  him  at  grass,  and  his  dam  makes  plenty  of  milk,  and 
enjoys  idleness  at  a  time  of  year  when  her  owner  can  keep  her 
cheapest.     It  is  also  the  period  dictated  by  nature. 

Assuming  that  the  difference  between  a  foal  under  a  year 
and  a  two-year-old  is  recognisable,  let  us  now  parade  a  two  or 
three,  a  four  or  five  year  old  horse  in  the  early  spring  when 
buying  in  for  the  summer  work.  The  two-year-old  will  have  a 
complete  set  of  incisors,  but  no  tushes,  whether  mare  or  gelding. 
They  are  not  large  enough,  and  are  too  much  alike,  and  he 
must  be  rejected.  The  three-year-old  will  have  two  permanent 
teeth  in  the  lower  jaw  very  much  larger  than  the  others,  quite 
sufficient  in  itself  to  prove  that  he  is  a  three-year-old.  The 
four-year-old  will  have  four  permanent  teeth  in  the  lower  jaw, 
and  a  milk  tooth  at  each  end,  looking  so  very  small  by  com- 
parison with  the  rest  that  one  can  hardly  be  pardoned  for  mis- 
taking a  four-year-old  mouth  when  once  seen.  The  five-year- 
old  will  have  a  full  mouth,  all  the  black  marks  showing,  and 
the  corner  nippers  not  fully  developed. 


152  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

We  have  commenced  our  examination  of  the  horses  in  the 
spring,  and  they  are  then  said  to  be  '  rising '  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  or  7 
years  old,  as  the  case  may  be.  After  the  month  of  May,  they 
are  said  to  be  2,  3,  4,  5,  or  6  '  off.'  These  terms  are  rather  con- 
fusing to  beginners,  but  they  are  expressive.  For  six  months 
after  a  birthday,  a  horse  is  so  many  years  '  off,'  and  for  the  next 
six  months  he  is  '  rising '  so  many  years. 

In  the  early  years  of  a  horse's  life,  the  seller  is  anxious  to 
make  him  look  older,  and  in  his  later  years  younger.  The  latter 
process  is  called  '  Bishoping,'  from  the  fame  of  a  certain  scoun- 
drel by  that  name,  who  reduced  it  to  a  fine  art.  Old  horses 
are  palmed  off  as  seven  years  old  by  digging  out  the  crowns  of 
the  corner  nippers,  and  plugging  them  with  black  composition 
so  as  to  represent  the  original  infundibulum.  Practitioners  of 
this  art  do  not  commonly  take  the  same  trouble  with  the  upper 
incisors,  which  should  be  looked  at  and  compared  if  there  is 
any  doubt.  Some  horses,  whose  lives  have  been  spent  largely 
at  grass,  will  retain  a  verj'  youthful  set  of  teeth  up  to  a  dozen 
years  old,  and  these  are  usually  the  subjects  chosen  for  '  Bishop- 
ing,' though  some  bold  operators  take  the  trouble  to  cut  and 
rasp  down  the  long  teeth  of  a  very  old  horse,  preparatory  to 
stopping  them.  These  tricks  are  not  so  often  ^  practised  now  as 
formerly,  when  certain  gipsy-bred  copers  used  to  make  a  regular 
business  of  'setting'  broken-winded  horses,  and  'puffing  the 
glims,'  and  '  Bishoping  '  old  screws,  exciting  them  with  torture, 
and  making  them  carry  their  heads  up,  and  cock  their  tails  by 
'  figging-' - 

'  Since  the  earlier  editions  of  this  book  were  published  there  has  been 
a  recrudescence  of  '  Bishoping,'  which  has  been  reduced  to  a  fine  art  by 
the  invention  of  tools  as  well  suited  to  the  work  as  the  burglar's  jemmy  or 
skeleton  keys  for  housebreaking. 

-  '  Puffing  the  glims'  means  the  introduction  of  a  fine  tube  into  the 
hollow  above  the  eye,  and  blowing  out  to  make  it  round  and  full. 
'  Figging  '  is  the  introduction  of  ginger  into  the  rectum  just  before  showing 
the  horse  ;  the  irritation  and  excitement  produced  by  it  lends  for  the  time 
an  animation  which  may  be  mistaken  for  the  fire  of  youth. 


153 


DISEASES    OF  CATTLE 

Although  we  do  not  profess  to  give  anatomical  details  in 
this  work,  it  may  be  of  service  to  describe  briefly  the  process 
of  digestion  in  the  ox,  as  illustrated  by  the  accompanying 
diagrams.  The  ox  is  hable  to  choking  by  attempting  to 
swallow  a  piece  of  turnip  or  other  food  too  large  for  the  gullet. 
A  whip-handle  is  often  used  by  the  attendant  to  force  the  food 
down  in  such  a  case,  and  sometimes  serious  injury  is  done  by 
the  violence  used.  A  probang  and  gag  should  always  be  at 
hand  where  cattle  are  kept. 

From  the  gullet  the  imperfectly  masticated  food  passes  into 
the  rumen,  paunch,  or  first  stomach,  where  it  is  macerated  for 
a  time  before  being  returned  for  a  further  grinding  (chewing 
the  cud).  Sometimes  the  rumen  is  overloaded,  and  the  animal 
moans,  the  flanks  swell,  and  much  danger  exists.  The  probang 
has  to  be  used,  or  perhaps  the  stomach-pump,  after  injecting 
fluid  to  dissolve  the  food,  or  in  some  cases  it  becomes  necessary 
to  make  an  incision  and  to  remove  the  food  by  the  hand.  A 
more  easily  dealt  with  trouble  is  tympanites  or  hoven  (p.  162), 
which  results  from  an  excessive  evolution  of  gas  in  the 
rumen.  Besides  the  treatment  detailed  in  that  article,  a  simple 
and  often  effectual  remedy  is  a  dose  of  2  drachms  of  chlori- 
nated lime  mixed  with  half  a  pint  of  water.  The  function  of  the 
second  stomach  (reticulum  or  honeycomb)  is  to  further 
prepare  the  food  for  re-mastication.  After  the  second  chewing 
the  food  passes  into  the  third  stomach,  or  manipUes,  which 
consists  of  a  series  of  leaves  which  triturate  the  food  into  a 
state  of  division,  and  thence  into  the  fourth  stomach,  in  which 
true  digestion  takes  place. 


154 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


The  order  in  which  the  food  is  received  into  the  various 
stomachs  is  not  very  clear,  but  from  the  slaughter  of  an  animal 
in  the  act  of  feeding  Professor  Simonds  infers  that  the  order 
stated  above  is  the  correct  one.  One  experiment  upon  one 
kind  of  food  is,  however,  scarcely  conclusive,  as  pocket-knives 
and  bunches  of  keys  have  been  found  in  the  rumen  after 
months  and  years,  and  there  is  reason  to  suppose  that  the 
stomach  of  the  cow  had  some  power  of  selection  like  that 


I,  Mouth;  2,  tongue:  3,  pharynx;  4,  epiglottis;  5,  oesophagus;  6,  trachea,  or  wind- 
pipe:  7,  heart;  8,  anterior  vena  cava;  9,  anterior  aorta;  10,  posterior  aorta;  11,  bron- 
chial tubes;  12,  diaphragm;  13,  cardiac  orifice;  14,  liver;  15,  rumen,  or  paunch;  16, 
reticulum,  or  second  stomach  :  17,  omassum,  or  third  stomach  ;  18,  abomassum,  or  fourth 
stomach;  19,  gall  bladder;  20,  small  intestines;  21,  large  intestines;  22,  rectum;  23, 
anus;  24,  kidney;  25,  ureter;  26,  bladder;  27,  penis,  or  urethral  canal. 


commonly  accorded  to  the  pylorus  or  intestinal  opening  of  the 
stomach  in  man,  which  rejects  a  foreign  body  time  after  time 
and  finally  allows  it  to  pass. 

Constipation. — Horned  stock  are  subject  to  constipation 
when  stall-fed  or  yarded  in  winter  upon  dry  food.  The  bad 
hay  of  the  summer  of  iS88  will  be  long  remembered  by  stock- 
owners  and  veterinary  practitioners  for  its  effects  upon  cattle. 


D/SEASES  OF  CATTLE 


•155 


It  could  not  be  sold,  and  had  to  be  disposed  of  upon  the 
farm,  consequently  the  farmer  had  to  feed  his  store  slock  if 
he  had  any,  or,  still  worse,  his  cows  with  it.  When  flavoured 
with  some  of  the  popular  condiments  animals  would  eat  it, 
only  to  become  distended,  dyspeptic,  and  'dung-bound,'  or 
'fardel-bound,'  as  the  expression  goes.  'Clue-bound,'  'the 
grunts,'  'stoppage,'  &c.,  are  varieties  of  popular  description  all 
having  much  the  same  meaning,  and  referring  to  the  impaction 


I,  CF-sophagus  ;  2,  trachea;  3,  posterior  aorta;  4,  heart;  5,  po'iterior  vena  cava;  6, 
rumen,  or  paunch  ;  7,  reticulum,  or  second  stomach  ;  8,  abomassum,  or  fourth  stomarh  ; 
9.  rate;  10,  rectum;  11,  anus;  12,  left  kidney;  13,  left  ureter;  14,  bladder;  15,  penis; 
16,  sheath. 


of  the  third  stomach,  or  omassum.  The  first  stomach,  or 
'  paunch  '  as  it  is  called  by  the  butcher — '  rumen  '  by  the 
anatomist — is  very  seldom  the  seat  of  impaction  ;  its  contents 
are  generally  soft  and  fluid,  and  it  is  more  liable  to  distension 
by  gases  than  to  become  dry  and  solidified.  Nevertheless, 
such  a  condition  is  occasionally  met  with.  The  disease  or 
derangement  of  functions  with  which  we  have  at  present  to 
deal  concerns  the  third  stomach,  which  is  called  'omassum,' 


156  VETERlMARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

'fardel,'  ' maniplies,'  and  many  other  names,  and  contains  afi 
arrangement  of  leaves,  between  which  the  partially  digested 
food  is  always  found  in  a  comparatively  dry  condition  in  the 
slaughtered  animals  at  the  shambles.  The  surface  of  these 
leaves  taken  together  is  very  great,  and  they  are  covered  with 
papillae.  The  attachment  of  the  membrane  is  very  delicate, 
and  can  be  rubbed  off  with  the  finger  and  thumb.  This  being 
the  case,  it  needs  but  little  irritation  from  retained  and  dry 
ingesta  to  produce  very  serious  local  and  afterwards  constitu- 
tional disturbance.  The  causes  are  generally  said  to  be  chills, 
sudden  changes  of  temperature,  want  of  water,  greedy  feeding 
after  enforced  abstinence,  dry  and  innutritions  food,  eating  of 
acorns,  &c.  These  may  be  among  the  causes,  but  such  cases 
are  not  infrequent  with  stall-fed  animals  with  a  tank  of  water 
beside  them  and  a  warm  shippon  or  byre,  so  that  any  form  of 
indigestion  may  lead  up  to  it,  and  what  more  likely  than 
indigestion  among  animals  living  such  an  artificial  life  as  a 
tied-up  cow  or  a  fatting  bullock  ? 

To  diagnose  this  complaint  is  not  always  so  easy  as  might 
be  supposed,  as  it  is  sometimes  accompanied  by  a  kind  of 
diarrhoea  of  a  very  offensive  nature.  If  there  is  obstinate 
constipation,  a  drum-like  condition  of  the  abdomen,  staring 
coat,  dull,  heavy  expression,  loss  of  cud  and  of  appetite,  and 
at  each  expiration  a  grunt  is  added,  it  will  be  pretty  safe  to 
assume  that  impaction  is  the  cause.  There  is  also  tenderness 
over  the  region  in  some  cases,  and  knowing  ones  think  they 
detect  it  by  the  sudden  flinching  of  a  bullock  when  pinched 
on  the  back  above  the  shoulders.  This  feature  is  an  assist- 
ance to  diagnosis  in  some  other  diseases,  especially  lung  and 
liver  disorders.  When  the  diarrhceic  symptom  presents  itself 
a  careful  examiner  will  find  that  the  offensive  excreta  are  a 
thin  liquid  running  through  more  hardened  matter  which 
adheres  to  the  sides  of  the  bowels.  Such  a  condition  is  known 
to  stock-owners  and  veterinary  surgeons  as  '  bound  forward,' 
which  is  literally  the  case  :  a  fermentative  diarrhoea  is  going 
on  behind  as  a  result  of  plugging  in  the  anterior  part  of  the 
digestive  apparatus. 


I 


DISEASES   OF  CATTLE  157 

Treatment. — This  must,  of  course,  be  directed  to  the 
immediate  removal  of  the  long-retained  and  fermented  food. 
A  bold  aperient  should  be  given,  although  signs  of  inflamma- 
tion are  imminent  and  the  temperature  rising,  for  without  dis- 
lodging the  impact  recovery  is  impossible.  A  good  dose  is  the 
following  : 

Aloes  Capensis    .....     gjss. 

Pulv.  Zingib.       .         .         .         ,         •     5J- 

Mag.  Sulph \\y\. 

BoH  Armen.  vel  Piilv.  Curcuma:  .         .     q.  s. 

Ft.  pulv.  pro  haust. 

To  be  mixed  with  a  quart  of  boiling  ale  or  gruel,  and  given 
while  still  warm. 

The  cow-shed  or  farm  premises  do  not,  as  a  rule,  afford 
much  facility  for  mixing  up  medicines,  and  the  above  appears 
a  clumsy  way  of  giving  a  drench  ;  but  most  hinds  are 
accustomed  to  the  powder-drenches,  and  prepare  them  by 
pouring  the  boiling  liquor  upon  the  powder  in  a  jug,  stirring 
the  while  with  a  small  faggot-stick. 

Old-fashioned  folks  still  prefer  a  horn  for  administering 
medicines  to  stock,  but  a  champagne  bottle  is  much  more 
convenient.  The  former  is  easily  slopped  over  and  still  more 
readily  knocked  over,  by  the  patient,  while  the  danger  of 
breaking  the  neck  of  the  bottle  in  the  animal's  mouth  is  so 
slight  that  we  cannot  call  to  mind  an  instance  in  an  experience 
of  many  years. 

A  very  useful  drenching  bottle  is  that  supplied  by  Messrs. 
Day,  Son,  &  Hewitt. 

If  the  above  dose  does  not  move  the  bowels  in  ten  or 
twelve  hours,  large  quantities  of  hot  water  should  be  horned 
down  (if  the  animal  does  not  drink  it),  and  2  lbs.  of  treacle 
mixed  with  a  pailful  of  hot  water,  and  given  every  two  hours. 
Some  practitioners  depend  entirely  on  repeated  doses  of 
linseed  or  castor  oil,  but  it  is  a  good  plan  to  alternate  the 
treacle  and  oil  doses  every  two  hours,  giving  at  least  a  pint  of 
good  linseed  oil  each  time.  Castor  oil  is  not  so  beneficent 
in  its  action,  and  constipation  is  more  likely  to  recur  at  no 


158  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

distant  time,  while  linseed  oil  is  food  as  well  as  medicine,  and 
many  animals  will  eat  it  poured  over  their  chaff  or  bran.  We 
know  a  very  large  establishment  where  each  bullock  has  a  pint 
in  this  manner  twice  a  week,  and  the  herd  has  been  remarkably 
free  from  digestive  derangement. 

If  there  is  prostration  with  the  stoppage,  evidenced  by  cold 
horns  and  legs  and  hanging  head,  stimulants  and  cordials 
can  with  advantage  be  added  to  the  foregoing.  If  the 
medicine  is  to  be  sent  out  as  'drinks,'  a  good  combination  is 
as  follows  :— 

01.  Tereb 5J. 

Tinct.  Capsici      .....     gss. 

(vel  P.  Capsici     .         .         .         .         •     5J- ) 

01.  Lini ad  Oj. 

M.  ft.  haust.     To  be  given  every  two  hours. 

The  measure  of  purgation  necessary  will  be  best  estimated  by 
examining  the  faeces,  which  the  stockman  should  be  directed 
to  put  by  if  hardened,  darkened,  slimy  lumps  are  observed 
surrounded  with  loose  dung,  and  the  bullock  has  since  passed 
dung  that  is  all  soft  ;  then  the  aperients  should  at  once  be 
stopped,  and  nourishing  cordials  given  with  gruel,  and  bran 
mashes  or  other  soft  and  easily  digested  food  ;  but  a  little  hay 
must  be  allowed,  as  a  sick  animal  can  scarcely  recover  his  cud 
without  a  small  allowance  of  long  food.  The  following, 
given  alternate  days  for  a  week,  will  greatly  facilitate  recovery, 
and,  if  a  cow,  restore  the  secretion  of  milk  ;  with  a  steer  or 
fatting-beast  it  will  enable  him  to  pull  up  again  and  lay  on 

flesh. 

Potass.  Nit.         .....     =ss. 

Pulv.  Fcenugrseci         .         .         .         •     SJ* 
Sodii  Chlorid.      .....     giv. 

Pulv.  Gentiancc 


Pulv.  Carui 

M.  fl 


pul 


pro  haust. 


To  be  mixed  with  two  or  three  pints  of  ale  or  gruel,  and  given 
warm  at  night. 

A  gradual  return  to  the  ordinary  diet  should  be  enjoined, 
and  a  lump  of  rock-salt  put  in  the  manger  to  lick  at  will. 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  1 59 

If  the  beast  has  not  been  treated  at  an  early  stage,  and  is 
in  butcher's  condition,  it  is  better  to  slaughter  him,  as  the 
carcase  is  quite  fit  for  food,  and  if  the  owner  has  any  doubts 
it  will  prevent  a  loss  by  obtaining  a  qualified  veterinary 
surgeon  to  certify  the  carcase. 

For  the  relief  of  constipation  produced  by  bad  hay  or 
long-continued  dry  fodder,  we  advise  several  doses,  at  intervals 
of  a  day  or  two,  of  the  following  as  a  suitable  drench — not  a 
scientific,  but  often  a  successful  combination  : — 

Sodii  Chlorid.     1  --  ~   •• 

Mag.  Sulph.       J  ^   •' 

Pulv.  Zingib.       1 

Pulv.  Carui  I      .         .         .         ,     aa  gj. 

Pulv.  GentianDS  J 

M.  ft.  pulv.  pro  dosis. 

To  be  given  with  a  pound  of  treacle  and  a  quart  of  hot  beer 
or  thin  gruel  alternate  nights  till  the  desired  result  is  ob- 
tained. 

A  good  cattle-spice  will  after  this  be  of  great  assistance  ; 
most  of  the  popular  cattle-spices  are  of  value  as  aids  to 
digestion,  especially  after  an  illness  in  connection  with  the 
digestive  apparatus. 

Scouring,  or  Diarrhcea,  in  Calves.— This  malady  is 
the  cause  of  more  losses  among  calves  than  even  the  dreaded 
anthrax,  as  the  former  is,  like  the  poor,  '  always  with  us,'  while 
the  latter  makes  occasional  visits  of  more  lasting  impression. 
It  is  called  by  a  variety  of  names  in  different  districts  ;  among 
the  commonest  are  scours,  skit,  white  scour,  black  scour,  &:c. 
White  and  black  scour  indicate  different  forms  of  diarrhoea,  or 
different  stages.  The  most  frequent  form  of  scours  is  that 
found  in  artificially  reared  calves,  and  is  of  the  white  kind.  It 
is  undigested,  or  curdled  milk,  in  the  fourth  stomach,  and 
is  not,  as  is  supposed  by  some,  due  to  inflamed  mucous 
membrane.  Professor  Gamgee  says  :  *  In  the  many  cases  I 
have  examined  there  was  usually  a  peculiar  pallor,  or  indications 
of  checked  function,  in  the  fourth  stomach  and  intestines.     It 


l6o  VETEKINARY  COUNTER    PRACTICE 

is  the  mass  of  half-curdled  milk  in  these  organs,  and  the 
emaciated  appearance  of  the  tissues,  which  may  be  regarded 
as  characteristic  of  diarrhoea  in  suckling  quadrupeds.'  This 
opinion  being  supported  by  the  best  observers,  there  should  be 
no  insuperable  difficulty  in  the  treatment  unless  constitutional 
and  hereditary  disease  is  a  concomitant.  The  old-fashioned 
remedy  of  opium  and  chalk,  and  cordials  such  as  aniseed  and 
fenugreek  and  cumin,  have  much  to  recommend  them,  and 
will  bear  scientific  examination — indeed,  it  is  a  puzzle  to 
modern  scientists  how  the  illiterate  class  of  men  who  have 
for  ages  practised  with  considerable  success  among  animals 
could  have  found  out  remedies  without  knowing  the  why  and 
the  wherefore — seeing  through  a  glass  darkly,  yet  attaining 
their  object.  Of  course  they  were  illumined  from  time  to  time 
by  medical  men  and  others  of  better  education ;  but  practi- 
tioners of  that  class  who  remain  resent  fresh  ideas,  and  are 
dying  out  in  competition  with  the  better-trained  veterinary 
surgeons  of  the  present  day. 

It  is  good  practice  to  give  a  dose  of  castor  oil,  from  half  an 
ounce  to  two  ounces,  before  resorting  to  any  astringents.  There 
are  matters  to  be  got  rid  of,  and  the  after  effects  of  castor  oil 
are  distinctly  astringent. 

Infusions  of  astringent  barks,  such  as  oak  and  elm,  will 
often  answer  the  purpose  where  the  chalk  and  opium  seems 
too  clogging,  but  the  admixture  of  a  fourth  part  of  lime- 
water  with  the  milk  has  the  recommendation  of  being  cheap 
and  easy  of  administration,  as  well  as  effective.  Care  should 
be  taken  that  the  milk  given  to  the  calves  is  sweet.  The  fol- 
lowing   is    a    very   good    mixture   for    general    use    among 


calves  :- 

- 

Pulv.  Opii ..... 

•     gr-  V 

Pulv.  Catechu     .... 

.   yij. 

Pulv.  Cretse  Prasp. 

.     3ij. 

Ol.  Anisi  vel  Ol.  Menth.i;  Pip.     . 

•     -miij 

Muc.  Acac.          .... 

•     .5i- 

Aq.  ad 

•     5'J- 

M.     To  be  given  in  gruel  and  repeated  next  day  if  necessary. 


DISEASES   OF  CATTLE 


\i\ 


Or- 


Cretae  Pr?ep 

5''J- 

Pulv.  Catechu      .... 

§j- 

Pulv.  Zingil).        .... 

jss 

Pulv.  Opii 

5ij. 

Aquae  Menth.  Pip. 

oj. 

Dose  :   §j.  niglU  and  morning. 

Tinct.  chloroformi  et  morphinse  co.  is  preferred  to  opium 
by  many  advanced  practitioners.  Another  scour  mixture  which 
is  often  found  serviceable  is  the  following  : — 

Corticis  Quercus  .         .         .         .         •     SJ- 

Sodze  Carb.  .....      b)j. 

Aq.  bullientis      .....     Oj. 

Infuse  for  an  hour.     Dose  :  Two  tablespoonfuls  night  and  morning. 

Where  some  amount  of  blood  is  passed  with  the  excreta  a 
bismuth  and  acacia  mixture  may  be  prescribed,  preference 
being  given  to  the  subcarb.  or  trisnit.  over  the  liquors. 

Jaundice,  familiarly  known  as  the  '  yellows,'  is  of  frequent 
occurrence  among  cattle  as  compared  with  horses.  It  is  most 
often  seen  a  few  weeks  after  calving.  The  yellowness  of  the  skin 
and  membranes  occurs  as  in  other  animals,  but  is  not  so  easily 
recognised  in  good  'butter  cows,'  as  their  skin  is  normally 
yellow.  There  is  an  unthriftiness  about  the  coat  and  a  rapid 
loss  of  flesh  and  failure  of  milk,  nausea,  loss  of  appetite,  im- 
perfect digestion,  pain  when  right  side  is  pressed,  irregularity 
of  bowels  ;  sometimes  constipated  and  at  other  times  frothy 
dung  is  passed,  containing  '  bubbles.' 

Treatment. — One  of  the  most  successful  cow-doctors  of  the 
old  school  placed  his  faith  in  the  following  ;  it  is  not  at  all 
orthodox,  but  he  obtained  much  credit  for  it  : — 


Calomel 
Aloes  Socot. 
Mag.  Sulph. 
Pulv.  Zingib. 
Pulv.  Curcumse 


5J- 
5J- 


M.  ft.  pulv. 


l62 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


This  was  given  in  a  quart  of  hot  ale,  and  forty-eight  hours 
later  the  following  dose  was  to  be  administered  on  alternate 
days  for  a  fortnight  : — ■ 

Potass.  Nit 5ij. 


Pulv.  Zingib. 
Pulv.  Gran.  Para 
Bol.  Armen. 

Mag.  Sulph. 


M.  ft.  pulv. 

To  be  administered  in  hot  ale.  We  cannot  follow  the 
science  of  this  treatment,  but  have  found  it  answer  in  a  larger 
number  of  cases  than  any  other.  The  following  may  often  be 
found  useful  in  these  cases  : — 

Ammon.  Chloridi  ....     5iv. 

Pot.  Bicarb gj. 

Pulv.  Zingib.        .         .         .  .         ■     SJ- 

M.  ft.  pulv.     One  to  be  given  night  and  morning  in  a  little  gruel. 

Tympanites,  or  Hoven. — After  months  of  stall-feeding 
or  dry  food  in  yards,  horned  stock  welcome  the  change  to 
green  food  with  greater  joy  than  discretion,  and  it  is  generally 
at  this  time  of  year  that  tympanites  is  met  with.  It  is  called, 
in  various  parts  of  the  country,  the  hoove  or  hove  blown,  the 
blast,  hoven,  fog-sickness,  &:c.  This  distressing  complaint 
presents  no  difficulty  in  diagnosis,  as  the  belly  is  distended  to 
an  enormous  size.  Red  clover  and  vetches  more  often  produce 
it  than  other  green  stuff,  but  where  cattle  break  their  fences 
and  get  into  young  and  abundant  green  food,  and  overgorge 
themselves,  there  is  always  danger  of  their  becoming  hoven — 
the  rapid  fermentation  and  decomposition  of  the  food  is  the 
result,  and  carbonic  acid  gas  and  sulphuretted  hydrogen  are 
eliminated  in  enormous  volumes,  and  to  such  an  extent  some- 
times as  to  burst  the  rumen  before  assistance  can  be  obtained. 
The  diaphragm,  or  midriff,  has  been  known  to  be  ruptured  either 
from  the  pressure  or  in  falling,  and  the  respiration  is  invari- 
ably short  and  difficult,  through  the  diminution  of  the  chest 
capacity  caused  by  the  bulging  forwards  of  the  diaphragm, 
'i'here  arc  of  course,  degrees  of  tympany,  or  hoven,  and  instead 


DISE.-iSES   OF  CATTLE  163 

of  an  acute  attack  it  will  sometimes  develop  into  a  chronic 
state  of  dyspepsia,  the  flank  being  always  like  a  drum  and  the 
eructations  offensive,  instead  of  being  like  a  nosegay,  as  in 
health.  If  the  acute  form  is  to  be  dealt  with,  the  treatment 
should  be  directed  to  at  once  diminish  the  volume  of  the 
paunch  by  giving  such  chemical  agents  as  will  decompose 
COo  and  H2S  into  harmless,  if  not  actually  beneficial,  product?, 
and  prevent  further  fermentation.  Of  these  agents  ammonia 
is  the  best,  and  in  the  form  of  aromatic  spirits  it  reduces 
the  volume  and  acts  again  in  the  form  of  carbonate.  It 
should  be  combined  with  stimulants  and  stomachics  to  induce 
contraction  of  the  muscular  coats  of  the  stomach.  The  follow- 
ing will  be  found  a  good  draught  : — 

Spiritus  Ammonia:  Compositi        .  .  gij. 

Tincturse  Capsici  .         .         .  •  5ij- 

Tincturoe  Zingiberis      .         .         .  •  5J- 

Aquae  ad     .....  .  Oiv. 

M.  ft.  haust.  statim  sumend. 

This  may  be  repeated  in  half  an  hour  if  no  relief  is  ob- 
tained ;  and,  failing  to  relieve  in  an  hour,  recourse  should  be 
had  to  the  trocar  and  cannula  or  the  hollow  choke-rope.  As 
some  readers  may  not  be  familiar  with  these  instruments,  we 
will  describe  them.  The  choke-rope,  or  probang,  when  pro- 
perly made,  is  about  six  feet  long,  composed  of  coiled  wire 
with  a  leather  cover,  and  turned-wood  or  whalebone  ends — ■ 
somewhat  egg-shaped — with  a  cup-like  depression  in  one  of 
them  ;  through  the  whole  length  passes  a  whalebone  or  cane 
stiletto.  To  use  this  instrument,  the  cow  must  be  secured  by 
the  horns  and  held  by  two  assistants  if  possible.  One  should 
hold  her  head  up,  by  putting  his  finger  and  thumb  firmly  in 
the  nostrils,  while  the  other  grasps  the  tongue  or  maintains 
a  gag  in  position,  if  the  operator  is  fortunate  enough  to  have 
one  with  him.  The  stiletto  should  not  be  withdrawn,  but  the 
end  of  the  probang  should  be  oiled  and  then  introduced  into 
the  mouth,  pushing  it  steadily  over  the  tongue  and  down  the 
gullet,  till  it  is  nearly  all  out  of  sight,  when  the  stiletto  should 
be  withdrawn.     A  volume  of  gases  generally  rushes  out,  and 

M  2 


164  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

the  flank  falls  in  like  a  pricked  balloon.  But  this  happy  result 
is  not  always  obtained  ;  sometimes  the  food  persistently  chokes 
up  the  instrument,  and  will  not  be  got  rid  of  by  repeatedly 
passing  down  the  stiletto.  When  this  is  the  case  and  relief  is 
not  obtained,  the  trocar  must  be  resorted  to.  This  is  an 
instrument  about  eight  inches  long,  with  a  point  which  makes 
a  leech-bite  puncture.  It  is  ensheathed  in  a  metallic  cannula, 
with  a  cup-shaped  top,  but  which  does  not  cover  the  other  end  of 
the  trocar,  with  which  the  puncture  is  made.  The  operation, 
which  is  commonly  known  as  'paunching,'  is  performed  by 
pushing  this  sharp  instrument  right  through  the  left  flank  into 
the  rumen  \  the  situation  to  be  chosen  is  between  the  last  rib 
and  the  hip,  some  four  inches  from  the  rib  ;  the  direction 
should  be  downwards,  and  the  force  used  sufficient  to  drive 
home  the  cannula  right  up  to  the  cup,  withdrawing  the  trocar 
and  getting  out  of  the  way  as  quickly  as  possible,  to  avoid  the 
immense  volume  of  offensive  gas  which  rushes  out,  extinguish- 
ing a  candle  if  it  happen  to  be  by  night  that  you  are  operating. 
The  cannula  may  be  left  in  for  six  or  eight  hours,  until  remedial 
agents  have  reduced  or  dispelled  the  gases  ;  and  it  is  very 
seldom  that  any  trouble  is  experienced  with  the  wound  pro- 
duced. In  cases  of  emergency  an  incision  with  a  penknife 
will  often  give  relief.  It  is  essential  to  get  rid  of  the  offensive 
ingesta,  and  restore  the  digestive  functions,  and  this  is  best 
done  by  repeated  moderate  doses  of  saline  aperients,  with 
what  are  commonly  called  cordials — ginger,  gentian,  calumba, 
fenugreek,  &:c.  Diapente  used  to  be  much  prescribed,  but 
its  composition  was  probably  not  so  well  known  to  prescribers 
as  to  druggists  of  olden  time,  and  we  should  not  enumerate 
it  among  the  best  remedies.  The  following  is  a  suitable  draught 
for  the  convalescent  stage,  and  should  not  be  omitted,  as  it 
is  a  neglected  case  at  this  stage  which  so  often  develops  into  a 
chronic  one  : — 

Soda;  Bicarbonatis       ....     5iv. 


Infusi  Calumbae  Cone. 

•     SJ- 

Infusi  Gentianse  Cone. 

•     5J- 

Infusi  Zingiberis  Cone. 

•     .^J- 

Aquae  ad     . 

. 

•     Oj 

M.  ft. 

haust. 

niS EASES  OE  CATTLE  165 

This  should  be  given  daily,  and  about  i  lb.  of  mag.  sulph., 
more  or  less,  according  to  the  size  of  the  beast,  on  alternate  days. 
The  remedies  should  not  be  discontinued  till  the  dung  ceases 
to  show  bubbles  when  freshly  dropped. 

Chronic  hoven  may  arise  from  other  causes,  but  is  usually 
the  result  of  indigestion.  It  has  been  caused  by  part  of  a 
blanket  found  in  a  cow's  stomach,  or  rather  in  the  junction  of 
the  stomach,  and  other  foreign  bodies  are  not  at  all  rarely 
found.  In  the  museum  of  the  Royal  Veterinary  College  are 
to  be  seen  a  bunch^^of  keys,  a  pocket-knife,  an  old  shoe,  and 
other  '  unconsidered  trifles '  which  have  been  snapped  up  by 
cows  :  we  have  seen  a  perambulator  apron  and  a  child's  pina- 
fore taken  out  of  a  cow's  paunch,  but  we  have  not  heard  of  a 
baby  being  lost  in  that  way.  As  it  is  impossible  to  diagnose 
the  presence  of  foreign  bodies  during  life  in  the  rumen  we  can 
only  give  those  remedies  which  experience  has  proved  to  be 
effectual  in  ordinary  tympanites,  or  hoven.  When  time  is  not 
of  so  much  importance  as  in  the  acute  disease,  the  agents  may 
be  given  in  powder  ;  some  veterinary  surgeons  think  they  act 
better  in  that  form.  The  following  may  be  given  twice  a 
week,  and  will  prove  a  '  thriving '  drink  for  cattle  when  not 
dyspeptic  : — 

Potassae  Nitratis  .  .         .         .         •     ^J- 

Sodee  Carbonatis       .  . 

Pulveris  Foenugrteci  . 

Pulveris  Anisi 

Pulveris  Gentiance 

Magnesia;  Sulphatis  . 

To  be  given  in  a  quart  of  hot  ale  at  night. 

This  dose  will  be  found  to  increase  the  quantity  of  milk  in 
a  cow,  but  must  not  be  continued  for  that  purpose  for  longer 
than  a  fortnight. 

*  Red  Water.' — The  cause  of  this  disease  is  obscure,  but 
it  will  probably  be  found  to  be  allied  to  anthrax,  symptomatic 
anthrax,  purpura,  &:c.  It  used  to  be,  and  indeed  still  is,  attri- 
buted to  rank  herbage  and  pithy  turnips,  but  there  is  no  proof 
to  warrant  such  assertion,  and  it  is  far  better  to  confess  our 


^iss. 
ttss.     M. 


1 66  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

ignorance.  It  should  be  understood  that  red  water  is  passed 
by  cattle,  not  because  the  bladder  or  any  portion  of  the  urinary 
apparatus  is  diseased  or  bleeding  (bloody  urine  being  quite 
another  condition),  but  owing  to  a  blood  disease  in  which  the 
red  corpuscles  are  broken  up,  and,  mixing  with  the  urine,  change 
its  colour  from  a  pale  yellow  to  black,  or  any  shade  between  ; 
depending  largely  upon  the  amount  of  red  corpuscles  in  solu- 
tion and  the  degree  of  dilution  with  normal  uriniferous  fluid. 

The  chief  symptom  is  the  sudden  change  in  the  colour  of 
the  urine,  frequently  obstinate  constipation  and  always  rapid 
wasting.  When  pressed  over  the  withers,  the  cow  crouches, 
and  sometimes  shows  tenderness  over  the  loins  as  well. 

Treatment. — After  an  interval,  in  v>-hich  the  advanced  school 
of  veterinarians  condemned  the  farriers' methods  and  recom- 
mended 'tonics  and  stimulants  from  the  commencement,'  a 
return  has  recently  been  made  to  the  old  plan,  as  a  German 
scientist  has  '  discovered '  the  advisability  of  giving  a  bold  dose 
of  aloes  and  salts,  such  as  our  old  cow  leeches  gave  200  years 
ago.  As  much  as  two  ounces  of  aloes  is  often  given  with  pot. 
nit.  I  ounce  and  mag.  sulph.  half  a  pound,  or 

JMagnes.  Sulph.  .....     Itij. 

Pulv.  Aloes         .         .         .         .         •     SJ- 

Zingib 5J. 

To  be  given  in  not  less  than  three  quarts  of  oatmeal  gruel. 

Port  wine  in  wine-bottle  doses  is  sometimes  prescribed. 
Perhaps  its  colour  is  thought  to  act  homoeopathically;  we  cannot 
of  course  say,  but  our  experience  of  the  cow-house  is  in  favour 
of  a  witness  wherever  bottles  of  wine  or  whisky  are  prescribed  : 
the  effects  are  not  always  appreciable  upon  the  cow,  but  the 
fumes  inhaled  by  the  attendants  (during  the  drenching  process, 
it  is  supposed)  are  often  '  extensive  and  peculiar.' 

A  tonic  stimulant  of  proved  value  is  the  following  : — 

yEther.  Sulph.    .....     gss. 

Tr.  Gentianae     .....     Jss. 

Tr.  Zingib.  .....     ^ss. 

To  be  given  once  or  twice  a  day  in  linseed  tea. 
An  aperient  must  be  given  at  the  outset. 


J 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  167 

Care  in  feeding,  especially  frequent  changes  of  food,  must 
be  attended  to.  If  the  animal  will  not  eat,  linseed  and  oat- 
meal must  be  given  in  the  form  of  gruel,  together  with  milk 
and  raw  eggs.  Fresh  air,  but  an  even  temperature  should  be 
kept  up  if  possible.  No  diuretics  or  astringents  are  to  be 
used,  nor  any  stimulants  applied  to  the  loins. 

Suppression  of  Milk,  if  traceable  to  indigestion,  is  best 

treated  by  a  change  of  food  and  tliree  doses  of  cordial  aperient 

as  follows,  allowing  an  interval  of  forty-eight  hours  between 

each  : — 

Potass.  Nit gij. 


Pulv.  Anisi 
,,  Carui 
,,     Capsici 

Mag.  Sulph. 


To  be  given  in  a  quart  or  three  pints  of  good  ale  at  blood- 
heat. 

Cow-pox  is  a  contagious  disease  accompanied  with  a 
febrile  state  and  eruptions  upon  the  teats.  It  has  a  period  of 
incubation  of  from  six  to  nine  days.  First  a  pimple  or  papule, 
which  fills  with  watery  fluid,  and  afterwards  matter  or  pus ;  it 
then  breaks  and  forms  a  scab,  which  falls  off  and  the  surface 
heals  up.  In  more  scientific  language  it  may  be  divided  into 
periods  of  incubation,  invasion,  papulation,  vesication,  pus- 
tulation,  desquamation,  and  resolution.  Its  importance  arises 
from  its  effects  upon  the  human  subject.  Vaccination  is  said 
to  have  originated  from  the  observation  of  milkers  escaping 
small-pox  after  having  cow-pox.  A  minority  of  medical  men 
and  a  large  number  of  laymen  will  not  admit  the  claims  of 
vaccine  as  a  prophylactic  against  small-pox,  but  consider  the 
danger  of  transmitting  diseases  from  one  child  to  another 
more  than  counterbalancing  its  benefits,  if  it  have  any.  This 
objection  might  be  overcome,  if  only  Government-stamped  calf- 
lymph  were  permitted  to  be  used,  and  inoculation  with  any 
other   lymph  rendered  penal.      Another  objection  is  the  not 


168  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

entirely  disproved  opinion  that  the  vaccine  disease  of  the  cow 
was  originally  produced  by  that  most  offensive  disease  of  the 
horse  commonly  known  as  'grease.' 

The  eruption  on  the  teats,  which  characterises  cow-pox, 
is  accompanied  by  a  certain  or  uncertain  amount  of  febrile 
disturbance,  sometimes  so  little  that  nothing  is  observed  amiss 
but  for  the  eruption,  the  scabs  of  which  are  often  enough 
rubbed  off  the  teats  and  into  the  pail,  to  be  rescued  again  by 
the  strainer  before  the  'pure  country  milk'  is  sent  off  to 
London.  Every  precaution  is  taken  by  the  great  dairy  com- 
panies of  London,  who  send  veterinary  surgeons  from  time  to 
time  to  the  farms  to  inspect  both  the  cows  and  the  milkers, 
and  the  supply  is  instantly  stopped  where  any  disease  of  the 
kind  is  known  to  exist  among  milkers  or  milked. 

The  treatment  of  cow-pox  consists  in  the  administration  of 
a  few  doses  of  a  saline  medicine  such  as  is  prescribed  below, 
together  with  fomentation  and  application  of  ung.  althaese  daily 
to  the  teats,  unless  a  tendency  to  ulceration  is  shown,  when  an 
astringent  ointment,  composed  of  20  grains  alum,  exsicc.  to 
I  oz.  of  lard,  should  be  used,  or  a  lotion  of  boracic  acid  5j. 
to  |x. 

Potass.  Nit §j. 

Potass.  Bicarb.  .....     gij. 

Pulv.  Anisi         .....     5iv. 

Mag.  Sulph 5^'iij- 

Ft.  dosis.     Alternate  nights  in  thin  gruel. 

The  usual  form  for  making  ung.  alth?eae  is  as  follows  : — 

01.  Palma? ......  Ibss. 

Resin.  Flav.        .....  tbjss. 

Cerse  Flav.  .....  Ittij. 

01.  Lini      ......  ftix. 

Olei  MyrlsticK  et  Ol.  Rosmarini  .         .  q.  s. 

Owners  should  be  advised  not  to  sell  the  milk,  and  to  keep 
the  animals  affected  apart  from  the  rest,  not  allowing  the  same 
attendants  to  minister  to  their  wants,  nor  using  the  same  tools 
or  utensils. 

Cow-pox  of  late  years  has  shown  itself  in  a  very  mild  form, 


DISEASj^S   of  cattle  169 

as  is  the  case  with  some  other  animal  plagues  that  once  were 
virulent ;  but  we  must  not  be  sanguine  as  to  its  ultimate  dis- 
appearance, as  many  diseases  have  a  knack  of  coming  into 
fashion  again  in  a  veiy  pronounced  form,  just  as  everybody  has 
learnt  to  regard  them  as  of  no  consequence. 

Milk  Fever. — By  the  name  of  milk  fever,  parturient 
apoplexy,  dropping  after  calving,  and  the  drop,  there  exists  an 
affection  pecuHar  to  recently  calved  cows.  They  may  be 
attacked  within  two  hours  of  parturition,  or  the  disease  may 
appear  as  late  as  nine  days  afterwards.  The  second  or  third 
day  would  appear  to  be  the  most  dangerous. 

The  pathology  of  this  malady  is  still  a  matter  of  doubt, 
inasmuch  as  one  must  read  the  home  and  foreign  veterinary 
journals  from  week  to  week  to  keep  up  to  the  fashion.  To  be 
as  brief  as  possible  we  may  say  that,  until  about  fifty  years  ago, 
it  was  regarded  as  a  parturient  fever  in  some  way  connected 
with  the  milk  secretion,  and  it  was  noted  that  deep  milkers 
were  the  most  frequent  victims.  Also  that  a  heifer  with  first 
calf  was  never  the  subject  of  the  malady,  but  that  the  third  and 
fourth  calving  held  more  risk  than  previous  or  subsequent 
periods.  With  the  employment  of  the  clinical  thermometer  it 
was  found  that  there  was  no  '  fever '  in  the  sense  of  increased 
temperature,  rather  the  reverse,  the  temperature  being  lower 
than  normal  at  the  commencement  of  the  disease,  and  often 
throughout,  when  no  complications  arose  and  the  case  was  not 
of  very  long  duration.  The  nomenclature  seemed  to  require 
revision  in  view  of  this  fact,  and  the  prominent  symptoms  of 
apoplexy  or  brain  pressure  and  parturient  apoplexy  were  deemed 
a  scientific  description  and  an  attractively  long  name  with 
which  to  prattle  learnedly  to  the  illiterate.  The  professors 
sought  for  lesions  in  the  neck  portion  of  the  spinal  cord,  and 
examples,  changed  by  the  action  of  the  spirit  in  which  they 
were  preserved,  were  shown  round  to  the  classes.  We  were 
expected  to  see  ruptured  vessels,  or  at  least  the  extravasated 
blood,  which  had  of  course  become  yellow  under  the  influence 
ofS.V.M, 


i-o  VETERINARY   COUNTER   PRACTICE 

This  theory  of  engorgement,  or  actual  rupture  of  blood- 
vessels of  the  brain  and  spinal-cord,  was  a  very  serviceable 
one,  as  medical  theories  go,  inasmuch  as  it  served  two  genera- 
tions, while  every  one  was  striving  by  empirical  means  to  find  a 
cure.  None  did.  Various  methods  of  treatment,  to  be  pre- 
sently described,  have  been  for  a  time  popular,  and  a  large 
measure  of  success  claimed  for  them  for  a  time.  During  the 
last  few  years  a  complete  change  has  come  over  the  opinion  of 
the  profession  since  one  Schmidt  hit  upon  the  theory  that  milk 
fever  was  due  to  a  toxin  developed  in  the  udder,  being  in 
some  way  related  to  the  colostrum  ^  found  in  milk  at  the  time 
of  calving,  and  that  this  material,  taken  into  the  circulation,  acts 
as  a  narcotic  poison,  paralysing  the  brain  and  the  whole  body 
more  or  less,  according  to  the  quantity  absorbed  and  the 
individual  susceptibility.  There  is  much  plausibility  in  Schmidt's 
theory  ;  in  the  depression  of  the  temperature  ;  in  the  paralysis, 
from  which  some  animals  completely  recover,  with  or  without 
treatment ;  a  condition  of  things  quite  incompatible  with  the 
apoplexy  theory,  for  when  paralysis  is  so  caused  recovery  is 
slow  and  gradual.  The  greatest  proof  that  can  be  adduced  in 
favour  of  this,  the  latest  pathology  of  milk  fever,  is  the  greater 
number  of  recoveries  under  treatment  based  upon  war  with 
the  toxin. 

Symptoms.  —  Uncertain  movement  of  the  hind  limbs, 
paddling  the  hind  feet,  an  appearance  of  giddiness  when 
standing,  and  presently  going  down  and  there  remaining.  In 
mild  cases  very  little  more  than  paralysis  of  the  hind  quarters, 
and  inability  to  rise,  may  be  observed,  and  this  may  either 
pass  off  or  pass  on  to  something  very  much  more  serious.  The 
animal  becomes  insensible,  swings  its  head  round  to  its  side, 
or,  keeping  it  there,  lapses  into  complete  coma,  from  which 

'  Colostrum  is  a  yellow  substance  found  in  milk  just  after  parturition, 
and  its  office  is  that  of  a  gentle  aperient  to  clear  out  from  the  calfs  in- 
testines the  accumulations  of  the  latter  part  of  pregnancy  or  life  in  the 
womb.  It  makes  the  milk  very  high-coloured,  and  is  known  to  farmers  as 
'  beestings '  or  first  milk,  from  which  custards  are  made,  or  a  something 
resembling  them,  but  without  egijs. 


J 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  17 1 

she  may  almost  suddenly  recover,  or  die  with  some  complica- 
tion, as  pneumonia.     The  pressure  or  effect  of  the  toxin  varies 
much  in  different  animals  and  on  different  sets  of  nerves.    One 
will  be  quite  '  blind,'  as  it  is  called,  because  insensitive  to 
objects  or  touch  upon  the  eyeball.     Another,  whose  pneumo- 
gastric  nerves  are  much  affected,  will  make  a  roaring  noise  in 
breathing,  and  there  will  be  complete  suspension  of  the  bowels' 
action  and  that  of  the  bladder  ;  indeed,  many  die,  from  interfer- 
ence with   the  innervation  of  the  heart,    of  heart   paralysis. 
These  are  the  subjects  which  are  left  well  overnight  and  found 
dead  in  the  morning.     All  sorts  of  ideas  are  held  as  to  the 
contributory  causes.     Veterinary  surgeons  as  a  body  disapprove 
of  high  feeding  previous  to  parturition,  and  point  to  a  lower 
average  mortality  where  a  hay  and  oat-straw  diet  and  a  purge 
or  two  before  calving  are  adopted.      There  are  as  many  farmers 
who  advocate  low  diet  on  the  one  hand,  as  there  are  those 
who  believe  that  cows  at  grass,  full  of  rich  blood,  are  least 
likely  to  '  drop.'    The  writer  has  certainly  seen  all  the  different 
systems  tried  and  all  fail,  while  each  advocate  was  perfectly 
confident  until  his  time  came  to  have  a  run  of  milk  fever  cases. 
Ti-eatinenf. — A  bold  aperient  dose,  such  as  : 
Aloes  Socot.        .         .         .         .         •     oj- 

Mag.  Sulph.        .....     ^xij. 

Theriacse    ......     ftij. 

Aquae  Bullientis  q.  s.  ut  fiat  haustus. 

The  rectum  should  be  unloaded  with  the  hand  (previously 
greased  and  introduced  slowly),  and  half  a  gallon  of  soapy 
water,  at  about  105°,  injected  immediately  after. 

Next  apply  mustard,  or,  better  still,  a  hot  liniment,  to  the 

poll,  down  the  sides  of  the  neck  (not  on  the  top),  and  over  the 

loins.    The  following  is  a  suitable  liniment,  of  which  half  a  pint 

should  be  used  at  one  dressing,  and   repeated   next   day   if 

desirable : — 

01.  Terebinth.  Rub giv. 


01.  Sesamse 

•     Sx. 

Liq.  Ammon.  Fort. 

•     5ij- 

Aquse  Dest. 

. 

.     §vj 

M.  ft. 

linimentum. 

172  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

As  a  stimulant,  whisky  is  very  popular,  the  more  liberal 
owners  giving  a  whole  bottleful  at  a  time  and  waiting  till  next 
day.    There  are  cowkeepers  who  swear  by  the  remedy,  though 
we  have  often  seen  it  fail.     A  better  stimulant  is — 
Sp.  Ammon.  Aromat.  .         .         •     oJ* 

Sp.  Vini    ......      giij.      M. 

To  be  given  in  a  pint  or  more  of  cold  water,  and  repeated 
every  four  or  six  hours.  The  attendant  should  be  cautioned 
about  giving  medicine  to  cows  in  this  condition,  as  many  are 
killed  by  the  drenches  going  '  the  wrong  way.'  We  have  seen 
several  ounces  of  ginger  and  other  insoluble  drugs  in  the  bronchi 
of  dead  cows.  If  the  nozzle  of  the  bottle  or  drenching-horn  is 
ntroduced  into  the  mouth  for  a  few  seconds  before  attempting 
to  pour  down  the  drench,  the  animal  is  less  liable  to  accident, 
as  the  involuntary  muscles  are  prepared  for  something  to  come, 
though  the  cow  may  be  nearly  or  quite  insensible.  This  may 
be  questioned  by  theorists,  but  men  who  have  seen  a  lot  of 
cattle  practice  will  agree  that  it  is  true. 

Chloral  hydrate  has  been  much  employed,  and  has  given 
very  satisfactory  results.  An  ounce  given  in  a  pound  of  treacle, 
followed  every  four  hours  by  the  following  : — 


Chloral  Hydrat 

•     5i^' 

Potas.  Bromid.     .... 

•   5y- 

M.  ft.  pulv. 

is  often  successful.     How  it  acts  has  not  yet  been  satisfactorily 
explained. 

In  former  editions  of  this  work  the  custom  of  slaughter  has 
been  alluded  to,  and  the  greatest  authority  of  the  day  quoted 
for  the  safety  of  carcases  as  human  food,  if  killed  early  and 
without  elevation  of  temperature  or  administration  of  drugs. 
There  is  still  no  proof  that  the  flesh  of  such  animals  is  not 
good  for  food,  and  the  writer  has  eaten  portions  of  many 
cows  slaughtered  by  his  order  during  the  malady,  and  ob- 
served families  so  fed,  but  never  detected  any  ill  consequences 
whatever.  But,  authority  having  still  more  force  in  the  world 
than  either  reason  or  experience,  we  advise  all  concerned  not 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  173 

to  slaughter  for  food,  but  to  attempt  treatment.  There  is  such 
a  craze  against  the  poor  old  cow  as  the  author  of  tuberculosis 
while  living,  and  of  enteric,  and  everything  else  nearly,  when 
dead,  that  fair  play  cannot  be  got  for  a  man  who  sends  a 
carcase  to  market  that  has  not  been  killed  while  in  perfect 
health. 

Cows  may  have  milk  fever  twice  and  even  three  times,  but 
it  is  best  to  dry  oif  and  fat  an  animal  that  has  once  had  it, 
unless  indeed  she  be  one  of  those  cows  that  will  never  put  on 
any  flesh. 

Schmidfs  Treatment  is  directed  to  the  neutralisation  of  a 
toxin  existing  in  the  mammary  glands.  A  solution  of  iodide  of 
potassium  is  the  agent  employed  as  calculated  to  set  free 
iodine  with  the  minimum  of  irritating  effect.  It  is  introduced 
by  means  of  a  syringe,  whose  nozzle  passes  into  the  udder 
through  the  milk  ducts  of  each  teat ;  an  equal  quantity  being 
discharged  into  each  of  the  four  quarters,  which,  it  will  be 
remembered,  are  quite  distinct  from  each  other,  though  having 
a  common  integument.  The  dose  for  one  injection  of  each  of 
the  four  quarters  is  half  an  ounce.  More  for  a  very  large 
animal,  less  for  a  small  Kerry  or  Jersey,  but  not  much  less.  A 
pint  of  water  is  not  too  much  when  divided  into  portions. 

A  Higginson's  enema  is  a  suitable  instrument,  but  a  special 
nozzle  of  not  less  than  five  or  six  inches  in  length  must  be 
fitted,  in  order  to  pass  up  the  teats  without  undue  force  or 
injury  to  the  delicate  sphincter  muscles  which  close  their 
orifices.  Schmidt  and  all  subsequent  writers  have  laid  great 
stress  on  the  importance  of  perfectly  aseptic  appliances  for  this 
work,  or  septic  matter  introduced  into  the  mammary  gland  will 
be  most  disastrous.  Chemists  need  not  be  told  how  to 
accomplish  this  with  such  a  choice  of  antiseptics.  We  prefer 
a  solution  of  chinosol,  as  one  need  use  no  heat  for  rubber 
goods,  and  a  very  little  soaking  in  a  one-in-five-hundred 
solution  is  sufficient.  The  udder  is  to  be  washed  with  warm 
water  and  soap  first,  then  sponged  with  the  chosen  antiseptic,' 

*  Recent  cases  seem  to  prove  that  the  injection  of  chinosol  has  the 
same  effect  as  potassium  iodide. 


174  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

and,  lastly,  the  bag  is  syringed  through  the  several  teats  with 
the  instrument  previously  prepared. 

About  six  hours  is  allowed  for  this  pot.  iod.  dose  to  take 
effect,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time,  if  no  very  striking  change 
for  the  better  is  apparent,  another  injection  is  administered  of 
similar  composition.  After  a  second  dose  it  is  sometimes 
desirable  to  give,  subcutaneously,  a  dose  or  two  of  caffeine,  as 
there  is  a  tendency  to  collapse  from  the  iodine  which  has 
been  absorbed. 

Some  of  the  most  successful  practitioners  who  have  pub- 
lished their  experiences  during  the  past  few  years,  have  adopted 
the  chloral  treatment  at  the  same  time,  or  given  half-ounce 
doses  of  pot.  bromide  alternately. 

Parturient  Fever,  as  we  have  previously  pointed  out,  must 
not  be  mistaken  for  parturient  apoplexy.  It  is  generally  a  con- 
sequence or  sequel  of  inflammation  of  the  womb,  following  upon 
a  difficult  labour,  and  treatment  should  be  directed  both  to 
allaying  the  local  symptoms  and  arresting,  if  possible,  the  blood- 
poisoning  which  constitutes  parturient  fever.  Unlike  parturient 
apoplexy,  paralysis  is  not  a  marked  symptom,  but  arching  of 
the  back  and  straining,  grinding  of  the  teeth  and  other  common 
symptoms  of  pain,  together  with  shivering  fits,  and  a  high  tem- 
perature, clearly  distinguish  fever  from  the  apoplexy  erroneously 
called  milk  fever.  "We  cannot  be  too  careful  to  explain  the 
difference  to  our  clients,  or  they  will  believe  our  decisions  to  be 
based  upon  mere  caprice. 

Inflammation  of  the  womb  commonly  shows  itself  the 
second  day,  from  that  to  the  seventh  or  eighth,  and  parturient 
fever  may  develop  at  almost  any  time  until  recovery  is  as- 
sured. 

Treatment  should  be  both  local  and  general. 

If  bran  poultices  can  be  applied  continuously  over  the 
loins,  much  ease  will  be  given,  but  it  is  worse  than  useless 
to  put  on  a  poultice  and  let  it  get  cold,  or  allow  intervals  for 
evaporation,  when  a  fresh  chill  may  do  more  harm  than 
poulticing  has  done  good.     A  little  opium  sprinkled  upon  the 


DISEASES   OF  CATTLE  175 

surface  of  the  poultice  helps  to  allay  pain.  If  the  prescriber 
suspects  that  poulticing  will  be  but  indifferently  perfoiTned,  he 
had  better  make  up  a  warm  embrocation,  such  as 

Lin.  Camph.  Co.         .         .         .         •     5J- 
Lin.  Saponis      .....     gvij. 

and  order  it  to  be  applied  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

That  liniments  and  embrocations  do  act  upon  distant  parts 
beneficially  has  long  been  proved  by  practical  men.  Possibly, 
they  act  upon  the  superficial  nerves  in  the  same  manner  that  the 
cold  wind  acts  upon  the  fresh-dropped  lamb,  sending  from 
the  skin  a  nerve-current.  Every  cowman  and  shepherd  knows 
that  a  calf  or  lamb  will  be  more  likely  to  live  if  carried  into 
the  fresh  air,  and  nearly  all  animals  are  endowed  with  the 
instinct  to  lick  their  young  clean. 

The  womb  should  be  syringed  two  or  three  times  a  day 
with  warm  water,  in  which  an  ounce  of  the  following  fluid 
should  be  mixed: — 

Ext.  Opii  .....  »iss. 

Acid.  Carbolic.  .....  5iss. 

Glycerini  ......  giss. 

Aquse  ad gx.     M» 

One  ounce  to  be  mixed  with  a  quart  of  warm  water  and  injected 
into  the  womb  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

Lysol  and  chinosol  solutions  are  much  used  by  vets,  of  the 
modern  school. 

The  following  draught  night  and  morning  can  be  recom- 
mended : — 


Acidi  Nitro-hydrochlor.  Dil. 

•     Bss 

Ext.  Gentianse   .... 

•     5*s- 

Sp.  /Eth.  Nit 

•     3J- 

Aq.  ad 

•     3-^- 

M.  ft.  haust. 

A  nourishing  diet  should  be  prescribed,  and,  if  all  appetite 
is  lost,  gruel  should  be  given,  of  which  linseed  should  form  a 
considerable  portion.  Or  a  simple  linseed  tea  may  be  ad- 
ministered, if  the  animal  will  drink  it,  and  if  not  she  may  be 


176  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

drenched  with  as  much  persuasion  and  as  httle  force  as  pos- 
sible, since  a  nostril  wounded  with  the  hard  nails  of  the  cow- 
man does  not  induce  appetite  any  more  than  thefear  of  another 
drenching  contributes  towards  digestion.  Cows  kept  in  town 
dairies  become  used  to  the  inspection  of  the  public  which  their 
owners  invite  ;  but  many  country  cows  are  frightened  by  the 
approach  of  a  stranger,  and  alarmed  out  of  all  reason  if  roughly 
handled  when  initiated  in  the  art  of  taking  a  drink. 

Some  good  hay  should  be  provided,  and,  if  not  eaten, 
ought  to  be  removed  each  day.  A  bullock  cannot  get  the  cud 
again  without  long  stuff,  and  a  sick  one  should  never  have 
food  of  any  kind  left  in  the  manger  when  once  it  has  blown 
upon  it  and  refused  to  eat. 

Abortion  signifies  the  expulsion  of  the  foetus  before  it  is 
capable  of  a  separate  existence,  and  usually  occurs  from  the 
third  to  the  ninth  month  of  pregnancy.  It  may  be  occasioned 
by  blows,  injuries,  exposure  to  cold,  fright,  improper  food,  foul 
smells,  or  overdriving.  Sometimes  the  disease  commences  in 
a  herd  of  cows,  spreading  from  one  to  another,  and  is  of  a  con- 
tagious nature,  being  due  to  a  specific  bacillus,  discovered  by 
Bang  of  Copenhagen.  It  is  long  retained  in  the  genital  mem- 
branes, and  in  most  cases  it  is  the  best  plan  to  fat  off  cows  that 
have  suffered  from  the  contagious  form  of  abortion. 

The  symptoms,  when  abortion  occurs  in  the  early  months 
of  pregnancy,  are  very  slight,  the  mother  being,  perhaps, 
unaware  of  the  mishap.  In  the  later  months,  however,  there 
is  restlessness,  the  udder  is  enlarged  and  flushed,  the  vulva 
injected,  the  ligaments  relaxed,  and  calving  pains  occur. 

The  treatment  consists  in  isolating  the  cow,  destroying  the 
foetus  and  membranes  by  fire  or  quicklime,  and  thorough 
disinfection  of  everything  with  which  the  discharges  could 
have  come  in  contact.     An  antiseptic  drink  consisting  of 

Sod.  Hyposulph Sviij. 

Acidi  Carbolici  .....     5ij. 

in  a  quart  of  thin  gruel  should  be  given  ;  the  vagina  should  be 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  177 

Syringed  out  with  carbolic  acid  (i  in  50),  or  with  the  following 
lotion  : — 

Hydrarg.  Perchlor.      ....  5ijss. 

Acid.  Hydrochlor.       ....  gijss. 

Aquoe  ad  .....  Cij. 

M.  et  S. 

Any  other  pregnant  animals  in  the  herd  should  each  receive 
5ss.  of  carbolic  acid  in  a  bran  mash  once  or  twice  a  week,  and 
their  vulvce  should  be  sponged  with  the  perchloride  lotion. 

Retention  of  the  Placenta,  or  Cleansing,  is  a  frequent 
trouble  in  the  cow-shed,  and,  though  very  disgusting  to  the 
casual  observer,  is  not  so  often  a  cause  of  illness  as  might  be 
expected.  The  placenta  or  membranes  in  which  the  calf  was 
enveloped  in  the  womb  do  not  always  become  detached 
immediately  after  deliver}',  especially  if  the  birth  is  premature, 
but  a  portion  hangs  out  of  the  vagina,  while  the  greater 
part,  perhaps,  is  firmly  adherent  to  the  womb,  by  reason  of  the 
'  roses,'  which  give  it  many  points  of  attachment,  and  should 
not  be  roughly  torn  away ;  serious  haemorrhage,  and  even 
death,  has  been  known  to  result  from  pulling  violently  at  the 
'  cleansing  ' — as  these  membranes  are  commonly  called — when 
it  has  been  attempted  too  soon  ;  but  what  more  frequently 
happens,  when  the  operator  performs  a  day  or  two  later,  is  to 
break  off  the  part  he  holds  and  leave  the  rapidly  decomposing 
mass  behind,  without  the  advantage  of  outside  weight  to  assist 
in  its  mechanical  removal. 

When  the  veterinary  practitioner  is  called  in,  some  such 
bungling  as  this  has  often  taken  place,  and  he  proceeds  to 
dislodge  the  stinking  mass  by  first  injecting  copiously  with 
warm  water  and  potass,  permangan.,  or 

Acid.  Carbolic.  •         •         .         .         .     3j. 
Glycerini  .         .         .         .         •     §'■ 

Aq.  ad jxl. 

M. 

and  then,  grasping  what  he  can  of  the  placenta  by  introducino- 
his  hand  into  the  vagina,  uses  gende  traction  till  sufficient  of  it 
be  brought  forward  to  wind  round  a  couple  of  sticks.     If  he 


178  VETERlKAliY  COVl^TEk   PRACTICS. 

finds  it  very  rotten,  yet  persistent  in  its  hold,  he  will  rest 
satisfied  with  winding  two  or  three  turns  with  his  pieces  of  wood, 
and  leave  it  for  another  turn  next  day,  meanwhile  prescribing 
such  a  dose  as  the  following  : — 

Ol.  Terebinth.    .         .         ,         .         ,     gij. 

Ext.  Ergotce  Liq.        ....     Jss. 

Ol.  Ricini  ad Oj. 

M.  ft.  haust. 

Townsfolk,  when  viewing  the  beauties  of  some  rustic  '  bit ' 
-—if  we  may  use  artist's  slang — are  rather  surprised  to  see  cows 
with  brickbats  or  old  horse-shoes,  hobnailed  boots,  Sec,  attached 
to  the  placenta  by  way  of  gentle  traction.  It  is  certainly  more 
useful  than  elegant  in  its  operation — aesthetic  tastes  have  not 
yet  permeated  the  cowman. 

After  difficult  labours,  the  '  shape,'  as  the  external  part  of 
the  cow's  generative  organs  is  called — or  '  barren  ' — though  in 
some  districts  the  latter  term  has  a  wider  signification — is 
bruised  and  swollen,  causing  some  anxiety  to  the  owner  (of 
the  vagina  as  well  as  of  the  cow),  and  should  be  well  fomented 
with  warm  water,  then  dried  with  a  soft  old  rag,  and,  lastly, 
anointed  with 

Acid.  Carbolic.    .....     §j. 

Ol.  Olivre 5XX. 

Solve. 

An  injection  of  pot.  pcrmangan.  or  Condy  in  warm  water, 
or  acid,  carbolic,  i,  glycerin.  2,  and  aqua  100  parts  warm,  is 
to  be  recommended.  The  bowels  should  receive  attention, 
and  any  tendency  to  constipation  corrected  with  repeated 
doses  of  ol.  lini,  which  may  ho.  improved  with  a  little  ol. 
anchusae,  and  *  nosed  '  witli  ol.  anisi,  vel  carui,  vel  pulegii,  or 
any  carminative  or  cordial.  A  very  useful  '  cleansing  drink ' 
suited  for  keeping  in  stock  is:  — 

Quinin.  Disulph.  ....     yr.  x. 


Anisi 
Sulphur. 
I'ulv.  Cicntian.x' 
I'ulv.  Carui 


To  be  given  in  a  (juart  of  thin  grue 


1  im 


5.SS. 

5SS.      M. 


iiediately  after  calving. 


DISEASES   OE  CATTLE  1 79 

Inflammation  of  the  Udder. — Mammiiis,  or  'garget,' 
is  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  cow ;  it  may  result  from  ex- 
ternal injury,  exposure  to  cold,  or  irregular  and  bad  milking. 
The  symptoms  are  at  first  purely  local,  but  shortly  accom- 
panied by  fever  in  greater  or  less  degree,  depending  upon 
the  severity  of  pain,  &c.  The  secretion  of  milk  is  dimi- 
nished and  perverted,  being  water)-,  and  containing  curds ;  it 
then  becomes  yellowish  from  admixture  of  pus,  and  may 
be  entirely  arrested.  The  gland  swells,  feels  hard  and  hot, 
is  very  painful,  the  veins  running  from  it  being  much  dis- 
tended. These  symptoms  may  terminate  in  resolution,  but  in 
some  few  bad  cases  end  in  abscess,  or  even  mortification  of  a 
quarter  of  the  udder.  The  udder,  it  should  be  explained, 
consists  of  four  quite  distinct  quarters  or  lobes ;  consequently 


Huish's  Milk  Syphon. 


milk  can  only  be  removed  from  each  by  its  own  respective  teat. 
This  division  usually  confines  any  disease  to  one  quarter. 

The  general  treatment  consists  in  lessening  the  food  and 
giving  a  bold  aperient,  then  antacids.  Potass,  bicarb,  in  two- 
drachm  doses,  twice  a  day,  till  the  acute  symptoms  have  passed,  is 
generally  satisfactory.  Local  treatment  consists  in  the  constant 
use  of  WARM  fomentation  in  the  form  of  a  linseed  poultice,  to 
which  may  be  added  ext.  belladon.  5iij.,  and  the  support  of  the 
gland  by  a  carefully  arranged  bandage,  through  which  the  teats 
must  be  allowed  to  protrude.  The  milk  must  be  frequently 
but  gently  drawn  off.  When  the  acute  pain  has  passed  off, 
resolution  may  be  accelerated  by  gentle  friction,  and,  still  later, 
by  a  stimulating  liniment  or  a  mild  iodine  ointment.  Should  an 
abscess  form,  early  incision  must  be  resorted  to;  once  being 
sure  of  the  presence  of  matter,  do  not  wait  for  it  to  '  point.' 

The  temperatures  recorded  by  veterinary  surgeons  in  cows 
suffering  from   garget   are   higher   than   in   any   other  febrile 


1 30  VETEKINaJ^Y  COVI^TER  PRACTICE: 

complaint,  as  much  as  109°  having  been  on  several 
occasions  noted  by  good  authorities.  It  generally  falls  in  a 
few  hours. 

The  thermometer  is  in  this,  as  in  many  other  diseases,  a 
great  aid  to  diagnosis  ;  every  prescriber  should  carry  one  ; 
nor  should  he  forget  that  in  ruminants  the  natural  temperature 
is  two  or  three  degrees  higher  than  in  the  horse. 

Garget  is  met  with  in  all  animals  occasionally,  but  as  affecting 
the  cow  it  has  received  most  attention  for  obvious  reasons. 
Mares,  bitches,  sows,  cats,  &c.,  get  chills  and  suffer  as  much  ; 
often  with  fatal  results  to  the  progeny.  Many  a  valuable  colt 
has  been  lost  to  the  owner  because  the  mare  would  not  let  it 
suck  a  sore  udder. 

Animals  whose  young  are  allowed  to  suck  them  are  less 
subject  to  garget  than  cows  whose  calves  are  taken  away  imme- 
diately they  are  dropped.  The  rough  brushing  of  the  udder  by 
the  head  of  the  young  which  every  one  has  noticed  with  lambs 
induces  a  flow  of  milk  ;  while  garget  is  most  often  met  with  in 
cows  where  bad  milkers  are  employed,  or  the  udders  not  pro- 
perly stripped. 

There  is  another  kind  of  garget  which  old  writers  called  the 
downfall  in  the  udder,  which  was  accompanied  with  swelling 
and  pain  of  the  joints  of  the  hind  limbs. 

In  some  parts  of  the  Continent  garget  occurs  in  a  malignant 
and  infectious  form,  especially  among  ewes. 

Themodern  treatment  of  garget  in  cows  with  pot.  bicarb.,  &:c., 
has  been  already  referred  to,  but  many  successful  practitioners  of 
the  old  school  put  their  faith  in  bleeding  and  purging,  and,  if  one 
may  judge  by  results,  they  are  not  far  wrong.  As  much  as  two 
and  even  three  ounces  of  aloes  Avith  mag.  sulph.  are  given  in 
the  following  form  : — 

Aloes  Socotr.       .....     5ijss. 

Pulv.  Zingib.        ,         .         .         .         •     5J- 
Bacc.  Juniperi      .....     5iv. 

Mag.  Sulph.  .         .         .         .         .     Ibj. 

M.  ft.  haust.     To  be  given  in  3  pints  of  small  beer. 

For  local  applications  a  pound  of  hog's  lard  is  to  be  melted 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  iSi 

and  rubbed  into  the  bag,  and  followed  by  ung,  althreac  nocte 
maneque  ;  or,  if  this  fail,  the  following  liniment  : — 

Sp.  Camph.  .....  giij. 

Liq.  Plumb.  .....  gv. 

01.  Terebinth.      .....  §xij. 

Aceti Oij. 

M.  bene. 

Once  daily  will  be  sufficient  for  this  application  until  the  skin 
shows  a  disposition  to  peel. 

In  cases  of  garget  where  a  quarter  drops  out  or  mortifies,  a 
dressing  such  as  black  oils  should  be  applied  to  the  surface  of 
the  wound. 

Moderns  use  a  strong  preparation  of  carbolic  acid,  as  i  in  8 
or  ID  of  ol.  sesamffi  or  glycerine.  The  old  farriers,  who 
were  so  fond  of  acid,  sulph.  and  hyd.  bichlor.,  used  the 
following,  which  we  take  from  Clater's  '  Every  Man  his  own 
Farrier  : ' — 

Take  a  pint  of  linseed  oil,  and  put  about  a  fourth  of  it  into 
a  chamber-pot,  then  add  acid,  sulph.  |ij.  by  a  little  at  a  time, 
keeping  it  constantly  stirring  with  the  other  hand.  When 
wanted,  add  by  a  little  at  a  time  ol.  terebinth,  ,^ij.,  afterwards 
adding  the  remainder  of  the  ol.  lini,  stir  well  together;  lastly 
add  ol.  origani  5ij.,  tinct.  myrrh,  ^ij.,  mix  and  put  into  a  bottle 
for  use. 

There  is  no  doubt  about  the  value  of  this  recipe  for  the 
treatment  of  gangrenous  surfaces,  but  modern  pharmacy  and 
convenience  point  to  the  use  of  ol.  carbol.  or  sol.  hyd.  bichlor. 
(i  in  looo). 

Bull  Burnt  is  a  term  applied  to  a  form  of  gonorrhoea  in  the 
cow,  and  generally  yields  to  simple  treatment,  though  a  malig- 
nant form  of  it  is  met  with  on  the  Continent. 

A  laxative  dose  in  the  form  of  12  to  20  oz.  of  mag.  sulph. 
should  be  given,  and  the  vagina  injected  with  a  mild  astringent, 
such  as  alum  5j.  in  aqua  5x1.  ;  or  Condy's  fluid  ;  or  carbolic 
acid  I  part,  glycerine  3  parts,  water  25  parts, 


i82  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Extract,  hamamelis  is  the  most  valued  of  recent  intro- 
ductions in  veterinary  pharmacy  :  one  part  to  three  of  distilled 
water  injected  into  the  sheath,  by  means  of  a  syringe,  being 
found  most  effectual. 

Drying-off  Cows. — When  a  cow  is  to  be  fatted,  she 
should  be  first  dried  off,  and  this  may  be  accomplished  in  a 
very  short  time  with  most  cows,  unless  they  suck  themselves, 
or  each  other,  when  in  company. 

Dry  food  is  a  necessary  condition,  though  some  cowkeepers 
expect  a  drench  to  do  everything,  and  will  keep  a  cow  at  grass 
for  convenience  and  economy  if  it  happen  to  be  summer  time, 
and  we  must  therefore  accommodate  ourselves,  more  or  less,  to 
the  wishes  of  our  employers,  and  make  them  pay  for  more 
medicine  than  would  be  necessary  if  our  instructions  as  to  dry 
food  were  carried  out. 

There  are  many  ways  of  accomplishing  the  object  in  view, 
but  none  so  good  as  the  old  one  of  giving  bold  doses  of  alum- 
rock.  From  four  to  eight  ounces  should  be  given  as  a  dose, 
and  the  milk  not  all  drawn  at  a  time,  while  longer  and  longer 
intervals  are  allowed  to  elapse  between  the  milkings.  A  good 
way  of  sending  out  a  drench  of  this  kind  is  to  give  a  fine 
'  nose '  as  well  as  colour  to  it,  by  the  addition  of  bacc.  juniperi 
§ss.,  coarsely  powdered,  with  instructions  to  mix  it  with  three 
pints  of  boiling  water,  and  give  it  to  the  cow  when  new-milk 
warm.  If  the  cow  is  at  pasture,  or  fed  on  green-meat,  the  dose 
should  be  given  about  three  times  in  a  fortnight,  but  a  couple 
of  doses  will  be  more  than  sufficient  if  kept  on  dry  food  and 
short  commons. 

Pot.  bitart.  is  also  used  for  the  purpose,  in  doses  of  a  pound 
by  itself,  or  half  that  (luanliiy  with  alum  5iv.  c.  l)ul.  Armen.  ad 
colorand. 

Bronchitis. — Cattle  are  subject  to  bronchitis  as  a  result  of 
exposure,  &c.,and  the  treatment  to  be  adopted  is  much  the  same 
as  that  recommended  for  the  same  complaint  in  horses  (see  p.  S3). 
It  is  not  rare  for  cows  to  be  killed  by  getting  drenches  down 


DISEASES   OF  CATTLE  183 

the  bronchi,  especially  when  semi-insensible  {see  Parturient 
Apoplexy,  or  Milk  Fever).  Bronchitis  may  follow  such  acci- 
dents when  death  from  suffocation  does  not  take  place.  If  the 
drench  which  has  '  gone  the  wrong  way '  was  a  fluid,  recovery 
is  probable,  but  the  cordial  powders  commonly  given  in  gruel, 
ale,  <Scc.,  are  apt  to  prove  fatal  when  any  quantity  has  got  into 
the  bronchi. 

Rheumatism. — This  term  is  commonly  applied  to  any 
sort  of  joint  trouble  not  known  to  have  arisen  from  external 
violence.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  articular  rheumatism 
does  occasionally  affect  adult  animals,  but  the  chief  trouble  is 
met  with  among  the  young  colts,  calves,  lambs,  and  pigs.  The 
swollen  joints,  the  extreme  pain  and  consequent  lameness,  all 
point  to  a  rheumatic  origin,  and  by  common  consent  it  has 
been  treated  as  rheumatism.  There  is,  however,  pretty  conclu- 
sive evidence  now  that  the  'joint  ill"  of  young  creatures  is  due 
to  a  microbe,  for  which  as  yet  no  pet  name  has  been  found. 
The  injection  of  agents  of  a  bactericidal  nature  into  the  imme- 
diate region  of  an  affected  joint  seems. to  work  wonders  as  far 
as  recorded  experiences  afford  us  information.  At  the  time  of 
going  to  press  with  this  edition  of  V.C.P.  there  are  only 
successful  '  treatments '  recorded,  one  of  the  latest  being  by 
Mr.  Wartnaby,  F.R.C.V.S.,  of  Burton-on-Trent,  who  uses  a 
4  per  cent,  solution  of  formalin,  injecting  over  the  affected 
region  by  ordinary  subcutaneous  syringe.  This  looks  like  the 
practical  application  of  remedial  agents  to  diseases  caused  by 
bacterial  organisms,  and  if  our  readers  are  not  all  prepared  to 
carry  out  such  really  simple  details,  they  should  at  least  be  up 
to  date  when  asked  about  'joint  ills.'  Those  prescribers who 
prefer  the  old  order  of  things  will  find  in  the  following 
paragraph  something  more  than  a  recipe  of  Clater's:  they  will 
be  able  to  reconcile  the  statements  based  on  experience,  and 
not  theory,  as  to  why  malt  liquors  were  permissible  with  cattle 
when  the  like  would  not  do  for  human  subjects. 

What  is  generally  known  as  'joint  ill'  in  cattle  has  been 
long    recognised    as    of  a  rheumatoid    nature.      No    better 


1 84  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

prescription  can    be  quoted  than   that  given  by  Clater,  ■who 
prescribed  the  following  with  success  : — 

Pulv.  Guaiaci       .         .         .         .         •     SJ* 


Pulv.  Anisi . 
Pulv.  Carui 
Pulv.  Gran.  Parad. 
Tinct.  Opii  . 

ISr.  ft.  haust 


Su- 
sy- 

5SS. 


The  above  dose  is  to  be  given  in  a  quart  of  hot  ale  or 
gruel  to  a  full-sized  beast.  It  should  be  reduced  for  calves  by 
calculating  the  proportionate  weight  of  the  patients.  (See 
under  Diseases  of  Pigs  for  external  application.) 

Modern  practice  goes  to  show  that  fermented  liquors  are 
unsuitable  in  rheumatism  and  gout  in  all  its  forms,  and  we 
should  prefer  gruel  to  ale  ;  but  it  must  not  be  supposed  that 
ale  is  to  be  tabooed  in  cattle  practice,  as  experience  proves  it 
extremely  valuable  in  combination  with  purgatives  and  cordials, 
and  as  a  tonic  after  the  exhausting  diseases  of  ruminants. 

Hoose  in  Calves. — '  Hoose,'  or  '  Husk,'  is  caused  by 
a  parasite  in  the  smaller  bronchi. 

The  most  effectual  treatment  is  that  by  intra-tracheal  in- 
jection of  high  turpentines  with  carbolic  acid  and  chloroform, 
or  other  substances  known  to  kill  the  filaria  without  danger  to 
the  host.  A  strong  syringe  is  sold  for  this  purpose,  and  a 
position  halfway  between  the  throat  and  breast  of  the  calf 
chosen  for  insertion  of  the  '  business  '  end  of  the  syringe,  which 
must  go  clean  through  the  pipe  into  its  lumen,  and  not  merely 
into  it  or  its  lining  membrane,  for  by  such  imperfect  operation 
abscess  subsequently  forms,  and  some  young  animals  have 
been  killed  by  suffocation.  It  may  be  here  remarked  that  the 
sensibility  of  the  larynx  and  its  lining  membrane,  which  pro- 
duces almost  instant  suffocation  when  anything  goes  the  wrong 
way,  is  not  shared  by  the  windpipe,  and  even  such  powerful 
agents  as  carbolic  acid  in  small  quantities  may  be  introduced 
jnto  the  lower  air  passages  with  but  very  little  risk. 

Either  of  the  following  is  sqitable  for  calves,  and  may  alsp 


DISEASES   OF  CATTLE  1S5 

be  employed  for  lambs  if  the  dose  is  apportioned  to  their  age 
and  weight.  About  one-fourth  that  for  a  calf,  at  a  rough 
reckoning,  may  form  a  base  from  which  to  calculate  the  dose 
for  lambs. 


Terebeni     , 

.         . 

•     5ij- 

Acid,  Carbolic. 

. 

.    Tn.xx. 

Chloroform  i 

M.  ft.  haust. 

.     J^xxx, 

Acid.  Carbolic.  . 

.    Tnxx. 

Chloroformi 

.        5SS. 

01.  Olivse  . 

, 

•    5'J- 

M. 

Treatment  by  inhalation  is  preferred  by  many,  but  serious 
accidents  having  occurred  the  method  has  somewhat  fallen 
into  disfavour. 

A  perfectly  safe  and  effectual  method  is  the  following: — 
Having  secured  the  subjects  in  a  shed,  mix  a  quantity  of  hot 
bran  and  put  about  a  gallon  in  an  ordinary  nosebag  with  buckle 
and  strap  ;  then  pour  into  the  bran  a  sixth  part  of  the  mixture 
below,  stirring  the  bran  and  adding  a  fresh  quantum  for  each 
calf  until  six  have  been  done  ;  then  throw  it  away  and  begin 
again.  About  two  minutes  is  sufficient  for  each  animal,  and  it 
should  be  repeated  in  a  week  or  ten  days.  A  draught  as  below 
should  be  given  to  each  calf. 

For  the  Inhalation. 
Acidi  Carbolici     .....      giv. 

01.  Terebinth §j. 

Glycerini  ad         ....         .     gvj. 
M.  ft.  inhalatio. 

Draught  for  Ititernal  Use. 
Tinct.  Asafet.      .....     5ij. 

01.  Terebinth.      .....     jij. 

01.  Lini  ad ^iv, 

M.  ft.  haust. 

Foot  and  Mouth  Disease. — Murrain,  epizootic  aphthc-e, 
foot  and  mouth  disease,  by  all  of  which  terms  this  affection  is 
Hnown,  is  a  contagions  eruptive  fever,  seldom  attacking  the 


I86  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

same  animal  a  second  time.  Though  only  known  in  this 
country  since  1840,  it  had  caused  great  losses  on  the  continent 
of  Europe  in  1695,  1707, 1763,  and  later,  and  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Yarmouth,  early  in  1900,  a  cordon  was  established 
round  the  affected  area,  which  soon  extinguished  the  epidemic, 
the  animals  within  the  cordon  being  slaughtered. 

Like  the  cattle-plague  and  lung  disease,  it  is  imported  into 
this  country,  spreading  by  contagion,  and  never  arising  spon- 
taneously ;  but,  unlike  them,  it  is  communicable  to  man  and 
other  animals.  Horses  and  sheep  have  been  attacked  from 
eating  food  contaminated  by  an  affected  cow,  and  pigs  and 
children  have  frequently  suffered  by  the  milk. 

Although  murrain  is  not  now  very  fatal,  it  entails  serious 
expense  from  loss  of  weight  and  condition,  and,  among  dairy 
stock,  of  milk.  The  symptoms  are,  first,  loss  of  appetite  and 
general  febrile  symptoms  ;  if  at  grass,  separation  from  the  rest 
of  the  herd.  A  closer  examination  shows  an  eruption  of  little 
bladders  or  vesicles  on  the  lining  membrane  of  the  mouth,  on 
the  udder,  and  between  the  digits.  The  eruption  on  the  mouth 
produces  a  profuse  discharge  of  frothy  saliva,  and  interferes 
with  mastication,  in  some  cases  altogether  arresting  it.  Should 
the  eruption  spread  backward  to  the  pharynx  and  gullet, 
swallowing  is  interfered  with. 

While  the  eruptions  are  forming,  the  animal  champs  his 
jaws,  and  dribbles  ropy  saliva  until  after  the  vesicles  break, 
which  occurs  in  twenty-four  hours  or  less  after  their  forma- 
tion. These  leave  ragged  places,  technically  known  as  ulcers 
{see  Ulcers,  p.  272),  which  sometimes  coalesce,  and  cause 
much  pain  and  trouble,  entailing  loss  of  condition  to  the 
subject,  if  nothing  worse. 

Pigs  suffer  terribly,  casting  their  hoofs,  &c. 

The  first  symptoms  show  themselves  between  hair  and 
hoof,  which  part  is  called  the  coronet,  as  we  elsewhere 
point  out  in  connection  with  the  horse's  foot  {sec  Quittor), 
and  in  cattle  or  sheep  the  greatest  amount  of  swelling 
and  soreness  is  found  between  the  digits,  or  claws  as 
they  are   in   some  i)laccs  called.    Great  lameness  and  early 


DISEASES   OF  CATTLE  1S7 

rupture  of  the  vesicles  formed  upon  the  coronets  are  a  necessity 
of  the  situation  ;  sloughing  of  the  hoofs  and  death  \vas  by  no 
means  rare  at  one  time  ;  but  this  disease,  like  many  others, 
has  undergone  modifications,  and  the  few  outbreaks  that 
occur  give  very  little  anxiety  except  on  the  score  of  infection. 
No  doubt  much  advance  has  been  made  in  the  treatment,  but 
those  who  live  long  enough  will  see  it  return  in  a  virulent 
form,  just  as  influenza  and  other  diseases  recur  in  man  and 
animals.  AVe  may  hunt  for,  and  perhaps  find,  a  specific 
bacillus  or  microbe  after  thousands  of  deaths  have  occurred, 
but  human  foresight  has  not  hitherto  been  sufficient  to  pre- 
vent contagious  and  infectious  maladies  from  sweeping  across 
Europe,  decimating  flocks  and  herds  as  well  as  men.  The 
difference  between  modern  and  ancient  outbreaks  seems  to 
be  that  the  facilities  for  rapid  locomotion  which  now  exist 
render  it  possible  to  spread  a  plague  across  Europe  and 
America  in  the  time  formerly  requisite  to  infect  half-a-dozen 
counties.  The  doubtful  gain  as  regards  live-stock  is  the 
tendency  to  equalisation  of  values. 

The  eruption  on  the  udder,  if  mild,  merely  renders  milking 
difficult  and  painful,  but  it  may  be  so  severe  as  to  cause  in- 
flammation of  the  gland.  The  eruption  between  the  digits, 
when  severe,  is  perhaps  the  worst  symptom  in  the  disease ; 
vesicles  become  pustules,  and  suppuration  round  the  coronet 
ensues,  even  to  the  extent  of  detaching  the  hoof  The  pain 
of  this  complication  aggravates  the  fever,  and  sometimes  leads 
to  a  fatal  termination ;  but  this  virulent  form  of  the  disease  is 
uncommon. 

So  mild  have  been  the  last  few  outbreaks  that  no  treatment 
was  necessary  ;  where  it  is  required,  we  advise  salicylate  of 
sodium  as  an  internal  remedy,  in  doses  of  from  5ss.  for  a 
lamb  to  3J.  for  a  full-sized  beast.     A  lotion  of  alumen  exsic.^ 

'  Alum,  exsic,  whether  as  a  dry  powder  or  in  solution,  is  much  more 
of  a  caustic,  having  the  effect  of  drying  raw  surfaces  and  hardening  shoulder 
galls  and  other  skin  abrasions.  But  why  ?  What  is  the  chemical  difference  ? 
If  alum,  exsic.  is  only  deprived  of  the  water  of  crystallisation,  why  should 
it  not  be  the  same  thing  when  redissolved  ?  That  its  effects  are  quite 
different  every  one  will  agree  who  has  had  any  experience  of  its  use. 


I88  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

5j.  to  §x.  to  be  used  for  the  feet  or  as  a  mouth- wash,  dis- 
guised or  coloured  as  the  dispenser  may  think  fit. 

The  fever  and  local  symptoms  are  both  due  to  a  blood 
poison.  An  aperient  is  generally  advisable  ;  for  an  adult 
animal  a  suitable  dose  is 

Magnes.  Sulph.  ....     gxvj. 

Sulph.  Sub gij. 

Zingib.  Pulv §j. 

Remember  that  in  ruminants  a  considerable  quantity  of 
fluid  is  expedient  with  a  purgative ;  the  above  should  be  given 
in  about  four  quarts  of  thin  gruel.  The  feet  should  be  washed 
clean,  and  then  dressed  with  a  mild  solution  of  zinci  sulph. 

In  summer  we  have  seen  neglected  cases  where  the  feet 
have  been  fly-blown  and  full  of  maggots,  which  have  had  to 
be  dislodged  by  syringing  with  a  carbolic  lotion.  The  following 
is  a  proper  formula  : — 

Acidi  Carbolici     .  .  .  .  •     5J' 

Glycerini      ......     §j. 

AquK  ad       .....  .      gx. 

The  eruption  on  the  teats  requires  little  to  be  done;  milking 
must  be  gentle,  and,  if  found  to  produce  much  pain,  performed 
by  inserting  teat  syphons.  Some  cases  may  require  tonics 
after,  and  none  can  be  better  than  gentian.  5ij.,  ferri  sulph. 
5ij.,  given  in  a  pint  of  linseed  tea  once  a  day.  Hard  food, 
as  turnips,  may  be  boiled,  and  bran-mashes,  &c.,  given,  till  the 
mouth  resumes  its  normal  condition. 

Pleuro-pneumonia  has  caused  as  much  stumbling  in 
the  veterinary  profession  as  the  term  has  done  among  laymen. 
It  is  a  specific  contagious  disease,  and  when  proved  to  exist  no 
treatment  can  be  adopted,  since  the  law  demands  slaughter  of 
the  animal  affected  as  well  as  of  those  in  immediate  contact 
with  it.  Among  the  older  veterinarians  are  to  be  found  men 
who  believe  in  its  successful  treatment,  and  there  can  be  no 
question  as  to  the  recovery  of  some  few  of  the  subjects  before 
the  present  stringent  laws  were  put  in  force.  The  battle  still 
rages    among    veterinary   authorities   as   to   tlie   necessity   of 


bjS EASES  OF  CATTI.k  \^ 

slaughter  or  the  desirabihty  of  inoculation.  Mr.  Rutherford  is 
a  v;arm  advocate  of  inoculation,  and  claims  to  have  saved  a 
large  number  of  animals  ;  while  Sir  George  Brown,  late  of  the 
^'eterinary  Department  of  the  Privy  Council,  advocates  the 
'  stamping-out  system  '  under  the  compulsory  slaughter  order. 

To  diagnose  this  disease  is  not  such  an  easy  matter,  as 
pleuro-pneumonia  of  the  sporadic  or,  if  we  may  use  the  term, 
accidental  variety  occurs  from  time  to  time  among  cattle,  and 
is  no  more  infectious  or  contagious  than  an  ordinary  cold  or 
the  inflammation  that  follows  exposure  and  hardship. 

The  loss  to  the  country  from  this  disease  is  beyond 
calculation,  and  under  the  new  Act  it  has  practically  been 
got  rid  of,  so  far  as  this  country  is  concerned.  No  doubt  in 
these  islands  we  should  have  been  clear  of  it  long  ago  but  for 
the  fact  that  the  unfortunate  owners  keep  back  the  necessary 
information  which  would  enable  the  authorities  to  act  promptly. 
The  greater  liberality  on  the  part  of  local  authorities  in  matters 
of  compensation  now  empowered  will  probably  induce  more 
immediate  action  in  future  outbreaks. 

Pleuro-pneumonia  Contagiosa  is,  as  the  term  implies, 
inflammation  of  the  pleurae  and  lung  substance,  and  is  both 
infectious  and  contagious.  It  is  characterised  by  increase  of 
temperature,  cough,  staring  coat,  depression,  capricious  appetite, 
and  segregation  from  the  herd  where  animals  are  at  pasture. 
Its  progress  is  uncertain  — in  some  rapid,  in  others  gradually  in- 
vading the  lung  substance,  giving  it  a  mottled  or  marbled 
appearance  when  examined  post  mortem.  Its  importance  as 
affecting  the  health  and  wealth  of  the  nation  can  hardly  be 
over-estimated.  Royal  Commissions  have  been  instituted  in 
nearly  all  the  countries  of  Europe.  The  real  bone  of  contention 
among  scientists  is  whether  inoculation  does  or  does  not  produce 
pleuro-pneumonia  or  any  of  its  symptoms.  Practitioners  of 
undoubted  merit  and  painstaking  investigators  and  statisticians 
are  confident  of  the  immunity  given  by  inoculation,  and  while 
unable  to  give  a  satisfactory  reason  for  the  faith  that  is  in  them, 
they  point  to  what  they  believe  to  be  results  while  pure 
scientists  ask  for  a  sign.     The  controversy  has  been  raging  for 


190  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

a  long  time,  and  local  bodies  are  swayed  first  one  way  and  then 
another  by  the  conflicting  evidence  of  experts.  We  quote  from 
two  or  three  authorities.  Professor  Williams,  Principal  of  the 
New  Veterinary  College,  Edinburgh,  says  : — 

The  cause  of  pleuro-pneumonia,  in  this  country  at  least,  is  undoubtedly 
contagion  and  infection,  and  these  only.  My  experience  of  the  disease 
enables  me  to  state  that  no  mismanagement  with  regard  to  feeding,  housing, 
or  the  general  treatment  of  stock  will  induce  an  outbreak  of  pleuro- 
pneumonia contagiosa.  ...  I  do  not  say  with  some  writers  that  it  nowhere 
originates  spontaneously,  but  I  do  say  that  it  never  originates  spontaneously 
in  this  country.  That  pleuro-pneumonia  is  both  contagious  and  infectious 
has  been  proved  by  direct  experiments  performed  in  France,  reported  by 
Professor  Bouley. 

The  conclusions  drawn  by  the  French  Commissioners,  as 
the  result  of  exhaustive  experiments,  are  that — 

Pleuro-pneumonia  is  susceptible  of  transmission  from  sick  to  healthy 
animals  by  cohabitation.  Twenty  per  cent,  of  the  animals  manifest  a 
resistance  to  the  contagion.  Eighty  per  cent,  manifest  various  effects  of 
the  contagious  influence.  Fifty  per  cent,  are  seized  with  decided 
S}'mptoms  of  pleuro-pneumonia,  and  of  these  fifteen  per  cent,  succumb, 
and  thirty-five  per  cent,  recover.  Immediate  contact  is  not  necessary  for 
the  transmission  of  the  disease,  and  the  first  affected  were  among  the 
furthest  removed  from  the  disease. 

We  believe  that  colonial  ranchers  were  the  first  to  inoculate 
with  success,  while  the  wise  men  of  Europe  were  wrangling 
over  minor  points.  It  will  be  ultimately  admitted  that  inocu- 
lation, like  vaccination,  is  an  accidental  discovery,  the  credit  of 
which  may  not  justly  be  claimed  by  the  leaders  of  pathological 
investigation.     Professor  Gerald  Yeo  has  said  : — 

Care  must  be  taken  not  to  put  aside  too  lightly  long-established  vulgar 
belief,  simply  on  the  score  that  it  is  not  founded  on  a  scientific  basis  or  by 
scientific  observers.  We  must  remember  that  vaccination,  which  certainly 
was  useful  when  small-pox  was  rife,  originated  from  common  hearsay  and 
vulgar  belief,  and  now  is  only  supported  by  a  few  general  principles 
which  remain  in  the  categorj'  of  pure  empiricism.  The  pathologist  finds 
it  quite  impossible  to  transmit  the  disease  (pleuro-pneumonia)  artificially 
by  mediate  communication,  and  the  practitioner  finds  it  impossible  to 
control    its   ra])id    spread   through  a  herd   when  introduced   by  a  single 


i)/s£a.s£s  of  cattle  t9t 

diseased  animal.  In  this  respect  it  seems  to  stand  alone  among  the  diseases 
of  the  lower  animals. 

In  1885  Dr.  Salmon  reported  to  the  American  Government  that 
inoculation  did  not  lessen  the  losses,  and  was  unable  to  stamp  out  the 
disease,  and  he  suggested  that  it  should  be  prohibited  by  law. 

The  recent  Departmental  Committee,  after  hearing  all  the  evidence  on 
the  subject,  report  against  the  efficacy  of  preventive  inoculation,  but  they 
say  :  'We  cannot  deny  that  inoculation  in  itself  is  valuable  as  a  palliative 
and  preventive  method  of  treatment.' 

Rather  a  contradiction  of  terms  to  the  unofificial  mind,  and 
suggestive  of  the  hectored  candidate  who  wishes  to  agree  with 
the  orthodox  and  compound  with  heterodox. 

In  Holland  inoculation  is  said  to  have  entirely  succeeded  ; 
for  whilst  in  1S71,  before  inoculation  was  made  compulsory,  no 
fewer  than  6,000  animals  were  slaughtered,  only  one  was  killed 
in  1886,  and  again  one  only  in  18S7.  The  act  of  slaughtering 
both  diseased  and  in-contact  animals  has  stamped  the  disease 
out  of  this  country. 

Lice. — At  the  end  of  the  winter,  colts,  calves,  and  older 
stock  are  very  apt  to  be  crowded  with  these  objectionable 
parasites  ;  they  thrive  best  upon  poor  animals,  finding  a  suit- 
able home  in  the  dirty  matted  hair  in  the  late  winter  or  early 
spring  months,  and  on  a  sunny  day  may  be  seen  literally  in 
millions,  every  hair  having  nits  upon  it.  One  reason  of  so 
much  rubbish  accompanying  them  is  that  in  the  course  of  their 
development  from  the  egg  to  the  mature  louse  the  skin  is  cast 
several  times. 

To  get  rid  of  them  is  not  always  easy,  as  the  length  of 
coat  and  accumulation  of  dandruff  or  scurf  makes  a  waterproof 
covering  which  resists  many  certain  destroyers  if  only  brought 
into  contact  with  the  parasites. 

A  sunny  day  should  be  chosen,  and  the  early  part  of  it, 
when  a  bountiful  washing  with  soft  soap  and  hot  water  should 
be  undertaken,  so  as  to  clear  the  skin  of  grease  and  dirt  before 
applying  the  remedy.  Stavesacre  is  an  effectual  destroyer  of 
lice  if  prepared  by  boiling  \  lb.  with  a  gallon  of  water  and  brush- 
ing well  into  the  coat  with  a  hard  brush. 


igi  VETElilNARV  COUl^fER  PRACTICE 

Tobacco  juice  is  also  much  in  request  for  the  purpose,  and 
can  be  procured  wholesale  at  a  very  low  rate,  as  it  is  imported 
with  only  a  nominal  duty,  and  the  old  expensive  plan  of 
boiling  or  infusing  good  shag  tobacco  is  not  necessary.  By  the 
way,  very  few  people  avail  themselves  of  the  governmental  pri- 
vilege of  growing  sufficient  tobacco  for  this  and  fumigating 
purposes,  though  they  might  easily  do  so. 

Paraffin  is  sometimes  used,  but  is  a  very  dangerous  remedy, 
being  occasionally  absorbed  and  causing  the  death  of  the 
animal,  and  not  unfrequently  causing  a  blister,  and  much  un- 
necessary pain,  and  subsequent  blemish. 

There  is  another  kind  of  louse  from  which  horses  suffer, 
which,  if  once  seen,  can  never  be  forgotten— we  refer  to  poultry 
lousiness.  It  will  sometimes  happen  that  a  horse  stabled  with 
fowls  will  become  affected  and  literally  tear  himself  to  pieces 
with  them  unless  promptly  treated  with  one  of  the  foregoing 
remedies,  either  of  which  is  as  effectual  against  these  as  against 
the  ordinary  louse. 

It  is  always  well  to  repeat  the  dressing  and  keep  the  animals 
moving  about  till  dry,  or  they  may  lick  off  more  lotion  than  is 
good  for  them,  or  stand  about  and  get  chilled. 

Some  farmers  get  rid  of  lice  among  horned  stock  by  com- 
pletely covering  them  with  linseed  oil.  This  is  really  a  very 
scientific  way  of  slaughtering  the  parasites,  as  it  will  be  remem- 
bered that  their  breathing  apparatus  is  placed  alongside  the 
abdomen,  and  oily  matter  blocking  up  the  respiratory  apparatus 
causes  their  death.  It  certainly  takes  a  good  deal  of  oil  to  soak  a 
beast  all  over,  but  it  is  not  all  lost,  as  he  licks  himself  and  his 
companions,  and  there  is  nothing  more  fattening  and  improving 
to  condition.  Many  stock-owners  give  ol.  lini  regularly  mixed 
with  chaff  and  other  food  stuffs. 

A  good  application,  which  a  druggist  might  prepare,  is  liq. 
phenol,  or  Jeyes's  Fluid,  diluted  to  i  in  40,  adding  succus 
tabaci  gij.  to  i  gallon,  or 

Liq.  Phenol jiv. 

Inf.  Quassine  ad    .         .         .         .         .     Cj. 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  I93 

This  should  be  sent  out  with  directions  to  dissolve  4  oz. 
of  soft  soap  in  a  gallon  of  hot  water,  when  the  whole  should  be 
added  to  the  lotion  and  applied  warm.  If  discredit  is  not  to 
be  brought  on  the  medicament,  instructions  should  be  given  to 
begin  by  dressing  the  face,  ears,  poll,  mane,  and  tail,  doing  the 
body  afterwards.  To  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  is  most 
important,  and  this  is  just  one  of  those  little  things  that  trip 
up  the  counter  prescriber.  He  knows  what  will  kill  the 
vermin,  and  how  to  prepare  it,  but  if  he  has  never  had  any 
occasion  to  aj>ply  it,  he  will  not  think  how  easy  it  is  for  a  few 
married  couples  to  escape  into  the  ears  and  round  the  eyes  and 
nostrils,  coming  forth,  like  Noah's  company  after  the  flood,  to 
increase  and  multiply. 

The  dressing  should  be  applied  twice  or  three  times  at 
intervals  of  four  or  five  days,  and  in  addition  some  tonic  such 
as  the  following  may  be  given  to  improve  the  animal's  general 
condition  : — 

Ferri  Sulph.  .....  51]. 

Pulv.  Gentianre    .....  5iv. 

Pulv.  Anisi  .....  5iv. 

M.  ft.  pulv. 

One  to  be  given  night  and  morning  in  a  quart  of  gruel. 

Ringworm. — Young  stock  are  much  disfigured  at  the 
end  of  the  winter  by  white  patches  of  ringworm,  and  an 
effectual  ointment  finds  a  good  sale  in  country  districts.  The 
following  has  been  in  use  in  one  district  for  200  years,  and  is 

leliable  : — 

Adipis       ...  .        .  Ibj. 

01.  Tereb,  .         .  .         .  giv. 

Acid.  Sulph ^. 

Sulph.  Nig Siv. 

A  Hertfordshire  remedy  which  is  said  to  require  only  one 
application  is 

Pot.  Bichrom.    .         .         »         •         •     ^j- 

Aq :  .      l^•\^ 

M.  ft.  lotio. 


1^4  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Inflammation  of  the  Brain  is  occasionally  met  with  as 
a  result  of  blows  or  other  external  injuries,  and  may  in  some 
rare  cases  arree  from  tuberculous  habit.  Cerebro-spinal  menin- 
gitis is  the  fofm  taken.  If  the  condition  is  correctly  diagnosed, 
early  bleeding  from  the  jugular  vein  is  recommended,  two  or 
three  quarts  being  a  perfectly  safe  quantity  to  take  from  a  coav. 
At  the  same  time  a  full  aperient  dose  should  be  given,  such  as 

Aloes  Soc.  ......     5J. 

Mag.  Sulph.         .....     gxij. 

Pulv.  Zingib 5J-      ^I- 

I* 

■  Ice  applied  to  the  head  by  bandages  of  flannel  attached  to 

the  horns,  or  to  a  head-stall  if  a  polled  beast.  A  low  diet 
should  be  observed  and  gentle  exercise  as  soon  as  practicable. 
If  the  condition  arises  from  compression,  and  bleeding  does  not 
allay  the  delirium,  it  will  be  better  to  call  in  the  butcher  and 
not  give  medicine  at  all. 

Inflammation  of  the  Kidneys.  Symptoms. — Loss  of 
appetite,  quick  full  pulse,  very  scanty  urine,  back  arched,  hind 
legs  brought  forward  under  the  belly,  pain  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  kidneys,   suppression  of  milk. 

Treatment  consists  in  the  administration  of  demulcent  fluids, 
as  linseed  tea,  injection  of  warm  water  into  the  rectum  at  fre- 
quent intervals,  a  bran  poultice  over  the  loins,  and 

Tinct.  EelladonncE      ....  5ij. 

Tinct.  Chloroformi  et  Morphine  Co.    .  5j. 

AqucE  ad     .          .          .          .          .          .  ^x, 

M.  ft.  haust.     Quartis  horis. 

Cold. — The  animal  eats  little,  and  the  ears  and  legs  are 
cold  ;  is  hide-bound  and  coat  staring,  soon  followed  by  tears 
and  mucous  discharge  from  the  nose.  If  the  animal  is  be- 
numbed, standing  with  its  legs  close  together,  give 

Tr.  ArniccE.         .....  ^ij. 

.Sp.  Camphora;    .         .         .         .         .  jvj. 

Pulv.  Capsici       .         .         .         .         •  SJ. 

\\\\\\  a  pint  or  n.orc  of  hot  Ijccr. 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  I9S 

Cover  the  patient  warmly  for  three  hours,  then  rjb  down  the 
whole  body  with  a  wisp  of  straw.  Next  day  give  a  similar 
dose,  and  repeat  the  treatment  on  the  third  day.  If  purging 
ensues,  discontinue  the  drink  and  give  ^  oz.  of  nitre  dissolved 
in  water.  A  little  meal  and  honey  may  be  mixed  with  the 
drink. 

This  is  a  suitable  mixture  for  a  cold  : — 

Liq.  Amnion.  Acet.  Cone.  .         .         .     giv. 

Sp.  /Eth.  Nit =iv. 

Tinct.  Camph.  Co.      ....     giv. 

Aq.  ad gxl. 

M.  ft.  mist.     Quartam  partem  nocte  maneque. 

Cough  results  from  cold,  from  dusty  hay,  or  from  so  many 
.  causes  that,  without  some  history  of  the  particular  case  under 
consideration,  it  is  difficult  to  know  what  to  prescribe  ;  more- 
over, in  dairy  cows  coughs  are  quite  common  and  do  not  affect 
the  health  or  milk-giving  qualities  of  the  cows.  Of  late,  how- 
ever, a  great  deal  more  importance  has  been  attached  to  chronic 
cough  in  cows,  as  it  may  indicate  tuberculosis.  Good  clean 
food  must  be  chosen  and  sprinkled  with  salt  water.  If  cough 
is  evidently  accompanied  with  sore  throat  or  tenderness  on 
pressure  of  the  ribs,  and  there  is  reason  to  suppose  it  is  of 
recent  origin,  the  following  is  an  old  and  tried  friend  worth 
consideration  : — i  part  of  black  currant  jam  and  2  parts  of 
honey  in  18  parts  of  water,  and  give  i  pint  of  this  night  and 
morning.  Mustard  to  the  throat  and  sides  if  the  cow  turns 
with  a  groan,  or  a  good  smart  liniment,  such  as  lin.  alb.,  or 
lin.  camph.  co.  and  lin.  saponis,  p.  seq.  is  also  recommended. 
Mustard,  if  made  thin  and  well  rubbed  in,  answers  well  enough, 
but  if  a  bullock  has  a  thick  coat  the  liniment  will  find  its  way 
through  to  the  skin  more  readily  than  mustard  indifferently 
applied. 

Tuberculosis  is  a  cattle  disease  of  very  great  impor- 
tance, as  recent  bacteriological  researches  lead  to  the  sup- 
position that  it  is  communicable  to  human  beings,  and  although 
it   has   not  yet   been   absolutely  demonstrated   that   tubercle 


-196  VETERINARY  COUXTER  PRACTICE 

in  man  has  been  conveyed  by  tuberculous  milk,  there  are 
very  grave  reasons  for  suspecting  it.  Only  an  expert  veterinary 
surgeon  can  decide  if  an  animal  is  affected,  and  his  fee  for  an 
examination  of  suspects  is  money  well  spent,  as,  apart  from  the 
possible  danger  to  milk  consumers,  the  disease  is  hereditary,' 
and  cows  known  to  be  tuberculous  should  not  be  again  stocked, 
but  made  ready  for  the  butcher.  It  does  not  appear  that 
tuberculous  meat,  if  well  cooked,  has  any  deleterious  effect 
upon  consumers. 

Treatment  is  not  hopeful,  and  there  will  doubtless  com:  a 
time  when  slaughter  will  be  compulsory.  PaUiatives  in  the 
way  of  cordials  and  carminatives  seem  to  do  good  for  a  time, 
and  may  enable  a  farmer  to  put  flesh  on  an  animal  with 
localised  tubercle,  and  get  the  carcase  passed  as  fit  for  food, 
save  those  portions  from  which  tubercles  have  been  removed. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  the  top  note  has  been  reached  by  the 
alarmists,  who  have  failed  to  prove  the  communicability  of 
bovine  tubercle  to  man,  and,  at  the  time  of  revising  this  work, 
there  is  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  most  advanced  bacterio- 
logists to  climb  down  from  a  position  where  it  was  asserted 
that  nearly  all  cases  of  human  consumption  arose  from  tuber- 
culous milk  or  meat.  It  is  thought  that  tuberculosis  has 
greatly  increased  among  cattle,  but  the  statistics  of  human 
tuberculosis  have  meantime  shown  a  very  great  decline. 
Because  the  tubercle  bacillus  is  the  same  to  all  appearance  in 
all  animals,  including  man,  it  should  not  be  too  hastily  assumed 
that  it  is  transferable  from  the  bovine  to  the  biped.     Nothing 

'  The  new  school  of  pathologists  deny  the  hereditarj'  nature  of  tuber- 
culosis and  insist  on  its  infectiousness,  the  bacillus,  according  to  their 
views,  being  most  often  conveyed  aerially,  though  capable  of  transmission 
by  ingestion.  The  latter  method  is  thought  to  account  for  tabes  mesen- 
tcrica  and  tubercular  meningitis  in  infants.  The  apparent  heredity  that 
every  one  has  observed  in  families  of  human  as  well  as  bovine  animals  is 
accounted  for  by  an  increased  susceptibility  to  the  bacillus,  while  others 
are  nearly  or  quite  immune.  This  is  the  theory  of  the  great  men,  and 
it  will  last  until  another  supersedes  it.  Meantime  we  can  each  '  think 
what  we  like,'  as  the  defendant  lady  promised  the  Court  she  would  do, 
when  convicted  for  slander. 


DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  197 

short  of  experiment  upon  man  could  prove  it,  and  this  has  not 
been  done.  The  old  plan  of  inoculating  condemned  prisoners 
and  'giving  them  a  run  for  their  money'  has  been  condemned 
by  all  civilised  nations,  and  so  we  must  remain  without  accurate 
knowledge  on  this  most  important  subject. 

Tuberculin  Testing. — This  has  assumed  very  great 
importance,  as  now  being  almost  entirely  reliable.  It  is 
practised  by  the  injection  of  the  products  of  tubercle  bacilli 
into  the  blood  stream  of  living  suspects.  A  gradual  increase 
of  temperature,  with  a  more  or  less  characteristic  swelling  over 
the  region  punctured  by  the  subcutaneous  syringe,  takes  place 
in  those  cattle  affected  by  tuberculosis.  Thermometric  observa- 
tions are  made  every  three  hours  after  the  ninth,  and  if  the 
rise  is  continuous,  and  amounting  to  about  3*5  to  5  degrees,  it 
is  pretty  safe  to  assume  that  the  patient  is  tuberculous. 

The  operator  should  be  expert  in  temperatures  and  familiar 
with  cattle  in  health,  or  his  observations  are  liable  to  be 
vitiated  by  overlooking  such  factors  as  previous  excitement 
by  travel,  or  dogs,  or  parturition.  Animals  should  not  be 
tested  under  such  conditions,  and  it  is  one  of  the  grievances 
of  the  British  exporter  of  pedigree  stock,  that  these  valuable 
creatures  have  to  be  tested  immediately  on  their  arrival  at  a 
foreign  port,  when  excited  or  ill  with  a  sea  voyage. 

Milk — Blue. — This  is  indicated  by  blue  spots  in  the 
cream.  Give  a  generous  diet  and  add  a  dessert-spoonful  of 
powdered  caraway  in  water  daily  till  the  blueness  disappears. 
The  milk-pails  must  be  kept  very  clean  and  bright,  or  a  fungus 
will  appear  on  them. 

Milk — Bloody. — Bloody  milk  is  a  condition  often  ac- 
companying red-water  and  may  be  caused  either  by  conges- 
tion or  by  injury  to  the  blood-vessels  of  the  teats  through 
stretching  them  too  much  while  milking.  Keep  only  the  milk 
from  the  sound  teats,  and  let  the  milk  from  the  others  fall  to 
the  ground.  If  the  teats  swell,  milk  them  dry^  even  if  matter 
shouW  cgme  with  the  milk, 


igS  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Suppression  of  Milk  often  accompanies  indigestion. 
It  should  ensure  a  full  examination  and  investigation,  as  it  may 
arise  from  many  serious  as  well  as  temporary  and  trifling 
causes.  It  is  always  of  importance  from  a  money  point  of 
view,  and  a  falling  off  of  milk  which  lasts  more  than  a  few 
days  is  seldom  overtaken.  Cow-keepers  should  be  advised  to 
keep  the  cordial  drenches  recommended  on  pp.  163-4. 

Tapeworm. — The  animal  falls  away  in  condition,  the 
coat  is  rough  and  staring  ;  hide-bound  and  loss  of  flesh  also 
indicate  the  presence  of  tapeworm.  Take  valerian,  male-fern 
root,  worm  seed,  garlic,  of  each  2  oz.,  powder,  and  give  daily 
for  12  days  |  oz.  to  an  ox,  \  oz.  to  a  cow,  and  \  oz.  to  a  calf. 

Thrush  in  Calves  shows  itself  in  v.-hitish  sores  on  the 
tongue  or  gums  of  sucking  calves,  and  the  patient  refuses  to 
suckle.  Take  \  pint  of  vinegar,  a  spoonful  of  honey,  and  a 
little  alum  ;  mix  them  together,  and  wash  out  the  mouth  with 
this  thrice  daily.  For  internal  medicine,  take  \  drachm  of 
rhubarb,  i  drachm  of  magnesia  ;  give  this  in  water  twice  daily, 
and  continue  the  mouth-wash.  This  is  an  aphthous  disease 
similar  to  the  thrush  of  infants,  and  may  be  treated  with  mel 
boracis  or  a  lotion  of  boracic  acid  and  glycerine. 


159 


DISEASES   OF  SHEEP 

Sheep  may  be  treated  like  cattle,  reducing  the  dose  to  one- 
fourth. 

Red  eyeHds  are  ahvays  a  sign  of  health  ;  when  they  are 
white  or  blackish,  the  animal  is  ill. 

The  specific  diseases  of  sheep  are  comparatively  few,  but 
they  are  peculiarly  subject  to  contagious  disorders  which,  owing 
to  their  gregarious  instincts,  are  very  difficult  to  check  or  cure. 
Moreover,  where  the  flocks  are  at  all  extensive,  it  is  almost  out 
of  the  question  to  expect  that  attention  to  be  given  to  each  indi- 
vidual which  is  devoted  to  horses  and  cattle.  The  shepherd 
naturally  tries  to  cure  a  flock  by  some  general  treatment,  of 
salt,  or  ferri  sulph.  in  the  food,  dipping  or  smearing  for  scab  or 
ticks,  lime  for  the  feet,  &c. 

Blood  Diseases. — Sheep  are  liable  to  two  contrary  blood 
dangers,  partly  due  to  constitutional  tendency,  and  partly  the 
effect  of  unsuitable  diet.  In  fattening  sheep  there  is  a  risk  of 
'plethora,'  from  which  condition  apoplexy,  anthrax,  and  liver 
diseases  may  ensue,  while  pasture  on  bleak  lands,  food  soaked 
in  moisture,  excessive  suckling  of  ewes,  and  shearing  are  all 
circumstances  which  are  likely  to  bring  about  an  anaemic  and 
sometimes  a  dropsical  condition.  Plethora  is  manifested  by 
symptoms  simulating  apoplexy.  The  animal  separates  itself 
from  the  herd,  looks  dazed  and  giddy. 

The  symptoms  of  anaemia  are  debility,  coldness,  and  pallor 
of  the  visible  membranes,  and  sometimes  a  dropsical  condition 
under  the  jaw,  described  by  shepherds  as  'poke 'or  'chocker.' 
A  variation  of  diet  in  each  case  is  obviously  the  most  essential 
form  of  treatment.  Plethoric  sheep  should  have  salt  taken  from 


203  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

them  and  Glauber's  salts  mixed  in  their  food  instead.  Anaemic 
flocks  should  be  removed  to  low-lying,  well-protected  pastures  ; 
salt  should  be  given  and  ferri  sulph.,  and  the  food  should  be  as 
dry  as  possible. 

Anthrax  is  not  uncommonly  met  with  in  sheep,  and  is,  of 
course,  a  blood  disease  due  to  a  specific  bacillus.  It  has  been 
confused  with  apoplexy  and  is  sometimes  called  plethora,  or  a 
plethoric  condition  is  spoken  of  as  a  predisposing  cause. 
Anthrax  usually  affects  the  head  or  neck  and  fore-quarters  of 
sheep,  but  it  is  analogous  with  quarter-ill  in  cattle,  and  in  both 
cases  is  due  to  a  specific  bacillus.  Vast  numbers  of  sheep  are 
annually  inoculated  on  the  Continent  by  the  disciples  of 
Pasteur,  and  they  claim  to  have  saved  many  millions  of  sheep 
in  different  districts  of  Europe.  The  British  Islands  have  at 
no  time  been  so  subject  to  anthrax  as  France  and  the  southern 
half  of  Europe.  It  is  believed  by  our  most  advanced  veteri- 
narians that  the  bacillus  might  be  finally  destroyed  if  all 
affected  carcases  were  completely  incinerated.  Burial,  no 
matter  how  deep,  with  or  without  lime,  as  prescribed  by  law, 
fails  to  destroy  the  spores  which  are  conveyed  by  earth-worms 
to  great  distances  and  for  an  almost  unlimited  time. 

Grub  in  the  Head  (Bots).— In  May,  June,  and  July,  the 
sheep  is  subject  to  the  attack  of  a  sort  of  gadfly,  known  as  the 
sheep-bot  {CEstrus  oris).  The  fly  is  twice  the  size  of  the 
common  house-fly,  and  may  be  seen  on  walls  or  fences  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  flocks.  It  is  a  dull  brownish  fly,  with  large 
yellow  head,  two  greenish  eyes,  and  wings  almost  enveloping 
the  body.  The  female  instinctively  seeks  to  deposit  its  ova 
on  the  margin  of  the  nostril  of  the  sheep,  and  the  attack 
of  the  fly  for  that  purpose  causes  agitation  and  even  terror 
in  the  animal.  Flocks  will  pack  together,  all  with  their 
heads  down  towards  the  ground,  while  the  outer  ones  thrust 
their  heads  between  their  forelegs.  If  actually  attacked, 
they  throw  themselves  on  the  ground  or  run  from  the 
flock  at  a  gallop.  The  eggs  are  hatched  in  a  few  days, 
and  the  young  larvpe  crawl  into  the  nostrils  and  sinuses  by 


DISEASES  OF  SHEEP  201 

means  of  hooks,  irritating  the  membrane,  causing  a  glecty  flow 
of  bloody  mucus,  and  occasioning  a  peculiar  twisting  of  the 
head  as  if  in  pain,  and  often  an  unaccountable  loss  of  con- 
dition. Sneezing,  a  choking  sort  of  cough,  loss  of  appetite, 
diarrhoea,  and  sometimes  death,  are  consequences  of  the  attack 
of  this  parasite.  No  treatment  has  been  found  more  effectual 
than  holding  the  sheep's  nose  over  a  vessel  containing  a  mix- 
ture of  tar  and  sulphur,  burning,  so  that  the  fumes  shall  be  in- 
haled. The  attack  of  the  fly  may  be  to  some  extent  prevented 
by  smearing  the  sheep's  nostrils  with  tar,  fish  oil,  or  other 
non-poisonous  fly  dressing. 

Husk. — A  worm  generally  described  as  Strongylusfilaria  is 
often  found  in  the  bronchial  tubes  of  lambs  and  sheep,  causing  a 
form  of  bronchitis,  similar  to  husk  or  hoose  in  calves  (see  p,  184), 
and  a  similar  or  the  same  worm  is  also  likely  to  infest  the  ali- 
mentary canal,  occasioning  diarrhoea  and  dysentery.  These 
parasites  may  encyst  themselves  in  the  lungs,  causing  a  false 
tuberculosis.  These  parasites  are  probably  taken  into  the 
stomach  from  pastures  where  they  have  been  left  by  previous 
generations.  How  they  find  their  way  to  the  lungs  has  been 
the  subject  of  much  learned  discussion.  The  parasite  often 
does  not  cause  much  inconvenience  to  the  adult  animal,  but 
in  lambs  it  may  occasion  a  most  irritating,  constant  coughing, 
an  asthmatic  kind  of  breathing,  pallor  of  the  tongue,  anaemia, 
wasting,  dysentery,  and  death.  Where  the  disease  has  broken 
out,  the  lambs  actually  affected  should  be  brought  into  sheds 
or  straw  yards,  and  those  not  yet  attacked  should  be  taken  to 
new  dry  pastures.  One  to  2  oz.  of  salt,  and  6  to  8  oz.  ot 
lime-water  may  be  given  to  each  lamb  daily.  The  following 
draught  rnay  be  administered  every  three  days  : — 

01.  Terebinth.       .....  5ij. 

01.  Lini gij. 

Tinct.  Asafetid.    .....  5J. 

01.  Caryoph gtt.  v. 

in  linseed  gruel  or  beer.  Fumigation  with  tar,  sulphur,  or 
tobacco  is  a  useful  adjunct,  and  the  daily  injection  of  about 


202  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

lo  minims  of  chloroform  into  the  trachea  is  often  of  great 
service. 

Husk  is  often  treated  by  veterinarians  of  the  modern  school 
by  intratracheal  injections  of  terebene  and  hyd.  bichlor.,  while 
mineral  tonics,  as  ferri  sulph.  in  5  or  lo  grain  doses  in  com- 
bination with  common  salt,  are  administered;  a  little  pulv.  foenug. 
and  gentian  make  the  medicament  more  palatable — an  impor- 
tant consideration  if  a  large  flock  is  to  be  treated  by  giving  it 
in  the  food  and  not  as  drenches. 

Thrush,  known  as  Aphtha  simplex  and  Stoinaiiiis,  is  a 
slight  ulcerous  eruption  on  the  tongue,  often  affecting  lambs,  and 
sometimes,  but  rarely,  attacking  sheep.  The  saliva,  which  is 
blood-stained,  trickles  from  the  mouth,  and  there  is  generally 
more  or  less  fever  and  loss  of  appetite.  Examination  of  the 
tongue  shows  crops  of  vesicles,  which  die  away  in  a  few  days. 
The  administration  of  Epsom  salts  and  afterwards  of  pot.  nit., 
by  admixture  with  the  food,  is  generally  all  that  is  necessary. 
There  is  another  disease,  called  Aphtha  malig?ia,  which  may 
at  first  be  confounded  with  this,  but  which  is  much  more  serious. 
In  this  the  eruption  occurs  on  the  lips,  nostrils,  and  on  the 
membrane  opposite  the  gums.  It  is  derived  from  a  scabby 
sore  which  has  broken  out  on  the  udders  of  the  ewe,  and  is 
accompanied  with  fever  in  both  the  adult  and  the  young  animal. 
The  same  treatment  as  already  indicated  for  thrush  may  be 
adopted,  but  the  lambs  must  be  taken  from  the  dams  and  fed 
artificially.  Lime-water  may  be  given  if  diarrhoea  be  present. 
The  sores  on  the  ewes  should  be  touched  with  nitrate  of  silver 
and  then  treated  with  a  solution  of  alum. 

Lambing. — The  same  bad  results  of  parturition  attend 
the  flockmaster  as  the  dairyman,  and  two  or  three  per  cent,  of 
deaths  among  ewes  is  looked  for  at  lambing  time,  even  among 
the  most  experienced  shepherds.  Many  chemists  have  found 
shepherds  among  the  most  painfully  cunning  of  their  customers, 
not  excepting  carters  and  grooms ;  but  shepherds  as  accoucheurs 
deserve  much  praise,  and  many  of  them,  when  not  possessing 
loo  large  a  hand,  can  deliver  a  ewe  of  twins  far  better  than  a 


DISEASES  OF  SHEEP 


203 


fledgling  from  the  R.C.V.S.,  '  bearing  his  blushing  honours 
thick  upon  him.'  It  is,  as  a  rule,  only  when  a  number  of 
deaths  follow  rapidly  that  the  shepherd  seeks  assistance  from 
the  veterinary  practitioner. 

In  ewes,  as  in  cows,  the  v/omb  sometimes  comes  out,  and 
has  to  be  replaced  and  retained  by  stitches  or  an  instrument. 
When  accomplished,  the  animal  should  be  kept  short  of  bulky 
food,  and  the  bowels  kept  soft  by  oleaginous  aperients  and 
bran  slops. 

Ewes  will  often  lamb  well,  and  their  progeny  will  frolic  about, 
in  dry  hard  frost,  and  no  casualties  occur  from  castrating  at  two 
and  three  weeks  old  \  but  in  wet  cold  weather  it  is  generally 
better  to  postpone  castration,  even  if  the  lambs  are  rather 
bigger  than  they  should  be.  For  straining  in  ewes  it  has  been 
the  custom  for  generations  to  supply  oleum  viride,  but  a  great 
improvement  on  this  is  i  drachm  of  carbolic  acid  to  6  oz.  of 
oil,  whether  '  viride '  or  '  rubrum.'  An  oil  coloured  with  alkanet, 
and  made  odorous  with  a  few 
drops  of  origanum,  may  be 
made  a  profitable,  and,  what 
is  more,  a  most  effectual  pro- 
prietary article,  as  the  antisep- 
tic properties  of  carbolic  acid 
are  in  this  form  best  obtained, 
and  a  much  larger  percentage 
of  ewes  are  saved  where  it  is 
used. 

Scab  in  Sheep. — This 
disease,  whxh  is  of  a  con- 
tagious nature,  is  due  to  the 
presence  of  minute  insects 
called    '  acari.'       The    cure, 

therefore,  depends  upon  kill-  The  Sheep-scab  (^ran..). 

ing  these  parasites. 

An  acarus  is  about  the  size  of  a  pin-point,  and  when 
examined  under  the  microscope  is  found  to  have  an  oval- 


204  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

shaped  body,  and  four  pairs  of  legs.  Its  presence  on  a 
sheep  is  proof  positive  of  the  existence  of  scab.  Detection  of 
the  parasites  is  arrived  at  by  gently  scraping  a  little  scurf  off 
an  affected  part,  and  examining  it  under  a  microscope  with  a 
half-inch  power. 

The  acari,  on  reaching  the  skin  of  a  sheep,  burrow  into  the 
skin,  and  there  burj'  themselves  for  a  time.  Here  the  females 
produce  their  eggs,  and  in  about  sixteen  days  reappear  with  their 
litters  of  about  a  dozen  young  ones.  These  young  ones  again 
burrow,  multiply,  and  reappear ;  so  that  in  a  short  time  an 
animal  becomes  infested  with  myriads. 

The  symptoms  of  scab  are  in  accordance  with  the  move- 
ments of  the  acari.  When  the  insects  enter  the  skin,  minute 
red  spots  are  left.  Shortly,  little  pimples  appear,  Avhich  change 
in  colour  and  size  till  a  pustule  is  formed,  and  this  bursts  at  the 
time  the  young  brood  is  ready  to  appear  on  the  surface.  Of 
course  intolerable  itching  accompanies  all  this,  and  the  rubbing 
and  scratching  of  the  animal  only  aggravates  the  pustules, 
destroys  the  wool,  and  makes  sores,  which,  drying,  form  the 
scabs  from  which  the  name  is  derived. 

It  is  important  to  remember  that  acari  may  exist  for  some 
weeks  on  loose  portions  of  wool,  or  on  hurdles  and  trees  against 
which  a  sheep  has  rubbed  itself,  and  may  then  induce  disease 
in  any  healthy  animal  coming  in  contact  with  them.  In 
treating  the  disease  it  is  not  only  necessary  to  kill  the  parasites 
on  the  sheep,  but  also  to  give  a  second  dressing  about  sixteen 
days  after  the  first,  for  the  benefit  of  those  which  were  beneath 
the  skin  on  the  first  occasion. 

Numerous  substances  are  capable  of  destroying  acari,  and 
some  of  them  may  also  destroy  the  sheep.  Mercurial  ointment 
is  used  very  largely  for  smearing  sheep,  and  washes  containing 
corrosive  sublimate  have  also  been  used.  Both  preparations 
arc  dangerous,  and  should  not  be  employed.  Arsenic  is  very 
largely  used  as  a  sheep  dip,  but  it,  too,  is  objectionable  as 
poisonous.  Not  that  there  is  any  chance  of  a  sheep  being 
poisoned  by  absorption  of  poison  through  the  skin.  It  is 
likely  that  no  substance  in  watery  solution  can  be  absorbed  by 


DISEASES  OF  SUEEP  fios 

.1  soUnd  skin.  Ointments,  however,  applied  by  rubbing,  as 
mercurial  ointment,  are  most  undoubtedly  dangerous.  The 
following  is  a  good  arsenical  bath  for  fifty  sheep  :  — 

Arsenic      .         .         .         .         .20  ounces. 
Soda  Ash,  50  per  cent.        .         .18       ,, 
Soft  Soap  .         .         .         .         .     60       ,, 

Add  to  this  five  gallons  of  hot  water,  and  then  forty-five  gallons 
of  cold.  In  this  dip,  the  proportions  are  such  as  to  leave  a 
small  excess  of  alkali.  Among  non-poisonous  dips,  sulphur  is 
undoubtedly  a  valuable  parasiticide,  and  may  be  used  simply 
as  an  ointment,  or  in  combination.  Tobacco  is  a  very 
efficacious  and  convenient  application.  It  must  not,  however, 
be  boiled,  as  the  heat  drives  off  valuable  volatile  principles.  It 
must  be  prepared  by  infusion.  The  following  form  will  not 
disappoint  : — 

Tobacco      ......     I  lb. 

Sulphur       .         .         ....         .1  lb. 

Size I  lb. 

Water         ......     5  gallons. 

The  sulphur,  of  course,  is  merely  suspended,  and  will  require 
frequent  stirring  when  in  use.  The  object  of  the  size  is  to 
make  the  dip  slightly  sticky,  and  thus  allow  the  fleece  the 
better  to  retain  some  of  the  sulphur. 

Prevention  should  be  carried  out  by  keeping  healthy  sheep 
away  from  diseased  ones,  and  from  all  places  on  which  acari 
may  be  left,  as  raihvay  trucks,  hurdles,  &c. 

Instead  of  treating  the  scab  by  one  application,  some 
authorities  advise  the  use  of  a  preliminary  dip  of  alkaline  water 
to  soften  the  scabs,  or  of  oil,  or  glycerine  well  rubbed  in  for  the 
same  purpose.  This  is  to  be  followed  in  two  or  three  days  by  a 
poisonous  dip.  Nearly  all  advise  that  the  scabs  be  rubbed  with 
a  stiff  brush  while  the  sheep  is  being  dipped. 

The  quantity  of  dip  required  for  each  sheep  is  variously 
estimated  at  from  one  quart  to  one  gallon.  For  small  numbers 
of  sheep,  say  50  to  100,  the  larger  amount  is  necessary  ;  while 
for  large  flocks,  one  quart  for  shorn,  or  two  quarts  for  unshorn 
sheep  may  be  allowed.     The  dip  should  be  kept  while  in  use  at 


2c6 


VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 


a  temperature  of  from  ioo°  to  iio°  F.  The  addition  of  tar  tO 
dips  serves  a  good  purpose,  as  it  is  not  only  healing,  but  drives 
away  flies. 

The  following  are  formulae  for  some  popular  dips  used  for 
scab  : — 

Texas  Tobacco  Dip. 

Tobacco 30  lbs. 

.Sulphur     ......  7  lbs. 

Concentrated  Lye       ....  3  lbs. 

Water        ......  100  gals. 

Steep  the  tobacco  in  three  successive  portions  of  water,  ex- 
pressing each  time  ;  then  add  the  other  ingredients  to  the 
liquor,  and  stir  well  while  in  use. 


Lazv's  Sheep-dip. 

Tobacco    .         .        .         .        .         .16  lbs. 

Oil  of  Tar 3  pts. 

Soda  Ash 20  lbs. 

Soft  Soap 4  lbs. 

Water 50  gals. 

Steep  the  tobacco  as  in  the  previous  formula,  and  add  the 
other  ingredients  to  the  liquor. 


Zundel's  Carbolic  Dip. 

Crude  Carbolic  Acid  , 

Caustic  Lime     . 

Totash 

Soft  Soap. 

Water 


Mix  and  boil. 


3  n>s. 

2  lbs. 

6  lbs. 

6  lbs. 

70  gals. 


Dr.  Kaisct's  Carbolic  Dip. 

Tobacco   .         .         ,         .         .         .  \l\  lbs. 

Soda S  ll)s. 

Freshly  slaked  Lime  .         ...     4  lbs. 

Soft  Soap 8  lbs. 

Crude  Carbolic  Acid  (50  per  cent.)      .     4  lbs. 

Water       ......  66  gals. 


DISEASES   OF  SHEEP  207 

Infuse  the  tobacco  in  the  water,  strain,  and  to  the  infusion 
add  the  remaining  ingredients. 

The  following  formulae  are  from  a  work  on  the  '  Animal 
Parasites  of  Sheep,'  by  Dr.  Cooper  Curtice,  issued  by  the  United 
States  Agricultural  Department. 

Carbolic  Acid  Dip. 

Soap I  lb. 

Crude  Carbolic  Acid  .  ,  .  .      i  pint. 

Water         ,         ,         ,         ,         .         .50  gals. 

Dissolve  the  soap  in  a  gallon  or  more  of  boiling  water,  add 
the  acid,  and  stir  thoroughly. 

Keep  the  mixture  well  thinned,  and  do  not  let  it  get  into 
the  mouth,  nostrils,  or  eyes  of  the  sheep.  Hold  each  sheep  in 
the  bath  not  less  than  half  a  minute. 

Kerosene  Emulsion  Dip. 

Fresh-skimmed  Milk  .         ,         .         .     i  gal. 
Kerosene .2  gals. 

Churn  together  till  emulsified,  or  mix  and  put  into  the  mix- 
ture a  force-pump,  and  direct  the  stream  from  the  pump  back 
into  the  mixture.  The  emulsification  will  take  place  more 
rapidly  if  the  milk  be  added  while  boiling  hot.  Use  i  gallon 
of  this  emulsion  to  each  10  gallons  of  water  required. 

Kerosene  Soap  Dip, 

Soap I  ib. 

"Water        ......      i  gal. 

Kerosene  ......     2  gals. 

Bring  the  water  to  a  boil  and  dissolve  the  soap  in  it ;  then 
add  the  kerosene,  and  churn  until  emulsified.  Use  i  gallon  of 
this  emulsion  to  8  of  water. 

The  above  are  rather  prophylactic  in  their  character,  and 
arc  used  generally  after  shearing. 


goS  VETERINARY  QOuNTER  PRACTICE 

Other  Parasites. — Besides  the  acari,  sheep  are  very 
Hable  to  the  attacks  of  so-called  ticks  {Melophagus  ovinus);  also 
known  as  keds  and  fags,,  sheep  lice  ( Trichodectes  sphcBrocephalus) 
and  '  the  fly  '  {Musca  vo?nitorid).  The  tick  is  a  dark  red  insect, 
with  a  white  belly,  with  six  clawed  legs,  and  is  sometimes 
nearly  as  large  as  a  bean.  Ticks  are  generally  found  on  the 
neck  and  shoulders  of  ewes  in  spring,  with  their  heads  partly 
buried  in  the  skin.  They  are  very  irritating,  and  if  they  pass, 
as  they  will,  to  the  lambs,  they  "often  catise  so  much  irritation 
as  to  seriously  check  their  growth.  If  they  are  found  on 
the  lambs  these  must  be  dipped  to  get  rid  of  them,  but  it  is 
better  to  remove  them  from  the  ewes,  either  by  dipping  before 
shearing  or  by  nipping  them  in  two  with  the  thumb  and  finger 
nails  one  by  one,  and  lightly  touching  the  skin  around  with  a 
little  mercurial  ointment  or  turpentine. 

Lice  more  often  infest  the  inner  part  of  the  thighs  and  arms 
and  the  sides  of  the  neck.  Sheep  will  be  noticed  to  bite  at  their 
flanks,  to  rub  themselves  and  break  the  wool,  and  to  scratch 
their  elbows  with  the  hind  feet.  ^Mercurial  ointment  is  fre- 
quently used  to  kill  the  lice,  and  it  does  so  effectually,  but  it  is 
dangerous  to  apply  it,  especially  in  cold  and  wet  weather. 
Tobacco-water  with  hellebore,  or  sulphurated  oil,  is  almost  if 
not  quite  as  effectual,  and  is  safer. 

Fly  or  Fly-Struck. — In  the  early  summer  the  '  fly '  is  a 
great  nuisance  to  sheep.  It  lays  its  eggs  on  the  wool,  and  as  the 
maggots  hatch  they  burrow  into  the  skin  of  the  animal  and  cause 
great  irritation  and  sore  places.  The  attacks  of  fly  can  be  pre- 
vented by  sprinkling  a  few  drops  of  fish-oil  on  the  sheep's  wool 
early  in  May,  and  fish-oil  applied  freely  after  the  animal  has 
been  attacked  will  get  rid  -of  the  pest,  but  will  also  reduce  the 
value  of  the  wool  by  jiving  it  an  unj^lcasant  smell  which  cannot 
afterwards  be  got  rid  of.  '  Shepherds  generally  apply  'stone 
mercury' (corrosive  sublimate)  to  the  place  where  the  fly  has 
struck,  and  this  is  effectual  but  dangerous.  Spirits  of  tar 
applied  freely,  and  cutting  away  the  wool  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  spots  attacked,  will  destroy  the  maggots  and  keep 


DISEASES  OF  SHEEP 


209 


away  the  fly. 
cation  : — 


The  following  is  a  common  but  dangerous  appli- 


Tobacco  Water 
Arsenic 
Soft  Soap  . 
Asafetida    . 
White  Lead 
Pearl  ash 
Sulphur 
Cinnabar     . 
Mix. 


10  gallons 

5U. 


The  following  is  a  good  powder  for  preventing  the  fly 
striking,  and  has  been  in  use  for  several  generations  where  fly 
is  troublesome  :  — 


Plumbi  Oxid.  Rub. 
Plumbi  Alb. 
Pulv.  Umber.  Ang. 
Flor,  Sulph. 
Pulv.  Hellebore 
01.  Animalis 
01.  Picis     . 
Misce. 

The  oils  are  rubbed  down  with  a  small  quantity  of  flor. 
sulph.  at  first  and  more  added  until  the  powder  in  bulk  is  not 
damp,  but  should  be  passed  through  a  sieve  before  sending 
out  in  I  lb.  packets  labelled  as  follows  : — 


tt)i|. 

lt)2. 

rb2. 
it)|. 

o'J- 


FLY    POWDER    FOR    SHEEP. 
POISON. 

Directions  foi-  Use. — It  should  be  applied  when  the  dew  is  on 
the  sheep,  or,  otherwise  moisten  the  fleece  with  a  garden  water-pot 
and  rose.  Part  the  wool  down  the  back  and  elsewhere  if  necessary 
and  apply  the  powder  by  means  of  a  flour  dredger.  The  hand 
should  be  held  over  the  sheep's  eyes  while  the  head  is  well  sprinkled, 
as  fly  will  strike  where  any  sores  are  caused  by  fighting. 

This  packet  is  enough  for  twenty  sheep. 


210  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Rot  in  Sheep  (Flukes). — To  the  non-agricultural  mind 
this  expression  is  not  in  the  least  explanatory,  and  the  amateur 
may  confuse  it  with  another  disease  affecting  the  feet.  Rot,  so 
called,  is  a  very  serious  disease,  arising  from  the  presence  of 
parasites  in  the  liver  of  the  sheep.  They  are  called  flukes,  and 
occupy  the  bile-ducts  to  such  an  extent  as  to  block  the  current 
of  bile  both  by  their  bodily  presence  and  their  excrementitious 
matter,  which  is  of  a  granular  nature,  especially  calculated  to 
fill  up  these  small  but  important  channels.  Small  numbers  of 
these  undesirable  guests  may  be  entertained  without  any  serious 
inconvenience  to  the  '  host,'  and  very  few  Welsh  sheep  are 
found  to  be  entirely  free  from  them  when  slaughtered. 

In  wet  seasons  and  upon  low  ground  (always  excepting  salt 
marshes)  rot  may  be  most  dreaded,  the  reason  being  that  flukes 
pass  through  several  stages  of  development  in  the  small  molluscs 
that  can  themselves  only  subsist  in  moist  places.  It  is  only  in 
exceptional  seasons  that  flukes  are  of  any  account  on  the  South 
Downs  or  the  chalk  hills  of  Surrey,  but  the  Fens  are  never 
free  from  them.  When  they  occupy  the  liver  in  large  numbers 
their  presence  interferes  with  the  portal  circulation,  and  dropsy 
is  the  result.  During  the  first  six  weeks  when  sheep  are 
attacked  with  fluke  or  the  rot,  the  animals  will  decidedly  improve 
in  flesh  by  the  stimulation  of  the  liver,  and  wise  flockmasters 
take  advantage  of  this  to  kill  them  before  the  muscular  fibres 
become  flabby,  or,  in  other  words,  the  flesh  becomes  unfit  for 
food.  If  allowed  to  go  on,  the  sheep  rapidly  loses  flesh,  be- 
comes '  razor-backed  '  and  '  pot-bellied,'  like  a  rabbit  fed  entirely 
on  "-reen-meat,  the  wool  comes  out  in  handfuls,  and  the  wretched 
creature  wastes  to  a  skeleton. 

To  kill  a  parasite  in  such  a  secure  retreat  is  obviously  ini- 
possii)lo,  as  he  cannot  be  got  at  through  the  stomach,  and  any 
remedy  intended  to  act  through  the  circulation  must  be  strong 
enough  to  kill  the  sheep.  In  making  this  remark  we  are 
aware  that  many  persons  with  more  zeal  than  anatomical 
knowledge  believe  they  can  kill  flukes  by  the  administration 
of  ol.  terebinth.,  sodii  chlorid.,  chickwccd  tea,  nettle  tea, 
and  other  remedies,  but  they  are  deceived  by  the  fact  that 


DISEASES  OF  SHEEP  211 

sheep  improve  in  the  early  stage  without  remedies  at  all, 
and  fatten  more  rapidly  if  given  cordials,  but  only  during  that 
period. 

There  is  good  reason  to  suppose  that  sheep  having  but  a 
few  flukes  practically  recover  when  turned  on  salt  marshes  : 
sufficiently,  that  is  to  say,  to  be  made  moderately  fat  and 
saleable  for  food,  but  the  '  cure '  is  not  lasting,  and  a  flock  of 
ewes  would  be  no  use  saved  for  another  year  when  once  really 
infected. 

Sheep-pox. — Sheep  are  subject  to  an  eruptive  disease 
having  just  the  same  characters  as  cow-pox,  and,  according  to 
Professor  Simonds  (formerly  Principal  of  the  Royal  Veterinary 
College),  not  communicable  to  the  cow  or  to  children.  There  is, 
too,  in  sheep  a  malignant  form  of  pox  in  which  vesicles  are  not 
produced,  the  victims  lose  their  wool  in  matted  lumps,  their  eyes 
undergo  rapid  changes  terminating  in  blindness,  their  nostrils 
are  stopped  up  with  a  horrible  matter,  and  their  skins  crack 
like  clay  in  a  hot  sun.  In  scientific  nomenclature  sheep-pcx 
is  divided  into 

(i)  A  malignant  or  confluent  form  ; 

(2)  A  benign  or  discrete  form. 

The  history  of  this  disease  is  a  little  obscure,  but  it  is 
thought  to  have  existed  in  England  many  centuries  ago,  and 
to  have  disappeared,  to  be  reintroduced  in  1847  by  some 
merino  sheep  brought  from  Denmark.  The  disease  was 
traced  to  Russia,  where  cattle  plague  and  pleuro-pneumonia  are 
commonly  believed  to  be  permanently  located.  Professor 
Simonds  was  sent  out  by  our  Government  to  investigate  this 
'  Eastern  question,'  and,  in  his  lectures  to  the  students  of  the 
R.  V.  C,  used  to  say  that  we  might  look  forward  with  reasonable 
certainty  to  cattle-plague  travelling  westwards  again,  whenever 
a  great  European  war  should  render  the  movement  of  great 
herds  necessary,  and  the  existing  strict  rules  on  the  western 
frontiers  become  relaxed.  The  same  remarks  doubtless  apply 
to  sheep-pox  if  it  be  true  that  it  has  a  permanent  home  in 
Southern  Russia. 

p  3 


212  VETERINAR\    COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Giddiness  is  rarely  curable,  and  as  the  flesh  is  harmless  it 
is  best  to  kill  the  animal  at  once. 

Garget. — Inflammation  of  the  udder  is  more  frequent 
with  the  ewe  than  with  the  cow.  When  it  is  so  painful  that 
the  mother  refuses  the  lamb,  the  udder  should  be  carefully 
fomented  with  warm  water,  and  the  following  ointment  may 
be  applied  : — 

Camphor.       .         .         .         .         .         •     3j. 

Ung.  Hydrarg.       .....     5j. 

Ung.  Viridis .         .         .         .         .         •     oJ* 

In  cases  where  the  udder  continues  to  swell,  incision  must  be 
had  recourse  to,  and  a  lotion  of  chloride  of  lime  (5ij.  to  f  vj.) 
applied.  When  the  putrid  smell  has  gone,  the  wound  may  be 
healed  with  tinct.  benzoin,  co.  Lin.  camph.  is  an  excellent 
application.     The  lamb  must  not  suck  an  udder  so  treated. 

Swollen  Udder. — Rub  together  the  white  of  an  egg, 
some  saff'ron,  and  olive  oil,  and  rub  the  udder  with  this  thrice 
daily.  Milk  the  animal  so  long  as  the  disease  lasts,  and  give 
internally  twice  daily,  to  remove  the  hardened  milk,  i  drachm 
of  a  mixture  of  potassium  sulphate  4  parts  and  nitre  i  part. 
Give  once  i  drachm  of  nitre  and  2  drachms  of  common 
salt  dissolved  in  water. 

Consumption  or  Tuberculosis  is  not  so  frequent  a 
disease  among  sheep  as  it  is  with  cattle.  The  greater  time 
spent  in  the  open  air  is  thought  to  account  for  the  comparative 
immunity  of  sheep,  but  there  is  probably  some  other  factor,  of 
which  we  are  not  yet  able  to  take  account. 

The  symptoms  resemble  those  of  rot — cough,  falling  of  the 
wool,  and  paleness,  swelling  of  the  eyes,  ^c.  Mix  juniper 
berries,  roasted  acorns,  and  gentian,  of  each  \  oz.,  add  \  oz. 
common  salt,  and  give  an  eighth  part  night  and  morning. 

Cough  results  from  cold.  Mix  powdered  fennel,  clecam- 
[ane,  and  flowers  of  sulphur,  of  each  2  oz.,  and  give  two  tea- 


DISEASES  OF  SHEEP  213 

spoonfuls  twice  daily  in  food.    If  the  cough  results  from  dusty 
food,  see  that  the  cause  is  removed. 

Diarrhoea  is  often  the  result  of  sour  pasture.  It  is  also 
parasitic.  IMix  \  oz.  juniper  berries  and  as  much  chalk,  and 
give  a  teaspoonful  several  times  a  day.  If  blood  is  present  in 
the  excreta  give  often  i  drachm  each  of  rhubarb  and  magnesia 
and  \  oz.  of  honey.  Some  practitioners  place  great  faith  in  5  j. 
doses  of  alum  combined  with  chalk  and  gentian.  For  sucking 
lambs  put  a  piece  of  chalk  in  the  stall  for  them  to  lick,  and 
give  in  ewe's  milk  i  drachm  of  magnesia  twice  daily.  For 
bad  cases  boil  i  oz.  gentian  root  in  i  pint  of  water,  strain, 
and  mix  with  the  decoction  i  drachm  of  opium.  Give  a 
teaspoonful  every  two  hours.     Calamus  root  does  good  service. 

Gid,  Sturdy,  Turnsick. — The  condition  known  under 
these  names  is  occasioned  by  a  species  of  hydatid  {Cccfiurus 
cerebralis).  This  is  the  median  stage  of  a  tapeworm  of  the 
dog  {Tcenia  Cccnunis),  which,  in  order  to  complete  its  develop- 
ment, uses  the  sheep  as  its  intermediary  host.  It  has  the 
appearance  of  a  small  bladder  filled  with  pellucid  water,  and 
establishes  itself  in  the  brain  or  between  its  two  hemispheres. 
As  it  grows  it  presses  on  the  brain  and  causes  the  sheep 
to  hold  its  head  always  on  one  side,  and  as  it  grazes  to 
always  rotate  towards  that  side.  The  brain  is  affected,  and 
the  animal  is  always  frightened  at  any  movement.  There  is  no 
effectual  remedy,  and  the  sheep  should  be  killed.  In  view  of 
the  danger  to  dogs,  the  excrements  of  the  diseased  sheep 
should  be  destroyed.  None  of  the  heads  of  sheep  containing 
the  cyst  should  be  given  to  the  dog. 

Hoven  in  sheep  is  of  similar  origin  to  the  same  disease 
in  cattle  and  may  be  treated  in  a  similar  manner,  but  with  pro- 
portionally reduced  doses. 

Red-water,  or  the  effusion  of  a  bloody  fluid  in  the 
abdominal  cavity  {sanguineous  ascites),  is  a  frequent  and  often 
fatal  disease  among  sheep.     It  is  generally  the  result  of  the 


214  X'ETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

removal  to  a  cold  damp  pasture,  and  happens  -when  hoar  frost 
occurs.  The  administration  of  sulphur  as  an  aperient  in  doses 
of  I  oz.  daily  (^  oz.  for  lambs),  salt  in  the  food,  and  a  com- 
plete change  of  diet  and  surroundings,  are  essentials  of  the 
treatment. 

Foot-rot  is  one  of  the  most  frequent  diseases  which  the 
druggist  has  to  treat.  It  may  be  occasioned  by  damp  and 
dirty  pastures,  or  by  dry,  sandy,  and  gritty  ground.  Foot-rot 
is  very  common  among  sheep,  especially  on  some  soils,  and 
indeed  is  never  absent  from  some  flocks  in  the  wet  seasons. 
It  does  not  appear  to  be  infectious  as  between  one  sheep 
and  another,  though  it  should  be  stated  here  that  professional 
opinion  is  divided  on  this  point,  and  exhaustive  experiments 
have  been  carried  out  with  a  view  to  elucidate  the  point. 

It  would  seem  that  land  carries  it,  and  that  future  pasturers 
will  get  the  disease  from  land  on  which  subjects  of  foot-rot 
have  been  fed,  although  actual  transmission  from  the  presence 
of  foot-rot  matter  may  fail  to  produce  the  disease  when  inserted 
into  the  scraped  foot  of  a  sound  animal. 

The  symptoms  are  lameness  and  local  inflammation;  the  hoof 
separates  from  the  coronet,  and  large  ulcerating  sores  appear, 
and  in  these  cases  much  harm  may  be  done  by  the  unsparing 
use  of  the  shepherd's  knife.  The  fore-feet  are  generally  the 
first  attacked,  and  the  animal  affected  will  in  this  case  graze 
on  its  knees,  and  lie  about.  The  foot  is  hot  and  tender,  the 
coronet  swollen,  the  horn  becomes  soft  and  apparently  rotten, 
pieces  of  it  becoming  detached.  Where  the  sensitive  structures 
of  the  foot  become  exposed,  fungous  growths  occur,  which 
ulcerate,  bleed,  and  discharge  a  thin  very  foul-smelling  matter. 
The  disease  is  most  prominent  in  the  early  autumn,  and 
particularly  after  a  wet  summer.  The  treatment  consists  first 
in  carefully  cleaning  the  hoofs,  and  with  the  proper  instruments 
paring  away  all  loose  and  detached  horn.  Moisten  loam  with 
vinegar,  put  it  in  a  bag,  stick  the  foot  into  the  mass  and  tie 
it  up.  Repeat  this  several  times  daily,  cleaning  out  the  matter 
from  the  edge  of  the  cleft  in  the  hoof,  and  cutting  away  all 


DISEASES   OF  SIIEEP  215 

diseased  horn.  Make  a  solution  of  alum  \  oz.,  green  vitriol 
\  oz.,  in  \  pint  of  water  ;  dip  tow  in  this  and  place  it  in  the 
wound,  and  cover  it  with  dry  tow.  When  it  is  thought  neces- 
sary to  give  special  care  to  valuable  animals,  poulticing  is 
adopted.  Daily  dressings  of  butter  of  antimony,  or  preferably 
butter  of  antimony  and  tincture  of  myrrh  (equal  parts),  are 
frequent  methods  of  treatment,  and  many  other  applications 
have  been  recommended.  Several  formulae  for  foot-rot  dress- 
ings will  be  found  on  page  317. 


2i6  VETERIh^ARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


DISEASES   OF  PIGS 

Swine  Fever. — The  diagnosis  of  the  disease  is  not  always 
easy,  owing  to  the  modifications  it  has  undergone  during  the 
past  few  years  ;  so  difficult  is  it  that  the  Board  of  Agriculture 
do  not  even  now  rely  upon  the  diagnosis  of  an  M.R.C.V.S., 
but  require  the  viscera  of  the  suspected  animal  to  be  sent  to 
London,  where  their  experts  examine,  make  cultures,  and  only 
decide  after  the  specific  bacillus  has  been  found.  Treatment 
should  not  be  attempted,  as  the  disease  comes  under  the  Conta- 
gious Diseases  (Animals)  Act,  but  owners  of  pigs  should  be 
advised  to  give  notice  to  the  police  authorities  immediately,  as 
no  compensation  is  allowed  for  pigs  that  are  found  dead,  and  a 
few  hours  may  make  a  difference  of  many  pounds.  The  owner 
must  give  notice  that  he  believes  the  animals  to  be  affected  with 
swine  fever,  or  the  police  will  not  act.  Many  cases  have  occurred 
in  which  much  injustice  has  been  done  to  owners  ;  the  police 
asking  for  a  certificate  from  a  qualified  V.  S.  before  undertaking 
to  send  their  own  V.  S.,  who  may  or  may  not  be  qualified,  ac- 
cording to  the  date  of  his  appointment.'  The  time  lost  in 
obtaining  the  necessary  certificate  often  results  in  the  official 
visit  being  made  when  the  majority  of  the  infected  pigs  are 
dead. 

Parturient  Fever  is  sometimes  met  with  in  sows,  and 
the  same  treatment  as  in  the  case  of  cows  may  be  adopted  ; 
but  it  is  very  difficult  to  treat  sows,  as  they  are  proverbially 
ol)Stinate,  and  drenching  them  is  a  serious  business.  Many 
pigs  will  cat  food  in  which  mag.  sulph.  has  been  dissolved,  and 

'  No  un(jvi.ilificd  men  .ire  now  appointed. 


DISEASES  OF  PICS  217 

flor.  sulph.  added  to  wash  is  not  usually  rejected.  When  it 
becomes  necessary  to  give  a  nauseous  drench,  there  is  no 
better  plan  than  the  old  method  of  cutting  off  the  toe  of  a 
stout  boot  and  introducing  that  end  of  it  into  the  sow's  mouth 
while  pouring  the  drench  in  at  the  other  end. 

Protruded  Rectum. — In  sows  the  rectum  is  sometimes 
pushed  out  during  parturition,  and  after.  Young  pigs,  and  in 
fact  swine  at  any  age,  are  liable  to  this  very  unsightly  and 
painful  condition,  particularly  in  cold  weather.  It  is  very 
difficult  to  control  a  sow  and  replace  the  rectum,  as  she  will 
oppose  all  her  strength  to  her  benefactor,  and  when  sutures 
are  put  in  they  seldom  last,  or  else  the  rectum  has  to  be  unloaded 
by  the  hand  of  the  attendant.  In  young  pigs  the  operation  is 
fairly  successful  if  the  diet  is  looked  after.  If,  instead  of 
blowing  them  out  like  drums  with  sloppy  food,  they  be  kept 
empty  except  for  a  little  corn  to  '  stay  their  stomachs '  for  a 
few  days,  all  will  be  well  with  them,  and  the  old  diet  may  be 
gradually  resumed  ;  but  with  large  hogs  it  is  better  to  use  a 
powerful  astringent  and  let  the  rectum  shorten  itself  partly  by 
shrinking  into  its  proper  position,  and  partly  by  strangulation 
and  sloughing  of  the  outer  portion.  Of  course,  it  is  best,  if 
possible,  to  return  and  retain  it  when  first  done,  but  the  owner 
does  not  usually  consult  a  practitioner  for  a  day  or  two.  The 
following  ointment  can  be  applied  when,  from  the  size  or 
ferocity  of  the  sow,  mechanical  assistance  cannot  be  given  : — - 


Alum.  Ex5icc.     .  ,      .  -      .  ,      ,  . 

•    Si- 

Adipis  : 

•    5^- 

M.  ft.  unguentum. 

Some  practitioners  facilitate  the  sloughing  process  by 
painting  a  line  of  acid',  carbolic,  fort.'at  about  an  inch  from  the 
buttock,  but  it  is'hardly  a  safe  plan  to  recommend,  and  owners 
are  ever  ready  to  advertise  an  ^//successful  remedy. 

Rheumatism  in  Pigs  frequently  upsets  the  calculations 
of  the  pig-breeder,  by  making  cripples  of  young  and  thriving 
pigs   quite   suddenly   and   without   any  apparent   cause.     Of 


2i8  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

course  there  have  been  theorists  to  suggest  wet  and  ill-drained 
styes  &c.  as  a  cause,  but  v/ho  ever  knew  pigs  to  be  kept  dry  ? ' 
Our  own  experience  is  that  they  are  just  as  liable  to  rheumatism, 
or  joint  ill  or  evil,  as  it  is  variously  termed,  whether  they  be 
kept  in  the  well-drained  and  cleaned  buildings  of  a  model  farm 
or  in  the  filth  of  a  cottager's  stye,  with  no  floor  but  the  earth, 
and  no  bedding  but  garden  refuse.  The  knees  and  fetlocks 
are  the  parts  most  often  severely  affected,  much  painful  swelling 
and  lameness  resulting. 

Whether  it  will  be  found  that  so-called  rheumatism  is  due 
to  a  specific  bacillus  in  every  case,  it  is  impossible  to  say,  but 
there  is  an  increasing  amount  of  testimony  as  to  the  presence 
of  some  deleterious  microbe  in  many  of  the  joint  diseases  of 
young  animals.  These  have  been  more  particularly  noticed 
under  the  heading  of  Rheumatism  in  Cattle  (see  p.  183). 

Outward  applications  often  benefit  pigs  in  the  early  stages 
of  the  complaint,  and  some  recover  completely  ;  but  it  is  very 
little  good  to  adopt  any  treatment  when  the  enlarged  joints 
have  become  hard  and  the  lameness  chronic  ;  such  pigs  seldom 
thrive  and  are  not  worth  keeping  ;  they  should  be  killed  when 
the  accompanying  symptoms  of  fever  have  abated  after  a  saline 
purgative  or  two.  They  are  fit  for  human  food  if  the  tempera- 
ture, as  ascertained  per  rectum,  is  not  over  100°  Fahr. 

An  excellent  application  is  the  following  : — 

Liq.  Amnion.  Fort.    .         .         .         •  3J- 

Aq.  Dest 5ij. 

01.  Lini     .,.,..  givss. 

Tinct.  lodi         .....  5iv. 

M.  ft.  linimcnlum,  qiiotidic  applicandum. 

Or  this  :— 

Lin.  Saponis         .         .  •         •  •  ^iv. 

Tinct.  Arnicx      .         •         .  •         •  5'j 

Tinct.  Opii .         .  ....  ^iv. 

Aq.  ad Oj. 

M.  ft.  lotio  sa;pe  utend. 

'  Injection  of  a  4  per  cent,  formalin  solution  near    the  joint  has  been 
recently  tried  witli  great  success. 


DISEASES  OF  PIGS  219 

In  the  meal  or  wash  may  be  given  pot.  nit.  and  sulph.  nig. 
in  doses  of  from  five  to  ten  grains  of  the  former  to  one  drachm 
of  the  latter  daily,  to  pigs  from  two  to  six  months  of  age. 

This  rheumatism  in  pigs  is  commonly  known  as  joint  ill, 
joint  fellon,  or  lameness  from  swollen  and  painful  joints.  As 
already  stated,  it  may  affect  pigs  at  any  age,  but  it  is  particu- 
larly frequent  among  young  pigs.  It  is  to  a  large  extent 
hereditary  and  avoidable  ;  but  it  often  happens  that  people 
buy  a  sow  for  breeding,  and,  if  they  inquire  at  all  about  her,  it 
is  as  to  her  pedigree  and  not  her  hereditary  diseases,  these 
being  quite  as  common  among  the  aristocracy  of  the  stye  as 
among  crossbred  and  less  valuable  animals. 

This  disease,  pathologically,  closely  resembles  rheumatic 
gout  in  the  human  subject,  and  it  is  more  prevalent  during 
the  east  winds  of  spring  and  after  the  autumn  rains  than  at 
any  other  time.  There  is  first  stiffness  and  unwillingness  to 
move,  then  swollen  joints  and  constipation  ;  great  heat  and 
tenderness  often  accompany  this  complaint,  and  a  rigidity  in 
some  cases  that  resembles  the  effects  of  strychnia. 

Treatment,  as  we  have  explained,  should  be  undertaken  in 
the  early  stages  of  the  disease,  to  be  effectual.  Along  with  the 
application  of  the  lotion  ordered  above,  a  brisk  aperient  of  croton 
oil  {n\  \  to  x\\  ij.)  and  castor  oil  (5ij.  to  5iv.)  should  be  first 
given,  and  afterwards  salicylate  of  soda  with  colchicum  and 
potash.     The  following  is  a  suitable  mixture  : — 

Sodae  Salicyl.        .....  5iv. 

Tinct.  Colchici    .         .         ,         ,         .  5jss. 

Sp.  Juniperi  .....  5ij. 

Aq.  ad  .....  .  gxx. 

M.  ft.  mist.     5ij.  ad  ?ij.  bis  die. 

Or  this  :— 

Potass.  Bicarb =ij. 

Vin.  Colchici        .....  5iv. 

Potass.  Nit.  •         •         t         .         .  5iv. 

Aq.  ad         .....         .  gxx. 

M.  ft.  mist.     5ij.  ad  gij.  bis  die. 
Doses  of  these  mixtures  may  be  administered  alternatively 


220  VETERINARY  COuNTER  PRACTICE 

with  advantage  when  the  inflammatory  action  has  been  reduced. 
An  embrocation  should  be  employed  to  excite  absorption  of 
the  gouty  deposit  which  usually  results.  The  following  lotion 
is  suitable  : — 


Tinct.  lodi 

.    5iv 

Liq.  Potassre        .... 

•     5ij- 

Lin.  Saponis  ad    . 

•     5iv 

Jtl.  ft.  embrocatio. 

The  joints  to  be  rubbed  with  this  daily. 

The  draught  recommended  under  Diseases  of  Cattle  (Rheu- 
matism, p.  184)  is  suitable  for  pigs  if  the  dose  be  reduced 
in  proportion  to  weight. 

Inflammation  of  the  Lungs. — The  prominent  sym- 
ptoms are  loss  of  appetite,  incessant  and  distressing  cough,  and 
heaving  at  the  flanks.  At  the  very  first  the  animal  must  be  bled, 
preferably  from  the  palate.  Give  2  to  4  drachms  each  of  sulphur 
and  Epsom  salts,  according  to  the  strength  of  the  animal. 
Follow  with  a  powder  of  digitalis,  2  grains  ;  antimonial  powder, 
6  grains  ;  nitre,  30  grains  ;  twice  daily.  Keep  the  animals 
clean,  warm,  and  well  fed. 

Loss  of  Tail. — High-bred  pigs  are  very  apt  to  lose  their 
tails  when  young.  The  disease  shows  itself  when  a  day  and  a 
half  old.  A  red  spot  first  appears,  and  gradually  spreads  all 
round  the  root  of  the  tail,  destroying  the  cuticle.  If  once 
round  there  is  little  chance  of  saving  the  tail  ;  but  if  at  the  first 
all  the  red  place  be  well  scraped  with  the  nail  or  a  penknife 
until  it  bleeds,  and  afterwards  grease^,  a  sqab  will  form,  a  cicatrix 
follow,  and  the  tail  will  be  saved. 

Cough. — Slight  coughs  are  cured  by  feeding  with  sour 
milk.  For  cough  resulting  from  chill,  make  an  electuary  of 
aniseed,  1J7  oz.  ;  hquoricCj'ii  oz.  ;  honey,  4  oz.  ;  a  piece  the 
size  of  a  walnut  'to  be  niixed'  with'  a  little  sharps  or  other 
favorite  food  night  and  morning. 

Diarrhoea  resulting  from  cold.     Give  an  ounce  of  juniper 


DISEASES   OF  PIGS  221 

berries  once,  or  \  oz.  tormentilla  root  twice  a  day.  Allow  no 
milk.  Diarrhoea,  or  scouring,  in  sucking  pigs  may  be  treated 
by  giving  the  sow  a  few  old  beans.  '  Calves'  Cordial '  is  the 
best  medicine  for  diarrhoea  in  pigs  {see  Formulae). 

Parasites  are  a  frequent  cause  of  diarrhoea  in  pigs  of  all 
ages.  The  evacuations  should  be  carefully  examined  and 
suitable  anthelmintics  prescribed.  For  round  worms  santonine 
and  ferri  sulph.,  and  for  the  tapeworm  class  areca  nut.  Half  a 
grain  of  santonine  to  each  pound  weight  of  the  pig,  and  two 
grains  of  areca  nut,  is  a  safe  and,  at  the  same  time,  fairly 
strong  dose.  These  agents  may  be  given  in  a  very  smal 
quantity  of  milk  or  sloppy  food  after  fasting  twenty  hours. 
Pigs  should  never  be  forcibly  drenched  if  they  can  be  induced 
to  take  medicaments  in  any  sort  of  food.  Dropsy  of  the  belly 
is  in  most  cases  due  to  poverty,  and  the  subjects  of  it  recover 
with  improved  diet.  In  a  few  instances  it  is  due  to  some 
interference  with  the  portal  circulation,  or  the  blocking  up  of 
the  bile  ducts  with  parasites  or  their  excreta.  Flukes,  w-hich 
cause  the  '  rot '  in  sheep,  may  affect  pigs,  and  with  much  the 
same  consequences.  A  dropsical  state  in  young  pigs  arises 
often  from  the  food  being  very  sloppy — nearly  all  water  in 
fact,  and  devoid  of  sufficient  nutritive  material  for  growth  and 
development.  In  old  sows  it  may  be  due  to  the  frequent 
bearing  of  farrows  of  pigs  and  poor  food  while  suckling  them. 

Treatment. — This  is  fairly  hopeful,  as  the  pig  is  a  great 
glutton  and  possessed  of  such  powers  of  assimilation  that  he 
can  put  on  flesh  and  support  a  host  of  parasites  as  well,  and 
the  merely  pendulous  belly  with  a  lot  of  unnecessary  fluid  in  it 
may  prove  inconvenient,  but  so  long  as  he  will  fatten  he  is 
worth  keeping.  Small  doses  of  sulphate  of  iron,  quinine,  and 
a  vermifuge  {see  Diarrhoea)  will  be  found  helpful.  Table 
salt  may  be  given  in  small  doses,  but  large  ones  are  apt  to 
induce  an  eruption  ('the  red  soldier')  and  bring  piggy  into 
the  notice  of  the  village  constable  as  a  suspicious  character — 
that  functionary  having  always  before  his  mind  the  detection 
of  swine  fever,  and  the  kudos  attaching  to  its  discovery  by  a 
member  of  the  force. 


222  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Eye  Diseases. — Pigs  are  not  very  much  troubled  with 
maladies  in  connection  with  the  visual  organs,  and  this  is  only 
consistent  with  the  popular  idea  that  they  can  '  see  the  wind.' 
Second  sight  of  this  kind  should  enable  them  to  avoid  a 
draughty  corner  in  the  stye.  A  glassy  or  mucous  accumula- 
tion occasionally  affects  growing  porkers,  and  this  should  be 
treated  with  a  boracic  lotion.  The  edges  of  the  lower  lids 
may  be  anointed  with  vaseline  or  any  simple  ointment  to 
prevent  accumulation  of  sticky  matter. 

Gripes  or  Colic. — Pigs  are  liable  to  colic  as  a  result  of 
unsuitable  food.  It  is  not  difficult  to  diagnose,  as  they 
double  themselves  up  and  behave  very  much  like  human 
beings  in  this  respect  (as  well  as  in  others). 

Treatment. — A  dose  of  castor-oil  with  a  few  minims  of 
ol.  menthaj  pip.  If  relief  is  not  thus  obtained,  a  dose  of 
'  Calves'  Cordial '  containing  tinct  chloroformi  et  morphinae 
should  be  given  (see  p.  i6i). 

Maggots  in  the  Ear. — If  a  pig  has  a  sore  place  any- 
where that  he  cannot  conveniently  get  at,  flies  are  apt  to  blow 
it  and  produce  maggots.  The  ear  is  one  of  those  situations, 
and  the  tail  is  popularly  supposed  to  be  another,  or  we  should 
never  have  had  those  interesting  lines  handed  down  to  us 
respecting  the  farmer's  dinner  party,  whereat 

One  talked  of  mildew,  one  of  frost,  and  one  of  storms  of  hail, 
And  one  of  pigs  that  he  had  lost  with  maggots  in  the  tail. 
One  wiped  his  nose  upon  his  sleeve,  one  spat  upon  the  floor, 
And,  not  to  give  offence  or  grieve,  held  up  the  cloth  before. 

Maggots  occurring  anywhere  may  be  easily  disposed  of  by 
a  carbolised  oil  dressing,  and  customers  should  be  advised  to 
apply  twice.  One  in  twenty  of  ol.  rubrum  is  a  perfectly  safe 
application. 

Quinsy,  Strangles,   or  Gloss  anthrax.— One  of  the 


DISEASES  OF  PIGS  223 

most  malignant  of  the  diseases  of  swine,  A  specific  germ  is  the 
chief  cause,  and  the  disease  is  commonest  in  spring  and  autumn. 
There  is  a  loss  of  appetite,  the  ears  hang,  the  nostrils  secrete 
mucus,  the  head  is  shaken,  the  mouth  is  dry  and  hot,  the  ears 
cold,  the  eyes  watery,  ultimately  the  throat  swells,  the  tongue 
becomes  red  and  then  brown,  the  voice  lower.  Give  daily  in 
whey  I  drachm  saltpetre  and  \  oz.  Glauber's  salts.  If  the  pig  will 
not,  or  cannot,  swallow,  mix  4  oz.  Glauber's  salts  and  2  oz.  nitre 
with  enough  honey  to  make  an  electuary,  and  rub  \  oz.  on  the 
tongue  every  four  hours.  Youatt  thus  describes  the  disease  and 
treatment  : — The  glands  under  the  throat  begin  to  swell,  respi- 
ration and  swallowing  are  impeded,  hoarseness  and  debility 
supervene  ;  the  neck  swells  and  rapidly  goes  on  to  gangrene, 
the  tongue  hangs  from  the  mouth  and  is  covered  with  saliva. 
Bleeding  and  purgatives  are  indicated,  with  setons  and  punc- 
tures of  the  swollen  glands. 

It  is  often  caused  by  soda  in  the  '  wash '  taken  from  town 
houses,  the  scullery  maids  using  soda  in  dish  washing,  and 
pouring  the  greasy  fluid  into  the  hog  tub.  Indigestion  and  the 
presence  of  internal  parasites  have  the  effect  also  of  producing 
a  redundancy  of  scurf.  A  thriving  pig  has  generally  a  softer 
skin  than  a  poor  one,  and  the  saying  of  '  greasing  the  fat  hog ' 
has  its  origin  in  the  stye.  A  show  pig  already  fat  will  get  his 
back  anointed  with  linseed  oil,  while  a  starveling,  that  would 
derive  still  greater  benefit,  is  forgotten  or  not  deemed  worthy 
the  trouble.  Itching  may  be  merely  an  exanthematous  condi- 
tion due  to  the  foregoing  causes,  or  due  to  external  parasites, 
as  lice  or  mange.  In  the  latter  a  greasy  smear  should  be 
made  and  not  an  aqueous  dressing,  as  we  have  seen  recom- 
mended, with  instructions  to  '  wash  the  pig  frequently,'  in 
forgetfulness  of  the  fact  that  it  will  return  like  a  sow  that  is 
washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire.  Either  an  ointment  of 
sulphurated  potash  or  sulphur  in  linseed  or  other  thick  oil 
should  be  used.  If  the  rancid  pomades  and  other  greases 
have  not  been  used  up  in  making  hoof  ointments,  they  should 
be  brought  out  when  such  a  dressing  as  this  is  needed. 


2  24  VETERIXARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Snuffles,  Sniffles,  Nasal  Catarrh. — There  is  first  a 
slight  discharge  of  mucus  from  the  nostrils,  gradually  increasing 
till  it  causes  cough,  sneezing,  and  difficulty  of  breathing.  The 
membrane  of  the  nose  becomes  thickened  and  the  nostril 
swollen  and  deformed.  Blood  is  often  discharged  from  the 
nostril,  which  gives  temporary  relief,  but  the  hemorrhage  is  apt 
to  recur,  and  so  undermine  the  animal's  strength.  The  best 
treatment  is  the  administration  of  copper  sulphate  night  and 
morning,  in  doses  of  3  to  5  grains,  with  good  food  and  cleanli- 
ness. The  disease  is  often  fatal,  and  it  is  generally  well 
established  before  it  is  noticed. 

Sprains,  Sores,  and  Bruises. — Collections  of  pus  must 
be  opened,  washed,  and  anointed  with  turpentine  oil  till  healed. 
Bad  bruises,  resulting  from  blows,  should  be  rubbed  with  a 
mixture  of  2  oz.  soap  and  i  drachm  powdered  camphor. 
Sprains  may  be  treated  similarly. 

Stye  or  Blaine. — A  white  blister  the  size  of  a  pea  on 
the  tongue,  which  indicates  a  violent  and  very  dangerous  fever. 
There  are  also  loss  of  appetite,  dull  eyes,  rooting  with  the 
snout,  trembling,  and  uneasy  grunting.  Relief  is  sometimes 
obtained  by  opening  the  blister  and  rubbing  the  wound  with 
salt  and  vinegar. 

Worms. — It  docs  not  always  pay  to  keep  pigs,  and  never 
does  to  keep  worms.  If  any  are  noticed  in  the  dung,  measures 
should  be  taken  at  once  to  get  rid  of  them,  as  they  multiply 
with  astounding  rapidity.  If  a  pig  does  not  respond  to  the 
ration  he  is  receiving,  and  shows  no  signs  of  illness,  he  may 
justly  be  suspected  of  worms,  and  suitable  remedies  prescribed. 
These  are  santonin,  powdered  glass,  dolichos,  buchu,  salt, 
turpentine,  areca  nut,  and  ol.  filicis  maris.  It  is  most  difficult 
to  lay  down  the  do.se  for  animals  varying  from  two  pounds  to 
two  hundredweight,  but  we  have  found  a  fairly  practical 
working  scale  by  estimating  the  pig's  weight  to  that  of  the 
human  child  or  adult,  and  giving  proportional  doses. 


DISEASES   OF  PIGS  225 

Cod  Liver  Oil  for  Fattening  Pigs.— In  the  '  Lancet,' 
November  5,  1853,  Dr.  Pollock  pul)lished  an  account  of  some 
interesting  experiments  made  by  an  Essex  agriculturist  regarding 
the  fattening  action  of  cod  liver  oil  on  pigs,  sheep,  and  cattle. 
Twenty  pigs  separated  from  a  lot  of  three  hundred,  averaging 
in  weight  from  five  to  fifteen  stones,  received  two  ounces  of 
oil  daily  with  as  much  meal  as  they  pleased.  The  rest  of  the 
lot  were  treated  in  exactly  the  same  manner,  but  got  no  oil. 
Those  receiving  the  oil  are  stated  to  have  consumed  less  food, 
and  when  killed  weighed  the  heaviest  and  made  the  most 
money  in  the  London  market,  the  fat  being  firm  and  white. 
When  the  daily  allowance  of  oil  was  increased  to  four  ounces 
per  day  the  fat  became  yellow,  and  the  flesh  acquired  a  fishy 
taste.  For  small  pigs  an  ounce  daily  was  found  the  most 
economical  quantity.  It  is  not  certain  that  the  regular 
administration  of  other  oil  might  not  have  been  equally 
efficacious. 


226  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


DISEASES   OF  DOGS 

The  ailments  ot  dogs  are  various,  and  to  prescribe  success- 
fully requires  some  familiarity  with  breeds,  the  relative  weight 
of  dogs  as  compared  with  the  human  body,  their  age  as  shown 
by  the  teeth,  &c.  But  the  prescribing  druggist  will  best  consult 
his  own  as  well  as  his  client's  interests  by  not  attempting 
operations  requiring  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  dog's 
mechanism.  The  physiology  or  vital  processes  of  human  and 
canine  beings  are  very  similar,  man  and  dog  both  being  omni- 
vorous. 

Sickness. — Vomiting  when  observed  in  the  dog  may  be  of 
his  own  seeking,  and  in  this  sense  remedial,  inasmuch  as  the 
dyspeptic  animal,  when  he  can  procure  it,  will  eat  a  few  blades 
of  couch-grass  {Triticiitn  repejis),  and  be  soon  relieved  by 
vomiting  a  frothy  matter— composed  of  bile  which  has  made 
its  way  through  the  pyloric  end  of  the  stomach,  and  of  gastric 
juice  which  has  been  rapidly  secreted  by  the  mechanical  irrita- 
tion of  the  rough  grass  when  swallowed.  Sickness,  again,  may 
be  induced  by  swallowing  unmasticated  food.  Dogs  are  not, 
therefore,  necessarily  ill  because  they  vomit  ;  and  it  may  be 
assumed  further  that,  with  them,  the  sense  of  nausea  cannot  be 
present,  or  they  would  not,  as  they  do,  in  the  language  of  Holy 
Writ,  'return  like  a  dog  to  his  vomit.' 

See  also  Ciastritis  and  so-called  Canine  Inllucnza  at  p.  24. 

The  Clinical  Thermometer  can  best  be  used  by  passing 
it  into  the  rectum  for  about  one  inch,  and  holding  the  tail  at 
the  same  time.  Hardly  any  dog  will  resent  this  liberty,  and 
without  tliis  instrument  it  is  impossible  accurately  to  gauge  the 


DISEASES   OF  DOGS  227 

temperature,  as  the  practitioner  is  misled  by  the  coldness  or 
otherwise  of  his  hand,  the  weather,  &c.  The  popular  notion 
that  a  cold  nose  is  a  sign  of  health  is  only  partially  true — a  dog 
may  be  verj'  ill,  yet  have  a  cool  moist  nose,  or  in  perfect 
health,  yet,  lying  in  front  of  a  fire,  as  dogs  are  so  fond  of  doing, 
have  a  dry  hot  nose. 

To  Hold  the  Dog. — It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  remark 
here  that  among  the  initial  difficulties  of  dog-doctoring  is  that 
of  securing  the  patient  in  a  position  at  once  safe  to  the  examiner 
and  comfortable  to  the  dog.  He  should  not  be  held  upon  the 
lap  of  his  mistress,  as  she  will  probably  suggest,  in  order  to 
calm  his  fears,  for  in  that  position  he  resents  interference,  and 
fancies  he  is  guarding  the  sacred  person  of  his  owner.  The 
same  objection  applies  to  seeing  dogs  at  their  own  residences 
— if  one  may  use  the  term — for  here  they  are  like  the  cock 
upon  his  own  dunghill,  and  the  dog  that  threatens  you  with 
big  swears  at  home  will  often  be  as  mild  as  the  proverbial 
'  sucking  dove '  when  brought  to  your  shop. 

In  tr}-ing  to  examine  any  dog  of  doubtful  temper,  or  who 
has  been  unfortunate  enough  to  acquire  the  bad  name  which 
is  so  tenacious  among  his  tribe,  it  is  well  to  arm  yourself  with 
a  long  narrow  strap,  which  should  be  placed  on  his  face, 
crossed  below  his  jaw,  and  buckled  behind  his  ears. 

With  this  contrivance  you  can  defy  the  most  savage  dog, 
and  throw  him  upon  his  back  to  extract  a  decayed  tooth  or 
other  minor  operation.  To  keep  a  large  dog  down  on  the 
ground  it  is  a  good  plan  to  attach  three  or  four  feet  of  rope 
to  his  collar  and  pass  it  twice  round  the  hind  leg  that  is  upper- 
most, in  the  hollow  just  above  the  hock,  pull  it  well  forward, 
and  attach  it  again  to  the  collar.  If  an  abscess  is  to  be  opened 
or  a  festered  nail  removed,  this  position  will  ensure  safety  to  the 
operator  and  all  concerned.  The  only  assistant  who  should 
be  disqualified  is  the  owner  of  the  dog,  as  his  efforts  to  soothe 
the  unfortunate  beast  are  apt  to  mislead  the  animal,  and  make 
him  suppose  he  is  being  thus  treated  against  his  master's  will. 

<j  2 


228  VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

The  Administration  of  Medicines  must  in  a  large 
measure  depend  upon  the  nature  of  the  remedies  prescribed, 
but  where  compatible  with  the  prescriber's  notions  of  the  case 
he  will  always  select  powders.  Pills  have  the  great  objection  that 
the  majority  of  people  cannot  drive  them  down,  and  liquids  are 
more  frequently  distributed  indiscriminately  over  the  adminis- 
trator and  the  patient  than  passed  down  the  gullet  of  the  latter. 

Powders,  on  the  other  hand,  when  not  extremely  bulky, 
have  only  to  be  thrown  into  the  mouth,  or  upon  the  tongue, 
and  the  saliva  will  give  sufficient  moisture  to  cause  them  to  be 
swallowed,  and  insufficient  to  allow  them  to  be  dribbled  out 
again.  When,  however,  remedies  are  desired  which  cannot  con- 
veniently be  made  up  into  powders  or  electuaries,  they  should 
be  made  up,  with  some  excipient,  into  very  large  pills,  at  least 
ten  grains  for  a  small  dog,  as  it  is  much  easier  to  give  a  large 
pill  than  a  small  one,  and  quite  as  safe,  as  it  is  to  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  oesophagus  or  gullet  of  the  dog  is  very  large,  so 
large  that  he  can  swallow  a  bone  which  he  cannot  afterwards 
pass  through  his  bowels.  The  method  of  administering  a  pill 
is  to  take  hold  of  the  dog"s  face,  with  your  left-hand  palm  press- 
ing on  his  nasal  bones,  while  your  thumb  and  forefinger  exert 
a  gentle  pressure  on  each  side  of  the  upper  lip,  immediately 
over  those  large  teeth  called  canines  in  the  human  being  and 
tusks  or  tushes  in  the  dog.  This  gentle  pressure  will  cause 
him  to  open  his  mouth,  and  not  close  it  on  your  other  hand, 
if  by  the  pressure  of  your  left  you  make  the  lips  just  overlap 
the  teeth.  The  right  hand  is  employed  in  giving  the  pill,  which 
should  be  held  between  the  tips  of  the  first  and  second  finger, 
and  pushed  with  some  degree  of  force  right  over  the  back  of  the 
tongue,  regardless  of  all  anatomical  considerations,  as  if  you 
were  trying  to  push  it  through  the  back  of  his  head.  If  it 
reaches  the  fauces  he  will  be  sure  to  swallow  it,  as  the  act  from 
there  downwards  is  involuntary  ;  there  is  no  danger  whatever  of 
its  going  the  wrong  way,  as  the  epiglottis,  or  valve-like  structure 
over  the  windpipe,  is  set  on  guard  over  that  aperture  the 
moment  an  aggressor  enters  the  mouth.  In  no  case  use  a  gag 
or  spoil  your  ruler  by  placing  it  crossways  in  his  mouth,  as 


DISEASES   OF  DOGS  229 

*  force    IS    no    remedy '   ■with    dogs,    whatever    else    it    may 
apply  to. 

In  cases  where  you  want  to  give  ethereal  preparations,  for 
which  pharmacists  have  not  yet  provided  us  a  capsule,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  drench  the  animal.  This,  again,  is  not  done  by  a 
gag,  or  by  attempting  to  hold  the  mouth  open  ;  on  the  contrary 
the  teeth  may  remain  shut,  but  a  glance  at  them  will  show  that 
plenty  of  room  exists  between  them  for  a  teaspoonful  or  two  of 
fluid  to  make  its  way  through  the  apertures.  Having  secured 
the  dog,  with  or  without  a  muzzle,  insert  your  finger  in  the 
corner  of  his  mouth,  and  pull  out  his  lip,  which  will  make  an 
excellent  funnel  into  which  to  pour  his  draught,  and  as  soon 
as  you  relax  your  hold  he  will  open  his  mouth  and  swallow  it, 
to  his  own  surprise  as  well  as  yours,  if  you  have  never  tried  it. 

Distemper. — If  a  dog  is  ill  he  is  commonly  supposed  to 
have  the  distemper  or  be  mad,  and  the  general  public  make  but 
little  distinction.  Distemper  is  common  to  most  dogs  as  an 
infantile  disease  ;  rabies  is  very  rare,  and  there  are  many  ex- 
perienced veterinary  surgeons  who  have  never  seen  a  genuine 
case  of  the  latter. 

Distemper  is  a  term  which  formerly  implied  any  disease  of 
a  prevalent  nature  or  epidemic  to  man  or  animals,  but  the 
meaning  of  the  word  has  narrowed  down  in  the  present  day  to 
the  exclusive  use  of  dOg  fancier?;  and  whitewashers  ;  though  why 
the  washing  of  a  wall  should  be  '  distenrpering '  it,  none  of  the 
faculty  seem  able  to,  explain.  All  the  old  works  speak  of 
animal  plagues  as  '  distempers,'  and  the  literature  of  the  time 
of  the  Plague  of  London  often  adverts  to  the  '  distemper  now 
raging,'  &c. 

It  is  as  well  to  state  that  there  is  no  specific  for  distemper, 
and  the  professional  man  who  vends  an  infallible  cure  for  it, 
elegantly  prepared,  is  as  great  a  humbug  as  the  stable  loafer 
who  makes  a  secret  of  his  magic  art  and  steals  quietly  into  the 
druggist's  shop  for  a  pennyworth  of  castor  oil  and  syrup  of 
buckthorn,  with  which  he  sometimes  anoints  the  dog's  nose 
and  at  other  times  drenches  him,  preserving  an  air  of  mystery 


250  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

that  often  imposes  upon  the  spectators.  Whether  the  anoint- 
ing is  followed  up  by  incantations  and  genuflexions,  or  any 
of  those  nocturnal  sacrifices  which  induce  the  fairies  to 
remove  warts  and  moles  from  young  ladies,  we  cannot  say,  but 
should  think  it  probable,  and  that  the  credit  of  the  cure  must 
be  due  more  to  the  sacrificial  offerings  over  the  left  shoulder, 
&:c.,  than  to  the  oil  and  rhamnus,  as  we  know  from  practical 
experience  that  without  faith  the  remedy  mentioned  is  only  an 
aperient. 

Distemper  may  manifest  itself  at  any  period  of  a  dog's  life, 
as  may  measles  in  the  human  subject ;  but  it  is  commonly  met 
with  in  puppies  from  eight  weeks  to  eight  months  old.  It  ac- 
companies the  process  of  dentition,  and  is  generally  most  acute 
when  the  large  corner  teeth  or  canines  are  being  cut.  These 
teeth  are  called  tushes  or  tusks,  which  is  a  convenient  distinc- 
tion, as  it  is  fair  to  suppose  that  all  a  dog's  teeth  are  canine 
teeth.  They  occupy  the  same  position,  or  nearly,  as  do  the 
canines  in  the  human  being,  the  tushes  in  the  horse,  and  the 
largest  and  most  prominent  of  the  tearing  teeth  with  which  the 
carnivora  are  endowed. 

Dulness  and  loss  of  appetite  are  usually  the  first  symptoms 
of  distemper  or  any  other  illness  with  dogs,  and  a  saline  or 
other  laxative  at  this  stage  will  be  safe  and  beneficial ;  say — 

Mag.  Sulph.        ,         .         .         ,         .  5j.     to  5iv. 

Potass.  Nit gr.v.  ,,  5J. 

Tinct.  Jalapa;      .         .         .         .         ,  mx.  ,,  mxl. 

Aq.  ad Jss,   „  gij. 

Pro  haust. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  days  the  symptoms  will  develop  into 
one  of  three  different  forms,  in  which  the  respiratory,  the 
gastric,  or  the  nervous  system  will  be  most  affected,  but  a 
blend  of  two  of  these  forms  is  by  no  means  rare. 

The  commonest  is  that  resembling  measles,  to  which  in- 
fantile affection  medical  men  have  most  often  compared  it. 
In  this  a  fluxion  of  mucus  from  the  nose,  overflow  of  tears,  list- 
lessncss,  hurried  respiration,  cough,  and  unwillingness  to  move 


DISEASES   OF  DOGS  231 

soon  combine  to  make  the  disease  unmistakable.  It  is  at  this 
stage  that  treatment  is  the  most  hopeful,  and  should  be  directed 
to  the  abatement  of  symptoms  rather  than  seeking  for  a  specific 
to  counteract  a  poison  which  cannot  be  found,  or  an  antidote 
to  something  the  chemistry  of  which  has  not  been  ascertained. 

Many  experiments  have  been  conducted  in  the  hope  of 
determining  the  specific  bacillus  of  distemper,  but  without  suc- 
cess up  to  the  time  of  editing  this  edition  of  X.C.V.  The  diffi- 
culty appears  to  consist  in  a  multiplicity  of  microbes  from  which 
the  culprit  cannot  be  isolated  and  cultures  procured. 

Professor  Hobday  is  still  working  on  the  subject,  and  we 
have  great  hopes  that  he  will  one  day  provide  us  with  a  reliable 
serum,  or  some  other  form  of  therapy,  by  which  distemper  will 
be  combated  successfully. 

The  dog's  eyes  and  nose  should  be  frequently  bathed  to  keep 
them  clear  of  the  mucus,  which  dries  and  becomes  a  source  of 
pain  and  irritation.     The  water  for  fomentation  is  improved  by 
a  minute  proportion  of  carbolic  acid  and  glycerine — as  the 
former  agent  should  deter  the  accumulated  mucus  from  becom- 
ing foetid,  and  the  latter  is  calculated  to  soothe  the  excoriated 
membranes — in  proportion  of 

Glycerini     ......     5^ij. 

Acidi  Carbolici    .....      n  xv. 

Aq.  Dest Oij.     M. 

For  this  lotion,  before  leaving  the  patient  for  the  night,  a 
substitute  consisting  of 


Alum.  Sulph. 

•         •         •         • 

.     gr.iv. 

Zinci  Ox.     . 

• 

.     gr.x. 

Vaselini 

M.  ft.  ung. 

•     5J- 

should  be  applied  to  the  eyelids  and  nostrils  and  smeared 
down  the  cheeks  to  prevent  scalding  of  the  tears  and  accumu- 
lation of  matter  and  consequent  closing  of  the  eyes.  The 
eyes  suffer  ulceration  and  various  other  conditions  consequent 
upon  distemper. 

Boric  acid  solutions  may  be  used  where  acid,  carbol.  is 
objected  to,  or  formalin,  lysol,  chinosol,  &c. 


232  VETERINARY  C0UI7TER  PEACTICE 

The  before-mentioned  remedies  are  merely  palliatives  ;  but 
if  inflammation  of  the  lungs  follows,  it  is  desirable  to  lose  no 
time  in  applying  counter-irritants  to  the  sides  of  the  chest — 
not  in  front,  where  the  thick  pectoral  muscles  cover  the 
chest,  but  on  the  ribs  from  behind  the  elbow  and  above  it  to 
the  last  rib.  Mustard  answers  as  well  as  anything  in  most  dogs, 
but  in  the  long-haired  varieties  it  is  not  so  easily  or  effectually 
applied  as  lin.  camph.  co.  or  the  preparation  of  white  oils  in 
common  use,  or — 

Lin.  Aconiti        .         .         .         .         •  5'j' 

Lin.  Belladonns  .         .         .         •  5J- 

Lin.  Camph.  Co.  ....  Jiss. 

M.  ft.  lin. 

This  should  also  be  rubbed  into  the  throat,  as  there  is  often 
much  swelling  and  pain  and  an  inability  to  swallow.  The 
cough  is  not,  however,  due  to  the  throat ;  it  is  not  a  dr)',  harsh 
cough  such  as  characterises  laryngeal  affections,  but  is  a  soft, 
husky  noise,  and  indicates  effusion  into  the  chest  cavity  or 
matter  within  the  air-cells  of  the  lungs.  Such  cases,  when  not 
fatal,  are  often  very  long  about,  and  are  not  calculated  to  bring 
much  honour  to  the  doctor.  The  best  treatment  at  this  stage 
is  to  give  iodides  with  vegetable  tonics.  Iodide  of  potassium 
seems  to  produce  or  excite  absorption  of  the  effused  matter 
better  than  anything  else,  but  must  not  be  given  in  conjunction 
with  iron.     The  following  is  a  good  formula  : — 

Pot.  ludidi      .         .         .         .         .     gr.  j.  to  iv. 
Ext.  Gentianre'        .         ."        .'        .     gr.  ^  ,,  ij. 

Quininrc  Sulph g""-  s  "  i* 

Excipiont.  q.  s.  ut  ft.  pil.     Capt.  j.  nocte  mancque. 

The  diet  should  consist  of  anything  the  dog  will  eat,  inclu- 
ding raw  meat.  He  should  be  encouraged  to  move  about  a 
little,  have  his  bed  changed,  and  given  access  to  plenty  of  fresh 
cool  water. 

The  foregoing  is  usually  the  course  taken  by  the  disease, 
and,  although  there  are  three  pretty  well  defined  forms  of 
distempLT,  they  sometimes  merge  into  one  another,  and   the 


DISEASES  OF  DOGS  233 

dog  with  inflammatory  lung  symptoms  may  at  the  same  time 
have  dysentery  and  fits. 

The  bowels  should  be  kept  regular  by  salines  and  enemata 
or  ol.  ricini,  but  the  latter  is  not  so  lasting  in  its  action,  and  in 
the  opinion  of  some  good  authorities  is  a  positive  astringent  in 
its  secondary  effects. 

After  the  urgent  symptoms  have  passed  and  the  dog  is 
getting  well,  he  may  have  a  most  distressing  skin  eruption 
coming  up  in  great  blotches  or  blains,  giving  out  a  sanguineous 
matter  and  drying  up,  or,  if  neglected,  coalescing  with  other 
such  spots  and  forming  a  large  raw  surface.  It  would  seem  to 
be  an  exertion  or  effort  of  nature  to  get  rid  of  effete  material 
over  and  above  what  the  kidneys  and  other  excretories  are 
capable  of  performing,  and  is  best  treated  by  local  antiseptics 
and  internal  oxygenation,  if  such  a  term  may  be  used.  Whether 
or  not  this  theory  be  correct,  certain  it  is  that  no  remedial 
agents  meet  with  such  success  as  large  and  frequent  doses  of 
chlorate  of  potash  ;  a  small  dog  may  have  five  grains  three 
times  a  day,  and  a  large  one  fifteen.  An  ointment  should  be 
daily  applied  to  the  sore  places  as  follows  : — 


Acicli  Boric! 

•     5SS. 

Ung.  Zinci  Ox. 

. 

•     5SS. 

Vaseliiii 

M.  ft.  un£T, 

•     Bss. 

A  liberal  diet  with  boiled  green  vegetables  will  be  found 
desirable. 

The  chlorate  of  potash  treatment  is  improved  by  a  little 
pot.  nit.  and  carbo  lig.,  say  one  to  five  grains  of  pot.  nit. 
according  to  the  size  of  dog,  and  the  same  or  a  little  more 
of  the  charcoal. 

The  gastric  or  intestihal  form  of  distemper  shows  itself  in 
sickness,  purging,  wasting,  and  prostration.  In  a  certain  sense 
it  is  its  own  remedy,  and  the  morbific  matter  is  thrown  off  in  the 
stools  ;  these,  however,  become  bloody,  the  mucous  membrane 
of  the  bowels  is  cast  off  in  patches,  and  a  condition  similar  to 
typhoid  is  established.     The  stomach  loses  power  of  digestion, 


234  VETERINARY  COUNTER  TRACTICE 

and  the  intestines  of  absorption.  Brunner's  and  Peyer's  glands 
and  the  first  part  of  the  intestine  generally  become  highly  in- 
flamed, and  blood  and  mucus  are  constantly  passed  till  the 
dog  dies  of  exhaustion  if  no  remedy  is  found  capable  of  stop- 
ping it.  Many  have  been  tried,  including,  of  course,  the 
universal  panacea  of  ol.  ricini  and  syr.  rhamni,  also  ^'Ethiops 
mineral,  antim.  nig.,  antim.  tart.,  ipecac,  chloride  of  sodium, 
&c. 

Careful  investigation  and  experience  prove  that  the  success- 
ful treatment  of  this  form  of  distemper  is  to  modify  without 
stopping  the  diarrhoea,  to  alter  without  arresting  the  secretions, 
to  sheathe  but  not  plug  the  intestines,  to  take  away  the  labour 
of  digestion  by  providing  readily  assimilated  foods,  and  to 
surround  the  animal  with  such  comforts  and  care  as  would 
from  time  to  time  suggest  themselves  to  any  thoughtful  and 
humane  person. 

To  modify  the  diarrhoea,  small  doses  of  alum.  To  alter  the 
acid  secretions,  small  doses  of  sodae  carb.  To  sheathe  the 
abraded  membranes  and  protect  the  glands,  bismuth  subcarb. 
and  glycerine.  To  reduce  the  labour  of  digestion,  beef-tea, 
milk,  and  slops.  The  following  mixture  will  do  well  in  such 
cases  as  we  have  just  described  : — 


Sodx  Carl). 
Bismulhi  Subcarb 
Alum.  Sulph. 
Clycerini     . 
Aq.  Carui  ad 


5J- 

5S.S. 

?,iv. 


M.  ft.  mist.     Dose — lO  minims  to  I  drachm  every  hour. 

If  powders   be   preferred,    the   following    will    be    found 
suitable  : — 

Bi.smuthi  Subnit.      .         .         .         •     gr-  xv. 

Soda.'  Bicarb.   .         .  .         ,         .     gr.  x. 

J'ulv.  Ipecac.  Comp.         .         .         •     y>  ^■• 

I't.  pulv.     One  three  times  a  day. 

The  nervous  form  of  distemper  is  the  worst  to  treat,  and, 
although  it  is  reasonable  to  supi)osc  that  the  fits  and  palsy  are 


DISEASES  OF  DOGS  235 

in  the  first  instance  caused  only  by  tlie  circulation  of  impure 
blood  to  the  nerve-centres,  yet  an  examination  of  numerous 
subjects  would  show  that  only  a  short  time  elapses  in  produ- 
cing those  degenerations  of  the  spinal  cord  which  leave  a  dog 
with  'the  jumps'  (chorea),  or  palsied,  or  subject  to  fits  for  life. 
Treatment,  except  in  the  early  stage,  is  of  very  little  use,  and 
should  then  be  carried  out  with  a  view  to  divert  blood  from 
the  spinal  cord  to  the  surface  or  intestines,  or  both.  The 
application  of  a  powerful  irritant  from  the  back  of  the  head  to 
the  loins,  such  as  mustard  and  acetic  acid,  or  lin.  camph.  co., 
or  ol.  tereb.,  should  not  be  delayed,  and  saline  purgatives  should 
be  constantly  administered.  All  the  advantages  of  bromide  of 
potassium  as  a  sedative  may  be  ensured  to  the  irritable  nerve- 
centres  by  giving  it  in  small  doses  in  conjunction  with  the 
salines,  giving  the  dog  moderate  exercise,  avoiding  excitement, 
and  looking  carefully  to  the  mouth  to  see  if  there  are  any  teeth 
requiring  to  be  removed.  The  following  mixture  is  recom- 
mended : — 

Potass.  Bromidi    .         .         .         .         •     rij- 

Pot.  Bicarb. 5J. 

Mag.  Sulph.  .....     5iij. 

Aq.  ad 5J. 

M.  ft.  mist.     Dose — from  10  to  60  minims  every  four  hours. 

The  successful  treatment  of  distemper  depends  more  upon 
good  nursing  than  medicine.  The  dog  should  be  kept  in  a 
well-ventilated  dry  room,  an  even  temperature  being  more 
desirable  than  a  warm  one ;  fresh  air,  clean  water,  and 
nourishing,  easily-digested  food  must  be  plentifully  allowed. 
Exercise  had  better  be  refrained  from  till  strength  returns,  and 
water-dogs  on  no  account  should  be  allowed  their  favourite 
pastime. 

The  nose  and  eyes  should  be  frequently  sponged,  and  in 
case  of  entire  refusal  of  food,  soups,  broth,  (Sec,  should  be 
forced.  The  combination  of  a  little  port  wine — about  a  tea- 
spoonful — with  the  food,  two  or  three  times  a  day,  will  be 
found  beneficial. 

Besides  the  medical  treatment  already  recommended,  an 


236  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

emetic  may  be  given  at  the  outset,  antim.  pot.  tart.,  in  doseS 
of  from  two  to  four  grains,  in  butter,  or  on  a  small  piece  of 
meat,  being  the  best.  The  bowels  must  be  kept  regular  by 
mild  aperients,  and  for  this  there  is  nothing  much  better  than 
the  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  castor  oil  and  syrup  of  buckthorn 
—dose  5ij.  to  5viij. 

When  the  more  acute  symptoms  have  subsided,  the 
debility  may  be  combated  with  stimulants  and  tonics.  Port  or 
sherry  wine  should  be  given  daily  with  the  food,  and  some 
of  the  following  medicines  administered  : — 

Sulphate  of  Quinine        .         .         .         .     3j. 

Ginger 5J. 

Sulphate  of  Iron    .....     5J. 

Extract  of  gentian,  q.  s.  tc  form  twelve  pills.    One,  two  or  three  everyday. 

Or- 

Quinine  Sulph.     .         .         .  .         .     3j. 

Carb.  Anmion.      .         .         .  .         •     Sij- 

Extract  of  gentian,  q.  s.  to  form  twelve  pills.  One,  two  or  three  everyday, 

Or  for  debility  with  diarrhaa — 

Ferri  Carb.   ......  5J. 

Catechu  Pulv.        .         .         ...         .  51]. 

Opii  Pulv.     .         .         .         .         .         .  gr.  X. 

Creta;  Prcep.  .....  5ij. 

Make  into  twelve  pills  with  conserve  of  roses.   One,  two,  or  three  every  day. 

Chorea. — This  sequel  of  distemper  is  one  of  the  most 
difficult  of  all  diseases  to  treat,  and  has  baffled  the  best  canine 
surgeons  from  all  time.  It  is  apparently  an  interrupted  or 
intermittent  supply  of  nerve  force  to  the  muscles,  and  great 
benefit  has  sometimes  arisen  from  the  use  of  the  galvanic 
battery  applied  twice  daily  for  a  long  period.  The  hair  on  the 
dog's  body  should  be  thoroughly  wet  before  applying  the  in- 
strument, and  the  shock  made  increasingly  powerful  from  time 
to  time. 

Sometimes  cases  have  benefited  by  giving  small  doses,  as 
-^^  of  a  grain,  of  strychnine  daily,  while  others,  holding  the 
theory  of  irritability  of  the  spinal  cord,  prescribe  sedatives,  as 


DISEASES  OF  DOGS  237 

pot.  bromid.  from  2  to  10  grs.,  chloral  hyd.  ^  to  3  grs.,  ext. 
cannabis  ind.  ^^  to  ^  gr.  We  have  known  good  results  from 
each  and  all ;  also  from  blistering  the  spine  with  ol.  tereb.,  and 
repeating  every  week  or  ten  days.  Arsenic  in  2  or  3)n.  doses  of 
Fowler's  solution  has  recently  been  employed  with  great  success. 

Chorea  may  occur  quite  independently  of  distemper. 
Occasionally  we  meet  with  a  case  of  general  chorea,  i.e. 
twitchings  of  the  muscles  all  over  the  body;  but  usually  the 
affection  is  partial,  implicating  merely  a  group  of  muscles, 
as  of  the  face,  neck,  or  a  limb.  The  movements  in  chorea 
cannot  be  mistaken  for  anything  else;  they  are  involuntary, 
and  best  seen  when  the  animal  is  quiet.  Chorea  may 
be  the  consequence  of  irritation  from  worms  or  diseased 
teeth;  it  may,  it  is  said,  follow  an  injury  to  the  head,  but 
most  frequently  it  is  a  sequel  of  debilitating  disease,  especially 
distemper.  Treatment  is  by  no  means  satisfactory;  some 
cases  get  well;  but  whether  we  should  say  they  were  cured, 
or  that  they  recovered,  is  doubtful.  Numerous  drugs  have 
been  tried,  and  with  perhaps  equal  success.  Ether,  am- 
monia, valerian,  asafcetida,  quinine,  and  strychnine,  salts  of 
iron,  copper,  zinc,  silver,  and  arsenic,  have  all  found  strong 
advocates. 

Spinal  meningitis  must  not  be  mistaken  for  the  nervous 
form  of  distemper.  The  symptoms  greatly  resemble  it,  and 
chorea  not  infrequently  results.     {See  Canine  Influenza.) 

The  following  medicines  are  sometimes  attended  with 
success : — 

Liq.  Arsenicalis     .         .         .         .         •     5J- 
Tinct.  P'erri  Mur.  ....     5!]. 

Inf.  GentiancE        .....     5xiij. 
A  teaspoonfiil  twice  a  day. 
Or— 

Zinci  Sulph.  or  Z.  Valerian.  .  .  .     gr.vj. 

Quininae  Sulph.     .         .         .         .         .     c)j. 

Confection  of  roses  to  form  twelve  pills.     Two  ever}'  day. 

Mange  in  the  dog  is  of  two  kinds,  though  all  skin  diseases 
in  this  animal  are  commonly  spoken  of  as  mange. 


238  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

The  common  or  sarcoptic  mange  is  caused  by  a  parasite 
{Sarcopfes  cams),  which  very  rapidly  burrows  and  spreads  over 
the  dog's  body,  and  may  begin  at  any  part ;  its  rapid  diffusion 
and  the  intolerable  itching,  as  also  its  easy  cure,  distinguish  it 
from  the  other  form  of  mange,  which  we  shall  presently  speak 
of.  Its  analogue  in  man  is  '  itch,'  and  its  cure  may  be  effected 
in  the  same  way,  for  sulphur  being  fatal  to  the  parasite  may 
be  considered  as  a  specific.  Dirt  and  poverty  do  not  actually 
cause  mange,  though  favouring  its  contraction.  It  must  be 
conveyed  by  contact  with  another  dog,  or  lying  upon  the  same 
mat,  rubbing  posts,  furniture,  &c.  The  remedy  that  will  the 
soonest  destroy  the  parasites  and  execute  repair  in  the  tissues 
will  bring  most  kudos  to  the  prescriber.  Nothing  answers 
better  than  the  old  recipe  Professor  Simonds  recommended  to 
his  pupils,  because  it  removes  the  superficial  layer  of  skin  ;  one 
or  at  most  two  applications  at  an  interval  of  three  or  four  days 
will  prove  effectual. 

01.  Picis \ 

Ol.  Olivae Y  partes  req. 

01.  Terebinth ) 

M.  ft.  lotio. 

A  scurfy  condition  follows  the  use  of  this  lotion  (desquama- 
tion of  the  cuticle),  but  the  hair  rapidly  grows  again  and  is 
even  improved  by  the  stimulus  that  the  roots  have  received. 

An  ointment  is  sometimes  asked  for,  and  therefore  we  give 
the  following  : — 

Sulph.  Sub.  .         .         .         .         •     5J' 

Potass.  Carb.        .....     555. 

Vaselini        ......     giv. 

Ft.  ung. 

The  other  form  of  mange  is  slower  but  more  persistent,  and 
manifests  itself  by  rubbing  the  spine  under  chairs,  breaking 
the  hairs  along  its  course.  It  is  often  very  slow  in  its  develop- 
ment, but  eventually  spoils  a  dog's  a[)pearance,  as  well  as 
renders  him  very  uncomfortable.  It  is  caused  by  a  parasite 
which  selects  the  skin  glands  which  are  largest — namely,  those 
capable  of  being  erected  when  the  animal  is  angry.     Its  name 


DISEASES  or   DOGS  239 

\%  Demodex  follicidoriim  ;  it  is  long  and  narrow,  with  eight  legs 
of  a  rudimentary  nature  on  the  thoracic  portion,  and  is  found 
head-downwards  in  the  foHicles.     The  following  is  good  : — 

Creasoli      ......     5iv. 

01.  Olivse  ......     ^vij. 

Liq.  Potassce       .         .         .         .         •     jj-        M. 

The  hair  should  be  closely  clipped  and  the  above  application 
well  rubbed  in  on  alternate  days  for  a  fortnight. 

This  form  of  mange  is  by  no  means  uncommon,  yet  often 
not  recognised  till  it  has  gained  a  firm  hold,  the  rubbing 
being  thought  to  be  a  disagreeable  habit  and  its  real  cause  not 
suspected. 

Eczema  is  a  common  disease  among  dogs,  and  often  very 
troublesome  to  treat.  It  is  commonly  mistaken  for  mange, 
though  having  for  its  cause  quite  a  different  origin,  and  the 
remedies  having  nothing  in  common.  It  comes  on  usually 
without  any  preliminary  symptoms,  though  a  very  careful  ob- 
server might  notice  feverishness  and  restlessness  before  the  skin 
becomes  reddened — which  is  commonly  the  first  thing  noticed 
— all  along  the  belly,  thighs,  under  the  arms  and  other  hairless 
portions  of  the  body.  This  intense  redness  is  followed  by  the 
appearance  of  numerous  small  vesicles  or  bladders,  which  vary 
in  size  in  different  attacks,  and  when  associated  v,-ith  distemper 
often  have  a  distinct  character  of  which  we  will  presently  speak. 

The  vesicles  contain  a  thin,  watery  fluid  and  not  pus  or 
matter  ;  they  break,  coalesce,  and  form  scabby  masses,  which 
often  cause  further  irritation  to  the  surrounding  sound  skin,  and 
so  produce  a  confluent  mass  which  may  easily  be  mistaken  for 
a  burn  or  scald,  but  which  had  its  origin  in  the  vesicular  eruption 
known  as  eczema. 

It  should  be  clcariy  distinguished  from  mange  either  of  the 
sarcoptic  or  follicular  variety,  the  latter  being  both  parasitic  in 
their  origin  and  only  to  be  cured  by  remedies  that  will  destroy 
the  living  '  varmints.' 

It   is   not   infectious    or  contagious,  and   as  often   as   not 


240  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

originates  in  a  kennel  to  which  no  other  dogs  have  had  access, 
and  where  the  sanitary  arrangements  are  good.  That  all  the 
dogs  under  one  management  or  ownership  may  have  it  at  one 
time  is  no  argument  as  to  infection,  but  rather  a  proof  that  like 
causes  produce  like  results. 

Indigestion  or  errors  of  diet  account  for  nearly  all  attacks 
of  eczema,  though  many  '  doggy '  men  are  difficult  to  con- 
vince on  the  point,  and  much  acrimonious  correspondence  has 
been  produced  by  veterinary  surgeons  objecting  to  making  any 
one  dog-biscuit  the  sole  diet  for  a  long  period.  IMost  house 
dogs  are  over-fed.  Besides  his  regular  meal,  or  meals,  a  dog 
will  certainly  find  some  extras  for  himself  if  he  gets  the  chance 
of  running  about  loose,  and  the  cook  or  the  children  cannot 
be  prevented  from  providing  some  tit-bits,  generally  of  an  in- 
digestible character,  for  their  canine  friends. 

Couch  grass  {triticiim  repens)  is  the  one  extra  which  the 
dog  may  eat  ad  lib.  Instinct  will  lead  the  animal  to  it  if  there  is 
any  on  the  premises,  and  if  the  owner  of  the  dog  has  no 
garden,  any  friend  who  has  one  will  willingly  give  away  all  the 
couch  grass  he  has  if  the  applicant  will  only  take  it  away  by 
the  roots — a  very  difficult  matter.  Dogs  will  eat  it  in  their 
kennels  if  supplied  with  it  freshly  gathered. 

Eczema  is  not  infrequently  the  result  of  a  too  limited 
dietary,  and  sometimes  an  entire  change  of  food  from  whatever 
has  been  given  is  the  best  remedy  ;  we  have  known  eczema 
cured  with  no  other  remedy  than  horse-flesh,  and  have  seen  a 
whole  kennel  made  ill  by  a  liberal  supply  of  milk. 

There  are  a  great  many  theories  and  no  little  prejudice  in 
this  matter  of  dog-feeding,  and  we  think,  as  the  result  of  obser- 
vations extending  over  thirty  years,  that  dogs  thrive  best  on  a 
mixed  diet  ;  this  notion  is  supported  by  a  compromise  between 
nature  and  art.  Nature  provides  dogs  with  teeth  of  a  character 
destined  only  for  flesh-eating,  while  domestication  makes  it  un- 
desirable to  give  meat  alone. 

Eczema  in  the  dog  appears  to  be  accompanied  with  general 
acidity,  and  alkaline  bicarbonates  and  saline  aperients  have 
proved  the  most  valuable  remedies. 


t)!SEASi;S   OF  DOGS  2^i 

In  a  simple  case  we  should  advise  an  aperient  such  as  the 
time-honoured  syrupus  rhamni  and  ol.  olivce,  rather  than  ricini, 
which  is  such  a  bother  to  administer,  followed  up  with  such  d 
mixture  as  the  following  : — • 


Tot.  Bicarb. 

3Jss 

Mag.  Sulph. 

5iij 

Syr.  Rhcead<is 

5»J 

Aq.  ad 

V-i 

M.  ft.  niist. 

Dose — 5J.  to  2J.  bis  die. 

To  allay  irritation,  and  prevent  the  dog  from  scratching  and 
wounding  his  own  skin,  a  bath  daily,  of  glycerine  i  part,  aqua 
60  parts — or,  if  he  be  a  long-haired  or  delicate  dog,  not  fit  for 
the  bath,  a  lotion  of  the  same,  sponged  on  to  the  affected  parts 
— may  be  used.  To  this  maybe  added  potassa  sulphurata,  5j., 
if  the  simpler  lotion  fails. 

Chronic  eczema  is  more  difficult  to  treat,  as  it  too  often- 
happens  that  the  subject  is  a  pet  dog,  indulged  with  sugar  and 
pastry,  or  '  stuffed '  with  meat  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  food. 
In  addition  to  a  change  of  food,  and  a  course  of  salines,  as 
previously  recommended,  we  would  say  carefully  wash  and 
gently  dry  the  patient  with  a  soft  towel,  and  then  smear  him 
well  with  ung.  zinci  ox.,  made  softer  and  thinner  than  the 
B.P.  preparation  by  the  addition  of  ol.  olivae,  i  to  3  or  4  parts 
of  ung.,  or  an  oily  application  may  be  used  of  liq.  plumbi  i  part, 
ol.  olivce  50  parts.     A  cooling  dressing  is  the  following  :  — 

Liq.  Potassse       .         .         .         .         •  3J. 

01.  OlivK gix. 

Liq.  Plumbi       .....  5iv. 
j\I.  sec.  art. 

Some  very  bad  as  well  as  chronic  cases  have  been  quite 
cured  by  a  persistent  use  of 

Acid.  Carbolic.   .....     \\\k. 

Un^.  Zinci  Ox.  Bcnz-  .         .         .     =i. 

IM.  fi.  ung. 

A  bad  case  will  require  ■x pound  or  two,  but  persistent  daily 
inunction  of  large  quantities  is  worth  trial  for  two  or  three 

R 


242  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

months  (in  the  case  of  valuable  dogs)  when  all  other  agents 
have  failed. 

Chronic  cases  sometimes  yield  to  arsenic,  in  the  form  of  liq. 
arsenicalis  \\\].  to  niiij.  daily,  and  this  maybe  given  with  food 
or  drink,  or  dispensed  with  aqua  as  a  mixture. 

An  eruption  resembling  eczema  is  not  uncommon  in  pups 
debilitated  by  distemper  ;  it  is  not,  strictly  speaking,  eczema, 
but  seems  to  be  an  effort  on  the  part  of  the  skin  to  get  rid  of 
deleterious  matter.  It  comes  up  on  the  inside  of  the  thighs  in 
large  watery  bladders,  which  develop  into  pustules,  and  leave  a 
pit  when  they  rupture.  It  very  nearly  resembles  small-pox  in 
its  periods  of  papulation,  vesication,  pustulation,  and  desquama- 
tion, and  requires  emollient  treatment  locally,  and  mineral 
tonics  internally. 

For  the  comfort  of  dogs  suffering  from  skin-diseases,  it 
should  be  remembered  that  straw,  shavings,  &c.,  form  very 
irritating  and  comfortless  beds  ;  an  old  rug  or  soft  garment 
should  be  provided,  and  afterwards  destroyed. 

Eclampsia. — Bitches  arc  subject  to  a  form  of  parturient 
disease  called  eclampsia.  It  is  generally  the  result  of  suckling 
too  many  pups,  and  the  symptoms  much  resemble  poisoning 
by  strychnine.  There  are  tetanic  spasms,  rapid  breathing,  and 
the  owner  describes  the  animal  as  in  a  fit.  The  treatment 
consists  in  removing  some  of  the  pups,  giving  a  sedative,  as 
bromide  of  potassium  lo  to  60  grains,  a  brisk  aperient,  nourish- 
ing diet,  and  exercise. 

Constipation  in  the  dog  is  much  more  frequent,  we  had 
almost  said  '  natural,'  than  in  other  animals.  The  faeces  of  a 
healthy  dog  should  be  somewhat  hard,  and  no  heed  taken  of 
a  moderate  amount  of  straining  in  defoecation.  It  is  just  as 
natural  for  a  dog  to  put  himself  into  an  attitude  both  anxious 
and  ridiculous  when  defalcating,  as  for  a  horse  to  make  so 
much  ceremony  before  staling. 

Just  inside  the  anus  are  certain  glands  which  emit  an 
unctuous  matter  when  pressed  upon  by  the  hardened  fxccsand 
tl)c  muscular  efforts  of  the  animal  to  pass  the  dung.     They 


DISEASES  OF  DOGS  243 

can  best  be  compared  to  that  part  of  a  goose  or  aquatic  bird 
which  is  known  as  the  'Parson's  nose.'  It  is  a  provision  against 
constipation,  while  hardened  feces  are  normal  and  right  in  the 
case  of  these  animals. 

If,  however,  a  dog  is  observed  repeatedly  putting  himself 
into  these  attitudes,  and  nothing  else  is  observed  on  going  up 
to  the  spot,  it  is  time  to  give  him  a  little  help.  This  is  best 
done  with  an  injection  of  soap  and  water,  but  as  it  often 
happens  that  the  prescriber  cannot  spare  the  time  and  the 
owner  will  not  take  the  trouble,  resort  is  had  to  a  mixture  of 
syr.  rhamni  et  ol.  ricini,  partes  sequales — dose  of  the  mixture 
from  \  oz.  for  a  small  terrier  to  §iij.  for  a  mastiff  or  other  very 
large  animal.  Constipation  in  the  dog  is  very  frequently 
caused  by  eating  bones — not  gnawing  them — like  those  of 
mutton-chops,  game  and  poultry,  which  are  easily  crushed  and 
more  easily  swallowed,  and  these  make  the  light-coloured,  dry, 
hard  faeces  which  used  formerly  to  be  collected  at  street- 
corners  for  dyer's  purposes. 

Youatt  recommends  an  aloetic  ball ;  but  there  is  a  great 
objection  to  aloes,  as  dogs  are  so  easily  nauseated,  and  one 
does  not  care  to  give  a  ball  more  than  once.  Castor  oil  also 
necessitates  a  bath  afterwards  in  long-haired  dogs,  whose 
muzzles  are  rendered  sticky  and  wretched,  if  no  greater  failure 
occurs  in  administration.  jNIag.  sulph.  is  an  aperient  preferable 
to  all  others,  and  this  should  be  given  in  several  small  doses 
rather  than  in  one  heroic  drench. 

The  following  is  a  suitable  mixture  for  habitual  constipa- 
tion :  — 

Mag.  Sulph I]. 

Syr.  Rhamni        .....     ^ss. 

Tinct.  Chlorof,  Co.      ....     555. 

Aq.  ad gvj. 

M.  ft.  haust.     Capt.  jij.  ad  ^ij,  omni  mane  si  opus  sit. 

Some  green  food,  as  boiled  cabbage,  spinach,  &c.,  mixed 
with  gravy  and  table  refuse,  should  be  recommended,  but  not 
much,  for  we  have  in  our  minds,  while  writing  this,  the  case  of 

R  2 


244  VETERINARY  COVK^TeR  PRACTICE 

more  than  one  lady  whose  pet  has  become  intolerable  from  the 
evolution  of  gases  at  both  ends  of  the  dog. 
The  following  is  a  good  aperient  pill  :— 

Pulv.  Jalapoe       .         .         ,         .         .     gr.  x. 
Pulv.  Cambogice  .         .         .         .     gr.  x. 

M.  ft.  pil.     Pro  re  nata. 

It  has  been  pointed  out  elsewhere  that  powders  are  the 
easiest  form  of  medication  for  dogs,  and  a  simple  aperient  of 
lo  to  20  grains  of  pulv.  jalapae  may  be  thrown  upon  the  tongue. 
It  may  be  fortified  with  a  grain  or  two  of  calomel,  where  the 
pallor  of  the  feeces  indicates  inaction  on  the  part  of  the  liver. 
Dogs  can  bear  one  fairly  large  dose  of  calomel,  but  are  prone 
to  salivation  when  repeated.  It  may  in  fact  be  said  that  where 
5  grains  of  calomel  would  be  quite  safe  as  an  aperient,  ten 
doses  of  half  a  grain  each  would  very  likely  induce  mercurial 
poisoning. 

Jaundice. — This  is  not  infrequently  a  sequel  of  distemper, 
though  it  also  occurs  in  old  dogs,  and  quite  apart  from  the 
disease,  or  host  of  diseases,  classified  under  the  generic  term 
of  distemper. 

This  malady  should  be  readily  recognised,  yet  we  are  in  a 
position  to  say  it  seldom  is  until  it  has  made  serious  inroads 
on  the  dog's  constitution  ;  his  attitude  and  demeanour  report 
headache,  nausea,  languor,  loathing,  disgust,  more  plainly  than 
words,  and  his  mute  eloquence  must  appeal  to  the  veriest  dog- 
hater. 

If  the  white  of  his  eye  (conjunctival  membrane)  is  examined, 
it  will  be  found  yellow  in  colour,  or  even  dark  orange  in  tint, 
and  this  extends  to  the  skin.  If  the  nude  parts  are  examined 
and  the  inter-digital  spaces,  the  colour  will  at  once  tell  the 
prescriber  what  he  has  to  deal  with. 

Sometimes  a  number  of  hounds  will  be  affected  with  this 
complaint  at  one  time,  and  then  it  may  be  traced  to  errors 
of  diet  or  environment,  but  in  the  cases  brought  under  the 
notice  of  the  everyday  practitioner  it  is  generally  due  to  an 
idle  life,   indulgence  in  rich  food,  and,  more  than  anything 


DISEASES   OF  DOGS  245 

else,  to  lying  in  front  of  a  fire  persistently.  The  treat- 
ment must  be  bold  and  energetic,  though  Mr.  Steel,  in 
one  of  the.  latest  canine  works,  does  not  seem  to  think  so.  If 
the  disease  is  not  grappled  with  at  once  and  heroic  remedies 
administered,  the  patient  will  be  dead  before  the  milder 
system  has  had  time  to  be  tried.  Dogs,  like  babies,  can  take 
very  large  doses  of  calomel,  and  we  look  upon  this  agent 
as  our  sheet  anchor.  We  are  not  afraid  of  ten  grains  for 
a  small  dog  or  twenty  grains  for  a  hound  or  any  other  of  the 
large  breeds — not  to  be  repeated,  of  course.  It  is  not  the  bold 
dose  that  brings  about  salivation  ;  it  is  the  repetition  of  small, 
and  for  this  purpose  ineffectual,  doses.  Salines  may  be  given 
afterwards.  Mag.  sulph.  5j.  to  5iv.  withinf  quassia  does  well. 
Exercise  should  be  enjoined,  light  food,  such  as  milk  puddings, 
fish  (beware  of  bones),  lunch  biscuits,  &c.  Dogs  need  not  be 
drenched  with  food  if  they  refuse  it ;  there  is  no  domestic 
animal  capable  of  such  long-continued  abstinence  as  the  dog^ 
not  even  the  cat.  Fasting  cats  get  in  at  open  larder-windows 
and  snap  up  '  unconsidered  trifles '  at  hours  when  a  respectable 
dog  is  on  guard  duty.  Cats  sometimes  suffer  from  jaundice, 
but — alas  for  the  harmless  necessary  cat  ! — her  ailments  are  not 
generally  observed  till  too  far  advanced  for  any  remedy  but 
acid,  hydrocyanic.  3j.  secundum  arte?u,  unless  she  sneeze  or 
cough,  when  she  is  hustled  out  of  the  house  under  the 
impression  that  she  is  going  to  be  sick.  We  owe  poor  pussy 
some  reparation  ;  she  is  a  social  martyr  because  not  generally 
understood. 

Rheumatism  in  Dogs. — Veterinarians  are  agreed  that 
dogs  are  unquestionably  subject  to  rheumatism,  and  that  they 
are,  of  all  domestic  animals,  the  most  liable  to  it.  In  their  case 
it  is  not  so  frequently  a  joint  affection.  More  usually  it  is  the 
muscles  of  the  chest  and  shoulders,  and  sometimes  of  the  loins, 
where  the  attack  occurs.  It  comes  on  very  suddenly  and  is 
more  amenable  to  treatment  than  in  man.  It  is  called 
'  kennel  lameness '  among  hounds,  and  is  known  to  most 
sportsmen.     Lapdogs  and  all  other  breeds  are  subjects  of  it, 


246  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

whether  exposed  to  bad  weather  or  not.  It  is  not  very  difficult 
to  diagnose,  as  the  patient  cries  out  on  being  Ufted  by  the  fore- 
arms or  goes  very  stiff — all  in  one  piece — when  lame  in  the 
loins. 

Dogs  are  also  liable  to  rheumatic  fever.  It  does  not  often 
take  this  form,  but  the  subjects  of  it  are  the  most  piteous 
objects.  Curled  up  in  a  heap,  unable  to  move  without  crying 
out  with  agony,  with  a  very  high  temperature,  and  an  odour 
something  like  that  of  a  kennelled  fox. 

Salicylates,  in  doses  proportioned  to  the  weight  of  the 
individual  sufferer,  have  proved  the  most  suitable  remedies,  but 
v'ery  few  dogs  get  the  necessary  attention.  All  animal  food 
must  be  withheld  and  a  diet  of  milk  and  light  puddings  pre- 
scribed ;  spoon  feeding  during  some  part  of  the  illness. 

Treatme?it  of  the  common  forms  of  rheumatism. — Put  the 
dog  on  a  milk  diet  and  apply  daily  the  liniment  referred  to  on 
p.  183  for  horses.     Give  the  following  mixture  : — 

Vin.  Colchici       .....  miij. 

Sodae  Salicyl.      .....  gr.v. 

Aq.  ad 5J. 

M.  ft.  dusis.     Uis  die. 

Rheumatism  seldom  settles  into  the  chronic  form  in  dogs, 
but  may  become  frequently  remittent,  and  the  mixture  and 
liniment  should  be  kept  in  stock  for  such  subjects.  These  are 
the  cases  in  which  a  veterinary  prescriber  may  cover  himself 
with  glory  and  get  appointed  as  canine  surgeon  in  ordinary. 
The  rheumatic  subject  should  not  be  washed  in  the  ordinary 
way,  but  a  medicated  bath  may  be  prescribed  in  the  summer 
months  secundum  artetn. 

The  doses  we  have  given  are  for  a  terrier,  and  may  be 
doubled  for  a  sporting  dog,  and  trebled  for  the  large  breeds. 

A  dose  of  mag.  sulph.  from  5j.  to  $j.  should  be  prescribed 
where  there  is  constipation,  and  it  need  hardly  be  added  the 
dog  should  be  kept  out  of  the  water. 

Gastritis  in  Dogs  is  often  the  result  of  over-feeding, 
or  of  the  presence  of  irritants  in  the  stomach,  splinters  of  bone, 


DISEASES  OF  DOGS  247 

especially  fish-bones,  becoming  lodged  in  the  lining  membrane. 
Frequent  vomiting  of  almost  clear  water  is  a  prominent 
symptom,  and  inability  to  retain  any  food,  marked  thirst,  and 
rapid  loss  of  condition.  In  bad  cases  the  dog  will  often  seek 
a  cold  stone  or  pavement,  and  stretch  out  upon  his  belly,  as  if 
to  cool  the  burning  sensation  he  doubtless  experiences. 

In  the  dog  we  have  a  patient  more  amenable  to  treatment 
than  horses  in  a  similar  complaint.  Severe  cases  of  gastritis 
often  yield  to  a  very  few  doses  of 

Bismuthi  Subcarb C-'iJ-  *^o  S''-  ^• 

Acidi  Hydrocyanici  Dil.       .         .         .  tnj.      ,,  niiij. 

Pulv.  Tragac.  Co.        .         .         .  ,  gr.  ij. 

Aq.  ad 5Jss, 

Ft.  dosis.    4tis  horis  sumend. 

The  patient  should  have  abundance  of  ice-cold  water  supplied 
him,  or  ice-water  spooned  down  every  hour,  with  5  to  10 
minims  of  brandy  in  very  bad  cases. 

No  solid  food  should  be  given,  but  milk  and  milk  puddings, 
gradually  increasing  the  quantity,  and  by  degrees  reverting  to 
his  former  diet. 

Cats  show  much  the  same  symptoms,  and  the  treatment 
above  suggested  is  equally  applicable,  modifying  the  dose  to 
the  comparatively  small  animal  to  be  treated. 

Canine  Influenza  (so  called). — An  epizootic  has  appeared 
during  the  past  few  years  among  dogs  and  has  gained  the  name 
of  influenza.  It  never  assumed  the  catarrhal  form  as  with 
human  beings,  but  began  as  gastritis,  and,  after  every  sort  of 
remedy  had  been  tried,  an  eminent  professor  discovered  (?) 
the  advantages  of  the  bismuth  and  hydrocyanic  treatment 
advised  in  this  work  for  gastritis  when  it  was  first  published, 
and  which  stands  above. 

Like  its  congener  in  the  human  subject,  it  later  on  took  the 
form  of  meningitis  {see  also  Chorea,  p.  236),  with  symptoms 
of  'nerves,'  inability  to  stand  still,  and  uneven  progression 
advancing  to  actual  paralysis.     This  form  is  best  treated  with 


248  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

spinal  sedatives,  preferably  bromide  of  ammonium  or  small 
quantities  of  chloral  together  with  vegetable  bitters,  none  of 
which  answers  better  than  extractuni  gent. 

Worms  in  Dogs, — Of  the  varieties  of  tapeworm  infesting 
dogs,  the  commonest  is  the  Tivnia  marginata.  Dr.  Cobbold 
estimates  its  presence  as  in  25  to  30  per  cent,  of  dogs  in 
England,  14  per  cent,  in  Denmark,  and  75  per  cent,  in  Ireland. 
Sporting  dogs,  as  a  rule,  suffer  more  from  tapeworms  than 
house  dogs  and  pets,  as  the  larval  or  cystic  form  of  some 
varieties  infests  the  entrails  of  hares  and  rabbits,  the  '  fifth 
quarter '  of  which  is  often  the  dog's  share  of  the  spoils. 

Another  variety,  called  Bothriocephalus,  is  found  in  fish, 
and  seaside  dogs  and  cats  suffer  most  from  these.  The  dogs 
of  Norway  and  Sweden,  whose  masters  live  almost  entirely 
upon  fish,  are  hardly  ever  free  from  this  kind  of  tapeworm. 
The  cat  who  follows  the  fishmonger's  barrow,  and  devours 
the  offal  during  the  cleaning  of  fish,  is  a  very  frequent 
victim,  and  wastes  away  to  a  shadow  without  the  cause 
being,  as  a  rule,  ascertained.  Cats  are  most  difficult 
animals  to  treat,  and,  owing  to  their  extremely  scientific  ideas 
of  sanitation,  it  is  often  impossible  to  tell  whether  medicines 
have  acted  upon  them,  except  by  the  improvement  to  be  noted 
afterwards. 

All  the  tapeworm  class  can  be  ejected  by  pulv.  arecoe,  and 
that  agent  is  worthy  of  the  faith  that  was  at  one  time  placed 
in  it.  If  it  fail,  it  is  because  the  powder  is  old  and  has  lost 
its  '  virtue.'  Dog-dealers  and  others  are  fully  aware  of  this, 
and  prefer  the  difficult  task  of  rubbing  the  nuts  on  an  ordinary 
nutmeg-grater  to  buying  the  finely  levigated  article  of  the  shops. 

As  dogs  are  of  all  sizes,  from  the  nude  little  terrier  whose 
owner  prides  himself  on  being  able  to  put  him  in  a  quart  pot, 
to  the  massive  St.  Bernard  or  great  Dane,  one  cannot  put  down 
a  dose  without  some  sort  of  sliding  scale  ;  and  this  Dr.  Cobbold, 
the  celebrated  hclminthologist  of  the  Royal  Veterinary  College, 
did  l)y  advising  two  grains  for  every  pound  weight  of  the  dog. 
The  practice  of  giving  worm  medicines  on  an  empty  stomach 


DISEASES  OF  DOGS  249 

has  the  sanction  of  long  practice,  though  remedies  often  take 
effect  when  given  in  food — a  fact  worth  bearing  in  mind  if  the 
animal  wears  a  forbidding  expression  and  the  owner  is  un- 
willing himself  to  run  the  risk.  The  dose  should  be  repeated 
at  intervals  of  a  few  days,  as  some  worms  are  most  tenacious 
of  life,  and  can  'brokenly  live  on' just  as  well  as  if  entire  ; 
indeed,  the  tapeworm  class  differs  from  all  others,  inasmuch 
as  any  two  segments  can  impregnate  each  other,  being  bisexual 
and  capable  of  producing  some  30,000  eggs. 

01.  filicis  can  seldom  be  retained  long  enough  to  be  effectual, 
hut  a  very  good  pill  made  of  the  following  ingredients  is  often 
used  with  success,  and,  as  it  is  not  always  known  from  what 
particular  kind  of  worm  a  dog  is  suffering,  it  is  worth  while  to 
give  him  a  charge  that  will  hit  either  :  — 

Santoiiine     .....     gr.ij. 
Powdered  Glass    .         .         .         .     gr.  v. 
Powdered  Areca    ....     gr.^'. 
Oil  of  Male  Fern  ....     Sufficient  to  make  pill. 
To  be  pearl-coated  or  silvered. 

The  round  worms,  or  ascarides,  are  pretty  easily  removed  by 
the  use  of  powdered  areca  nut,  in  doses,  for  ordinary-sized 
dogs,  of  about  one  drachm,  made  into  a  pill. 

The  powder  is  rather  light  and  bulky,  so  for  small  dogs 
had  better  be  made  into  two  pills,  and  given  one  after  the 
other.  The  areca  nut  should  be  given  over  night,  and 
followed  by  a  dose  of  about  an  ounce  of  castor  oil  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning.  To  make  sure  of  removing  all  the 
worms  an  animal  should  have  at  least  two  doses  given  at  an 
interval  of  a  week.  In  place  of  areca  nut,  worm  seed  or 
santonica  may  be  used.  The  dose  of  the  powdered  seed  for  a 
medium-sized  aged  dog  is  about  six  grains,  given  as  a  pill  in 
the  same  manner  as  areca  nut. 

' Stonehenge,'  in  his  work  on  the  'Greyhound,'  recom- 
mends Indian  Pink  as  a  vermifuge.  An  infusion  of  half  an 
ounce,  in  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  to  be  given,  when  cold,  at 
night,  and  followed  by  castor  oil  in  the  morning. 

The  tapeworm  is  by  no  means  so  easily  removed.     This 


250  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

parasite  attaches  itself  to  the  intestine  by  hooks  situated  on  its 
head,  and  as  it  grows  detaches  the  posterior  joints  filled  with 
eggs.  The  presence  of  these  joints  in  the  faeces  of  the  animal 
corroborates  a  diagnosis.  The  chief  difficulty  is  the  head  ;  for 
so  long  as  it  remains  attached  the  parasite  grows,  and  causes 
irritation  ;  sometimes  fits. 

The  ordinary  anthelmintics  seem  to  be  powerless  on  the 
tapeworm.  "We  consider  the  best  to  be  the  oil  of  male 
fern,  given  in  linseed  tea,  or  tied  up  in  a  small  piece  of  sausage 
skin.  The  dose  for  a  medium-sized  dog,  say  a  bull  terrier,  is 
about  half  a  drachii.  It  should  be  repeated  in  a  week  or  so, 
and  if  the  dog  is  weak  a  little  tonic  medicine  is  required, 
Another  drug  spoken  of  by  some  very  highly  is  the  Abyssinian 
kousso.     The  dose  is  from  four  to  eight  drachms. 

If  it  is  decided  to  give  a  dog  ol.  filicis  or  other  agent  known 
to  excite  nausea,  the  animal's  mouth  should  be  strapped  so 
that  he  cannot  open  it,  and  his  head  tied  up  in  such  a  manner 
that  he  cannot  depress  his  nose  between  his  legs.  This  will 
deter  him  from  vomiting,  as  he  cannot  do  so  without  putting 
his  head  down. 

Fits  in  Dogs. — Convulsions  are  most  commonly  met 
with  in  young  dogs,  and  may  generally  be  traced  to  some 
irritating  cause,  as  worms  in  the  intestines,  or  the  natural 
changes  in  the  teeth.     Treatment  is  remedial  and  preventive. 

If  the  creature  is  brought  to  the  pharmacy  while  actually  in 
a  fit,  the  V.C.P.  may  cover  himself  with  glory  by  extemporising 
a  cardboard  muzzle  and  causing  the  animal  to  inhale  chlo- 
roform through  a  sponge.  To  prevent  the  return  of  fits 
after  removing  any  probable  cause,  the  following  pill  may  be 
given  : — 

Arsenic,  all).    ....  gr.j. 

Ferri  Sulph gr.xx. 

Ext.  Gentiance        .        .        .  sufficient  to  form  15  pills. 
One  everj'  day. 

Pot.  bromid.  gr.  xv.,  combined  with  chloral  hydrat.  gr.  x.,  is 


DISEASES   OF  COGS  251 

often  serviceable  in  these  cases.     Order  exercise,  good  food, 
and  a  dry  house. 

Canker. — This  is  one  of  the  things  upon  which  the  counter 
prescriber  is  frequently  consulted  and  should  be  familiar  with, 
for  the  patient  can  be  brought  to  him  and  treated  at  his  own 
pharmacy. 

The  old  remedies  such  as  argenti  nit.,  cupri  sulph.,  &c.j 
cannot  be  too  strongly  condemned,  and  he  who  would  be 
successful  in  the  treatment  should  remember  the  cause  and 
origin  of  canker  and  not  treat  it  as  he  would  an  ulcerated  con- 
dition in  any  other  part  of  the  body.  The  ear  of  the  dog,  we 
may  remind  our  readers,  has  on  its  inner  surface  two  kinds  of 
glands  which  secrete  respectively  wax  and  an  unctuous  matter 
for  keeping  the  ear  soft  and  pliable.  These  glands  when 
irritated  by  dust  or  water  or  other  agents  become  inflamed,  and 
instead  of  lubricating  and  protecting  the  parts,  they  give  out 
an  acrid  matter  which  soon  again  spreads  the  inflammatory 
area  and  ends  in  ulcerations,  which  may  be  of  any  shape  and 
size,  but  are  oftenest  found  as  cracks.  Water  dogs  such  as 
spaniels  and  retrievers  are  perhaps  the  most  frequent  subjects, 
but  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  dogs  are  liable  to  it. 

Instead  of  pouring  in  irritants  and  increasing  the  pain  and 
inflammation,  the  ear  should  be  softened  and  the  morbid  pro- 
ducts broken  down  in  the  first  place  by  a  drachm  or  two  of  ol. 
amygd.  dulc.  dispensed  secundum  artem  (we  choose  ol.  amygd. 
as  having  the  least  amount  of  gummy  or  extractive  matter).  If 
this  is  warmed  in  a  teaspoon  over  the  gas-jet  to  about  the  tem- 
perature of  the  body  and  poured  in  gently,  the  dog  will  not 
resent  it.  This  is  most  important,  as  first  impressions  go  a  long 
way  with  a  dog.  If  frightened  by  the  first  dressing,  or  the 
irritants  previously  used,  he  will  always  be  a  troublesome  dog, 
and  never  a  jolly  dog,  to  treat.  This  done  on  two  or  three 
successive  days,  the  dog  should  be  firmly  but  kindly  held  while 
the  meatus  is  cleaned  out  with  cotton  wool  on  a  bone  pen- 
holder or  blunt  forceps,  care  being  taken  to  remove  all  the 
debris  without  injuring  the  sensitive  lining  of  the  ear. 


252  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

The  following  simple  lotion  should  then  be  used,  warming 
as  previously  advised  :  — 

Liq.  Plumbi  .  .  ,  .  .  mx. 

Glycerini      ......  5^^* 

Aq.  Sambuci  ad  .         .         .         .         .  5J. 

M.  ft.  lotio.     Quotidie  applicand. 

Or  this,  which  is  the  most  famous  among  canine  practitioners  — 


Zinci  Ox.   . 

•     5J- 

Zinci  Sulphat. 

•      gr-  X. 

Acid.  Borici 

.      5SS. 

Glycerini    . 

.     5iv. 

Aq.  ad 

•     5''J- 

M. 

ft.  lotio. 

Or  the  ear  may  be  dressed  with  iodoform,  oxide  of  zinc, 
starch,  and  boric  acid,  any  of  which  will  often  cure  the 
disease.  Success  depends  not  so  much  upon  the  drug  selected 
as  upon  the  manner  and  frequency  of  the  dressing. 

If  old  ulcerations  are  present,  we  recommend,  after  the 
cleaning  process,  no  stronger  application  than 

Acidi  Carbolici in  x. 

01.  Amygd.  Dulc 3J.     M. 

The  treatment  consists  essentially  in  removing  the  cause — 
namely,  the  mal-secretion ;  and  if  this  can  be  done  the  effect 
ceases.  There  are  some  old-standing  cases  that  are  incurable, 
chiefly  because  the  owners  will  not  take  the  necessary  trouble 
themselves  or  pay  others  to  do  so.  The  remedies  above  men- 
tioned will  mitigate  the  pain  and  subdue  the  offensive  odour 
if  nothing  more.  External  canker  is  a  vague  term  applied 
alike  to  ulcerated  flaps  and  serous  abscesses  (which  see,  p.  270). 

In  treating  canker  we  should  give  alteratives,  such  as  daily 
grain  doses  of  flor.  sulph.  or  the  following  : — ■ 

Ilydr.  c.  Crcla gr.  iij. 

I-lor.  .Siiljili gr.  xij. 

Carlxjn.  Anim.-il.  .         .         .         •     g""-  '''. 

M.  ct  divide  in  pulv.  xij.     j.  omni  die. 


DISEASES  OF  DOGS  253 

Such  small  and  comparatively  tasteless  powders  as  these  can 
1)6  given  in  the  food.  Patients  should  not  be  allowed  to  enter 
water,  and  if  pet  dogs  must  be  washed,  care  must  be  taken  to 
keep  the  ears  dry  by  plugging  with  cotton  wool. 

Deafness. — Dogs  are  frequently  deaf,  but  there  are 
fewer  deaf  dogs  about  since  the  barbarous  practice  of  cropping 
the  ears  has  fallen  more  or  less  into  desuetude.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  cropping  will  altogether  disappear,  as  clubs  are  beginning 
to  disqualify  cropped  dogs  from  taking  prizes  at  shows.  There 
is  not  much  to  be  done  for  deafness  in  dogs  unless  it  is  trace- 
able to  some  recent  injury  or  blocking-up  of  the  ear  with  wax 
and  dirt.  Some  of  the  large-eared  hairy  breeds  of  dogs  get 
mats  or  tags  of  woolly  hair  formed  on  the  inside  of  the  flap, 
making  the  ear  sore  by  its  weight  and  friction,  and  by  preventing 
natural  evaporation  the  base  of  the  ear  becomes  inflamed,  and 
a  green  offensive  pus  is  produced.  The  remedy  for  this  is 
fomentation  with  warm  water  and  glycerine,  careful  removal 
of  niatted  hair  with  scissors,  and  the  daily  application  of  the 
following  ointment  : — • 

Ung.  Zinci  .....  5IJ. 

01.  Amygd.  Dulc.  ....  5iij. 

Lanolini       ......  5iij. 

M.  ft.  ung. 

The  poor  dog  for  whom  this  little  office  is  performed  will 
quickly  repay  the  trouble  in  his  improved  appearance  and  brisk 
manner,  if  not  by  his  gratitude. 

When  deafness  is  the  result  of  a  blow  or  a  fall  and  comes 
on  suddenly,  a  brisk  aperient,  such  as  mag.  sulph.  5j.  with 
tr.  jalapce  \\\\\.  (for  a  terrier),  will  have  the  effect  of  diverting 
congestion. 

Slit  ears  in  sporting  dogs  and  gun-shot  wounds  are  common 
enough,  and  cause  a  great  deal  of  pain  to  dogs,  without,  as  a  rule, 
getting  any  treatment.  They  should  be  gently  handled  and 
dressed  with  the  above  ointment,  unless  a  shot  or  thorn  is 
found,  when  it  should  be  removed.  Injuries  to  the  flaps  of  the 
ear  are  often  very  troublesome  to  heal,  as  the  patient  inflicts 


2ii  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

fresh  Avounds  with  his  foot  in  vain  efforts  to  allay  the  irritability. 
Bandages  upon  the  head  or  ears  we  do  not  recommend ;  the 
only  exception  we  would  make  is  in  the  rare  instance  of  keeping 
a  pad  on  a  dislocated  or  seriously  injured  eye. 

Pneumonia,  or  Inflammation  of  the  Lungs. — This 

disease  is  by  no  means  uncommon  in  dogs.  The  dog  be- 
comes suddenly  languid,  his  nose  is  hot  and  dry,  he  loses 
appetite,  assumes  a  lying  posture,  but  is  restless  and  frequently 
moves.  At  a  rather  later  stage  of  the  disease,  he  prefers  to  sit 
with  his  head  in  the  air,  mouth  open,  and  bears  an  anxious 
look  on  his  face.  Breathing  is  short  and  painful,  the  cough 
frequent  and  dry.  His  mouth  is  dry,  and  his  urine  is  high- 
coloured.     Sometimes  a  reddish  mucus  runs  from  the  nose. 

Treatmoit. — The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  place  the  patient  in 
a  moderately  warm,  airy  room  or  shed.  A  mustard  plaster 
should  be  applied  to  the  chest,  and  an  embrocation  of  lin. 
camph.  CO.  rubbed  into  the  adjacent  parts.  For  internal  ad- 
ministration give  :  vin.  ipecac.  i}i_v.,tinct.  aconiti  B.P.  niss.,  tinct. 
camph.  CO.  nix.,  glycerini  ad  5j.,  pro  dosi,  bis  terve  die.  This 
is  for  a  fair-sized  terrier  ;  for  a  St.  Bernard  tsvice  the  above 
might  be  given.  Inhalations  of  tinct.  benz.  co.  are  found 
beneficial. 

Hot  Feet. — An  inflammatory  disorder  attacking  the  feet 
of  dogs,  caused  by  long  runs  on  hard  dry  ground.  The  paws 
become  hot,  very  tender,  and  are  often  swollen.  Rest,  gentle 
purgatives,  light  diet,  and  poulticing,  or  the  application  of 
fullefs-earth  and  lanolinc  or  lard  at  night,  will  soon  restore 
the  animal. 

Rabies  is  due  to  a  specific  virus.  It  is  the  most 
terriljle  disease  affecting  any  animals,  and  it  is  especially  dreaded 
for  the  reason  that  it  may  be  transmitted  to  other  healthy 
animals  and  to  man  by  means  of  a  virus  contained  in  the 
saliva.  It  appears  at  all  seasons,  but  cases  have  been  found 
to  be  mo.st  frccjucnt  during  the  autumn  and  in  the  early 
spring.     The  first  symptoms  of  the  malady  are  often  not  very 


DISEASES  OF  DOCS  255 

marked,  so  that  an  animal  may  be  suffering  from  rabies  for 
some  time  before  the  disease  is  suspected.  The  earhest  mani- 
festations are  those  which  characterise  many  other  complaints. 
The  dog  is  hstless,  and  appears  sad  ;  often  he  has  no  appetite  ; 
he  seeks  darkness,  and  keeps  in  his  kennel  or  bed.  The  special 
feature  which  suggests  danger  is  the  fixed  gaze,  the  eye  being 
brighter  and  redder  than  usual.  The  dog  will  often  lick  every- 
thing near  him,  and  may  perhaps  be  seen  lapping  his  urine. 
If  he  has  maintained  his  appetite,  he  loses  it  later.  He  does 
not  bark,  but  whines  with  a  peculiar  and  characteristic  raucous 
cry.  He  still  obeys  his  master,  but  not  eagerly,  and  at  times  he 
flies  at  imaginary  objects.  It  is  not  the  case,  as  is  often  said, 
that  he  shows  terror  at  the  sight  of  water.  On  the  contrary,  he 
will  go  to  the  vessel  and  try  to  drink,  but,  as  the  disease  pro- 
gresses, deglutition  becomes  impossible.  He  bites  at  his  bed, 
at  straw,  at  wood,  at  rags  which  he  can  get  hold  of.  If 
chamed,  he  bites  at  the  chain.  If  not  chained,  he  will  try  to 
escape.  Even  when  the  disease  has  gone  as  far  as  this,  he  will 
seldom  bite  his  master,  but  if  he  escapes  he  may  bite  any  other 
dog  or  person  whom  he  may  meet.  Within  eight  days,  if  he  be 
not  previously  killed,  paralysis  supervenes,  and  death  relieves 
him  from  his  agony.  There  is  no  known  remedy  for  rabies. 
If  the  symptoms  we  have  described  are  exhibited,  the  dog 
should  be  kept  chained  in  a  place  by  himself,  and  a  veterinary 
surgeon  should  be  called.  If  he  confirm  the  suspicion,  the 
sooner  the  animal  is  killed  the  better. 

There  is  a  form  of  rabies  known  as  '  dumb  rabies,'  in  which 
the  dog's  jaws  appear  to  be  paralysed.  This  form  is  very 
frequent  and  does  not  seem  to  arise  so  much  from  paralysis 
of  the  jaw,  which  is  kept  open,  as  from  swelling  of  the  fauces 
and  back  part  of  the  tongue,  which  makes  it  difficult  to  close 
the  mouth.  The  dog  is  not  however  dumb,  but  gives  vent 
to  occasional  howls  quite  different  in  tone  from  his  ordinary 
voice.  His  mouth  is  dark,  red,  and  dry,  from  evaporation 
through  keeping  it  open.  He  cannot  bite,  but  the  attendant 
must  beware  of  supposing  that  he  has  a  bone  in  his  throat 
and  trying  to  take  it  out  with  the  fingers,  for  the  saliva  is  as 


^36  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PR  AC  f ICE 

poisonous  as  in  the  other  variety.    There  is  no  remedy,  and  the 
dog  will  soon  die. 

Canine  Dentistry. — Many  chemists  who  extract  teeth 
may  have  overlooked  the  fact  that  dog  patients  also  often  re- 
quire surgical  aid. 

Perhaps  some  reader  has  received  an  early  and  unfavourable 
'impression'  of  dog's  teeth,  and  the  idea  of  turning  them  to 
profit  has  not  entered  his  head.  To  such  we  offer  a  few  re- 
marks as  to  how  to  secure  the  patient  with  safety  and  comfort. 
Fortunately  for  canine  surgeons  the  largest  dogs  have  generally 
the  mildest  dispositions,  and  the  '  baying  of  the  deep-mouthed 
hound'  is  usually  the  worst  part  of  him.  Bites  come  more 
frequently  from  the  pampered  pet,  whose  doctor  injudiciously 
approaches  him  upon  his  mistress's  knee  instead  of  insisting 
on  a  stranger  holding  him.  Only  those  who  frequently  handle 
dogs  realise  that  they  more  often  scratch  than  bite. 

When  some  minor  operation  has  to  be  performed  upon  the 
mouth  of  a  small  dog,  he  should  be  placed  upon  the  lap  of  a 
man  or  boy,  who  should  hold  the  hind  and  fore  leg  of  one  side 
in  one  hand  and  the  hind  and  fore  leg  of  the  other  side  in  the 
other  hand — this  will  leave  his  head  free,  but  confine  his  body 
within  reasonable  limits  and  prevent  him  from  scratching. 
Placing  an  old  bonnet  string  or  piece  of  webbing  in  the  mouth, 
draw  down  the  jaw  by  holding  the  two  ends  together  and  close 
to  the  dog,  while  with  the  right  or  free  hand  you  use  the  for- 
ceps or  scaler;  with  a  very  little  practice  and  firmness  this 
will  be  found  easy. 

A  rather  larger  dog  may  be  wound  round  with  a  large  towel 
or  bulky  wrapper  to  prevent  the  free  use  of  his  hind  legs,  while 
the  front  ones  arc  held  as  before.  If  a  very  large  dog,  he  will 
have  to  be  cast  by  a  cord  attached  to  his  collar  and  wound 
round  his  hind  leg,  so  as  to  pull  it  forward  till  it  meets  the 
collar;  in  this  way  you  can  make  him  contribute  to  his  own 
security  by  being  unable  to  get  up.  The  jaw  may  be  kept  open 
in  the  same  way  or  by  a  wooden  gag. 

The  method  of  operating  under  chloroform  is  rather  dan- 


1)is£as£S  Of  dogs  257 

geroUS,  and  the  most  experienced  vets,  sometimes  sliulT  out  the 
patient.  The  subjects  to  be  avoided  are  fat,  old,  and  petted 
dogs,  which  frequently  suffer  from  fatty  degeneration  of  the 
heart. 

Dental  troubles  seldom  begin  till  the  puppy  is  three  or 
four  months  old,  when  he  may  be  subject  to  fits  and  other 
nervous  disorders,  which  are  frequently  cured  immediately  by 
the  removal  of  the  temporary  teeth,  which  can  be  readily  dis- 
tinguished from  the  permanent;  there  is  usually  very  little 
trouble  in  extracting  them,  as  after  the  fourth  or  fifth  month 
the  fangs  are  absorbed  as  in  the  human  subject. 

The  most  frequent  time  for  fits  arising  from  teething  is 
from  the  fifth  to  the  seventh  month,  when  the  tushes,  or  long 
corner  teeth,  come  through ;  for  some  reason  not  understood 
the  temporary  and  permanent  tushes  are  more  often  seen  to- 
gether than  any  other  of  the  dog's  teeth,  and  the  primaries 
should  then  be  removed.  Puppies  frequently  remove  them 
without  assistance  in  that  game  of '  French  and  English '  they  are 
so  fond  of  playing  with  one's  favourite  slippers  or  the  hall  mat, 
if  nothing  more  valuable  falls  in  their  way.  Large  bones  should 
be  advised  for  the  same  end.  Small  ones  are  too  often  crushed, 
swallowed,  and  impacted  in  some  part  of  the  digestive  canal. 

The  dog  suffering  from  toothache  rests  his  face  on  a 
cool  stone  or  leans  it  against  a  wall  and  whines,  striking  the 
side  of  his  mouth  with  the  hind  foot. 

Extraction  is,  of  course,  the  remedy  for  diseased  teeth,  as 
also  for  that  dreadful  condition  of  the  mouth  known  as  canker,  in 
which  the  teeth  become  ankylosed  together  by  a  foul  growth 
of  degraded  material,  causing  ulceration  of  the  gums  and 
dribbling  of  saliva,  accompanied  by  the  most  intolerable  smell. 
All  the  diseased  teeth  should  be  removed,  as  the  necessity  for 
artificials  is  not  so  great  in  dogs  as  in  man ;  the  gastric  juice  of 
the  former  has  twice  the  digestive  power  of  that  of  man,  and 
it  is  in  accordance  with  the  nature  of  the  dog  to  bolt  his  food, 
his  teeth  being  used  only  to  kill  his  prey  or  tear  up  the  food, 
not  grind  it  as  with  ruminants  or  solipeds.  Ages  of  domesti- 
cation have  modified  the  dog's  teeth  as  well  as  his  digestion, 

s 


258  VETERINARV  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

but  a  dog  can  live  and  thrive  on  soft  food  ver}-  well,  without 
any  teeth  whatever. 

The  appearance  of  tartar  on  the  teeth  commences  usually 
at  about  fifteen  months,  and  the  dog's  age  can  be  fairly  well 
guessed  by  an  expert  by  this  means  alone.  AVhen  it  accumu- 
xates  to  any  extent  the  teeth  should  be  scaled,  or  ulcerated 
gums  and  unpleasant  breath  will  bring  about  unmerited  banish- 
ment of  my  lady's  pet  from  my  lady's  chamber.  The  same 
tooth  powders  can  be  used  as  for  human  beings,  and  in  many 
chronic  cases  the  use  of  charcoal  biscuits  is  a  benefit  alike  to 
the  dog  and  the  owner. 

Splinters  of  game  and  poultry  bones  are  not  infrequently 
found  firmly  imbedded  between  the  teeth,  and  occasion  much 
distress ;  the  dog  strikes  the  sides  of  his  face  with  his  front 
paw  and  dribbles  at  the  mouth.  A  timely  removal  with  the 
stump  forceps  and  a  little  astringent  wash  applied,  or  rather 
champed^  on  a  sponge  will  soon  effect  a  complete  cure. 


259 


TREATMENT  OF  EYE  DISEASES 

There  are  diseases  of  the  eye  special  to  some  animals,  and 
others  common  to  all.  No  one  should  trust  himself  to  treat 
diseases  of  the  eye  without  a  fair  acquaintance  with  the  struc- 
ture and  functions  of  the  organ  of  sight.  Such  knowledge  may 
be  obtained  from  cheap  elementary  vrorks,  such  as  Huxley's 
'  Physiology,'  or  Kirke's  ;  and  we  may  add  that  the  dissection  of 
a  bullock's  or  sheep's  eye  is  well  worth  the  trouble,  though 
the  experimentalist  may  have  no  intention  beyond  that  of  pre- 
scribing for  such  simple  ailments  as  are  commonly  brought 
under  the  notice  of  the  counter  prescriber. 

The  eyes  of  animals  differ  only  in  a  few  particulars  from 
the  human  eye,  and  to  these  differences  we  will  briefly  call 
attention  :— The  position  in  the  face,  finding  its  most  con- 
spicuous example  in  the  hare,  which  looks  behind  her ;  the 
lashes  and  brow  ;  the  retractor  muscle  which  enables  animals 
to  draw  back  the  eye  into  its  socket,  and  the  greater  develop- 
ment of  the  haw  or  carunaila  lachryvialls.  The  tapetum  luci- 
dutn  also,  which  enables  animals  to  graze  in  a  very  low  medium 
of  light,  and  cats  to  '  see  in  the  dark,'  as  is  commonly  said. 
It  is  not  true  that  they  can  really  see  in  the  dark,  but  they  can 
do  so  in  a  very  low  medium  of  light.  An  absolutely  blind  cat 
can  find  its  way  about  without  running  into  objects  of  furni- 
ture, &c.,  but  this  is  chiefly  owing  to  the  'whiskers'  or  long 
feelers  with  which  pussy  is  endowed  ;  at  the  base  of  these 
feelers  is  a  little  cauliflower-like  expansion  of  nerve  which 
gives  the  most  delicate  sense  of  touch.  Bats  have  the  sense 
of  touch  so  highly  developed  that  a  blinded  bat  can  fly  about 


26o  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

a  room  in  which  silk  threads  are  suspended  without  ever 
coming  in  contact  with  them.  To  their  highly  developed  sense 
of  touch  and  a  good  bump  of  locality  must  be  ascribed  a  great 
deal  of  the  ability  cats  possess  of  'seeing  in  the  dark.'  There 
is,  too,  a  phosphorescent  light  or  luminous  carpet  at  the  back 
of  animals'  eyes,  particularly  felines,  which  enables  them  to  see 
much  better  than  we  can,  in  anything  but  absolute  darkness. 
Savages  can  see  better  at  night  than  civilised  men,  and  country- 
men, gamekeepers,  and  rural  policemen  can  see  where  a  city 
man  feels  absolutely  helpless.  These  are  of  course  only  ex- 
amples of  the  fact  that  senses  not  fully  developed  fall  into 
abeyance,  or  by  exercise  develop  proportionately. 

Much  of  the  expression  of  the  face  depends  on  the  eye, 
though  it  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  the  'window  of  the  soul '  as 
in  man.  Man  does  not  lay  his  ears  back  when  angry,  but  the 
expression,  for  instance,  of  a  vicious  horse  or  cat  is  as  much  due 
to  the  ears  as  to  the  eyes.  Horses  are  commonly  suspected  of 
vice  if  much  of  the  white  of  the  eye  is  visible,  but  it  is  not  an 
invariable  rule,  nor  is  a  deep  hollow  over  the  eye  an  invariable 
sign  of  age.  It  may  sometimes  be  seen  in  a  quite  young 
horse,  when  one  or  both  of  the  parents  were  old. 

Inflammation  of  the  Eyes  {Ophthalmia)  is  not  unfre- 
quently  caused  by  the  lodgment  of  foreign  bodies,  and  was 
more  common  formerly  than  now.  Hay-racks  were  then  above 
the  horses'  heads,  and  in  pulling  out  the  provender,  seed 
would  fall  on  the  face  and  into  the  eye.  Stables  were  dark, 
and  the  atmosphere  saturated  with  ammonia.  The  blind 
horses  to  be  met  with  thirty  or  forty  years  ago  were  probably 
more  than  double  the  number  at  the  present  day. 

Inflammation  is  caused  sometimes  by  the  lash  of  the  whip, 
and  may  be  traced  long  afterwards  by  a  white  mark  being  left 
upon  the  eye. 

The  first  thing  to  do  in  treating  an  inflamed  eye  is  to 
ascertain  if  there  is  anything  lodged  in  it,  such  as  seed,  chaff, 
or  grit.  Warm  fomentations  with  extractuni  belladonnne  are  of 
much  service  in  reducing  the  swelling,  but  no  such  prepara- 


TREATMENT  OF  EYE  DISEASES  261 

tions  as  zinci  sulph.  should  be  used  during  the  inflammatory 
stage. 

The  introduction  of  cocaine  into  veterinary  practice  has 
been  of  the  greatest  benefit  in  treatment  of  eye  diseases  and 
accidents.  A  ten  per  cent,  solution  thrown  upon  the  conjunc- 
tiva by  means  of  a  c.  h.  pencil,  enables  the  operator  to  get  a 
fair  view  and  manipulate  the  lids  in  order  to  remove  a  foreign 
body  or  suture  a  torn  eyelid. 

Some  practitioners  bleed  from  the  angular  vein  or 
apply  a  counter-irritant  to  the  skin  over  that  region.  We 
doubt  the  utility  of  such  treatment,  and  there  is  always  the 
risk  of  the  animal  rubbing  it  and  causing  further  injury. 
Belladonna  has  the  advantage  of  keep  ng  the  pupil  moving 
and  preventing  morbid  matter  from  fixing  the  iris  and  lens. 
A  dark  stable  or  a  light  bandage  suspended  over  the  face  is 
comforting  to  the  patient  and  should  not  be  forgotten.  If 
the  cause  has  been  an  injury  from  a  blow  with  a  whip  or  a 
bough,  in  going  through  a  hedge,  a  mark  will  generally  be  left, 
and  then  it  is,  when  inflammation  has  subsided,  that  zinci 
sulph.  gr.  iv.  ad  |j.  aquEe  will  prove  useful  in  reducing  if  not 
altogether  removing  the  nebula,  as  the  more  or  less  opaque 
spot  is  called.  This  will  be  seen  to  become  blue  round  the 
edges,  and  gradually  disappear  till  only  a  small  blemish, 
technically  known  as  an  albugo,  remains.  It  was  the  practice 
in  former  days  to  treat  opacities  of  the  cornea  with  caustic 
remedies,  blowing  powdered  sugar  through  a  quill  on  to  the 
surface  of  the  eye,  and  applying  solid  nitrate  of  silver,  but 
such  heroic  remedies  have  proved  to  be  quite  unnecessar}', 
and  absorption  can  be  facilitated  by  no  greater  excitants  than 
the  one  above  named,  or  alum.  gr.  iv.,  aq.  5J. 

Professor  Williams  recommends,  in  the  inflammatory  stage, 
the  smearing  of  ext.  belladonnae  '  upon  the  lids  \  this  is  rather 
crude  pharmacy,  and  we  should  prefer  his  alternative  sugges- 
tion : — Atropines  sulph.  gr.  iv.  ad  |j.  aq.  dest. 

'  We  have  elsewhere  apologised  for  some  of  the  inelegant  preparations 
in    use    among   veterinary   surgeons,    and    would    call    the   phafmagigt's 


262  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Inflammation  of  the  eyes  may  be  of  a  more  serious  nature 
and  of  constitutional  tendency  and  recurrence.  Veterinarians 
of  experience  can  distinguish  between  the  two  and  treat  the 
latter  with  aperients  and  febrifuges.  In  this  disease  the  internal 
structures  of  the  eye  are  involved  and  serious  alterations  follow. 
Repeated  inflammations  end  in  blindness,  and  too  much  im- 
portance cannot  be  attached  to  the  examination  of  the  eyes  of 
a  horse  before  making  a  purchase.  If  one  eye  is  smaller  than 
the  other  or  looks  puckered  or  three-cornered,  there  is  some- 
thing wrong.  Although  experienced  veterinarians  sometimes 
fail  to  detect  these  things,  we  think  there  is  no  guinea  better 
spent  by  the  amateur  horseman  than  that  paid  for  an  examina- 
tion as  to  soundness. 

Torn  Eyelids  are  generally  caused  by  the  reprehensible 
practice  of  leaving  nails  in  stable  walls,  though  horses  have 

attention  to  the  field  for  improvement  still  open.     The  following  recipe 
appeared  (1890)  in  the  Veterinary  column  of  a  well-knowTi  periodical : — 

Ext.  Belladonnce   .....     5iij. 

Sodx  Carb.    ......     gjss. 

Pulv.  Anisi   ......     5ix. 

Potass.  Nit.  ......     5JS5. 

Pulv.  Foenugr.       .....     jjss. 

M.  et  divide  in  pulv.  viij.     Capt.  j.  bis  die. 

This  is  nothing  to  some  of  the  messes  prescribed  by  old  writers  who 
recommended  the  mixing  of  'chamber  lye,'  &c. ,  and  unblushingly 
suggested  '  chamber  pots  '  as  suitable  vessels  for  their  manufacture. 

Elegant  pharmacy  is  now  not  unknown  among  veterinary  practitioners, 
but  they  :ely  very  largely  upon  wholesale  firms  who  make  a  speciality  of 
supplying  packetcd  drugs,  standardised  solutions  for  hypodermic  injection, 
tabloids  for  pocket  cases,  &c.  Like  their  medical  confreres  they  hate  dis- 
pensing, and  rarely  do  it  decently.  Many  would  be  glad  to  make  arrange- 
ments with  pharmacists,  but  there  is  a  want  of  confidence,  a  suspicion  of 
good  faith  which  has  survived  from  the  old  farrier  days,  when  vets,  were 
not  highly  educated  as  they  are  now.  There  is  room  for  mutual  profit 
and  convenience  as  between  the  V.S.  and  the  dispensing  chemist.  The 
'.superior  'smile  of  the  pharmacist,  when  an  inelegant  formula  is  brought  in, 
is  not  calculated  to  establish  that  good  relationship  which  there  should  bci 


TREATMENT  OF  EYE  DISEASES  263 

been  known  to  tear  their  own  eyes  by  rubbing  against  rough 
places.  The  edges  need  to  be  carefully  brought  together  by 
means  of  fine  sutures,  as  it  is  most  important  that  the  union 
should  be  quite  level.  Inflammation  should  be  kept  down 
with  the  soothing  lotion  before  mentioned,  and  the  wound,  if 
possible,  dressed  with  carbolised  oil  i  in  40,  care  being 
taken  to  keep  it  from  running  into  the  eye. 

Painting  the  sutured  edges  with  equal  parts  of  tinct.  benz. 
CO.  and  glycerin  is  good  treatment.  A  shade  so  arranged  as 
not  to  stick  to  or  press  upon  the  parts  should  be  provided. 

Grape,  or  Staphyloma,  is  rarely  met  with  as  a  disease  of 
the  eye  in  horses,  but  occasionally  occurs  in  cattle  and  fre- 
quently in  dogs,  especially  of  the  pug  and  other  large  and 
prominent-eyed  varieties,  as  Japanese  toys,  Blenheim  and  King 
Charles  spaniels,  &c.  It  consists  of  a  more  or  less  hard 
whitish  tumour  upon  the  front  of  the  eye,  and  is  often  the 
result  of  distemper,  though  it  may  occur  at  any  time.  It  must 
be  removed  either  by  the  knife  or  by  caustics,  the  pain  of  which 
can  be  greatly  mitigated  by  previous  application  of  cocaine. 
The  best  plan  perhaps  is  to  secure  a  hold  upon  the  tumour  by 
passing  a  needle  and  stout  thread  through  it  and  cutting  off  the 
greater  part,  finishing  the  work  with  several  applications  of  argent, 
nit.  Dogs  that  have  been  much  reduced  by  distemper,  or  debili- 
tated by  starvation  or  other  causes,  get  a  form  of  staphyloma  in  the 
centre  of  which  is  an  ulcer,  becoming  larger  if  not  treated,  until 
eventually  the  aqueous  humour  runs  out  and  blindness  results. 
Ulcers  of  this  kind  are  not  so  formidable  as  might  be  supposed 
(we  are  referring  to  dogs),  and  they  can  generally  be  rapidly 
mended  by  the  application  of 

Argent.  Nit.          ,         .         .         .         •     gr.  iv. 
Aq.  Dcst §j-     ^I- 

Large  ragged  ulcers  on  the  cornea  of  the  dog's  eye  will  heal  up 
and  often  clear  up  so  well  as  to  leave  less  blemish  than  does 
the  flick  of  a  whip  upon  the  eye  of  the  horse,     Tonics  should 


264  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

be  given,  and  among  the  best  for  this  purpose  may  be  counted 
the  following : — 

Ferri  Carb.  Sacch.          .         ,         .         •     gr.  ij. 
Quininse  Sulph gr-  j- 

M.  ft.  pulv.     Quotidie  cum  ciba. 

This  is  for  a  terrier  or  small  dog.  Twice  as  much  may  be 
given  to  a  spaniel,  retriever,  or  setter ;  and  three  times  the 
quantity  to  very  large  dogs,  as  mastiffs,  St.  Bernards,  great 
Danes,  &c. 

Diseases  of  the  Humours  of  the  Eye  result  from 
blows  and  often  end  in  blindness  by  reason  of  lymph  being 
deposited  and  organised.  It  is,  however,  impossible  to  say  in 
a  recent  injur)'  what  the  result  will  be,  as  the  front  chamber 
may  be  filled  with  blood-like  matter  and  yet  clear  up  again  in 
a  few  weeks.  Fomentations  and  treatment  as  for  inflammation 
should  be  adopted  and  not  despaired  of  while  the  colour  of 
the  contents  shows  changes.  Blindness  from  concussion  also 
happens,  and  from  the  rupture  of  minute  vessels  in  the  posterior 
chamber,  and  these  cases  also  frequently  recover. 

The  vitreous  humour  occupying  the  larger  or  posterior 
chamber  of  the  eye  undergoes  changes  in  old  dogs,  becoming 
less  transparent,  and  this  is  quite  beyond  remedy.  Its  progress 
is  generally  slow. 

Since  the  discovery  has  been  made  that  iodide  of  potassium 
may  be  given  for  a  considerable  time  without  constitutional 
injury,  it  is  worth  while  prescribing  for  these  lymph  deposits  in 
the  deeper  structures  of  the  eye.  A  grain  or  two  daily  for 
several  weeks  is  quite  a  safe  dose  to  prescribe,  and  we  have 
seen  great  benefit  accrue. 

Cataract  is  an  opacity  of  the  crystalline  lens.  It  may 
affect  the  capsule  of  the  lens,  the  lens  itself,  or  both,  and  is 
railed  respectively  capsular,  enticular,  and  capsulo-lenticular. 
In  domesticated  animals  its  treatment  is  not  attempted.  To 
the  lay  mind  any  opacity  of  the  eye  is  a  cataract,  and  prg- 


TREATMENT  OF  EYE  DISEASES  265 

scribers  get  the  credit  of  curing  it  when  they  have  done  no 
more  than  excite  absorption  of  a  cloud  on  the  cornea. 

A  cataract  can  be  distinguished  by  what  is  termed  the 
'catoptric  test,'  which  consists  in  placing  the  animal  in  a  dark 
place  and  passing  a  lighted  candle  or  match  from  side  to  side, 
a  little  distance  in  front  of  the  eye.  In  the  normal  eye  three 
images  of  the  light  should  be  seen — two  upright,  and  moving 
in  the  same  direction  as  the  candle,  and  the  other  inverted, 
and  moving  in  the  opposite.  Depending  upon  the  extent  of  a 
cataract,  one  or  other  of  these  images  will  be  indistinct  or 
absent. 

Dislocation  of  the  Eyeball  caused  by  a  fight  or  other 
injury  is  a  ghastly  spectacle,  but  there  are  not  wanting  trust- 
worthy records  of  successful  replacement.  If  it  is  attempted, 
no  time  must  be  lost.  An  antiseptic,  as  formalin  or  chinosol, 
being  used  to  wash  the  injured  structures  and  the  operator's 
fingers.  The  outer  angle  of  the  eyelids  should  be  divided  and 
the  globe  pushed  into  place  by  pressure  of  the  fingers.  A 
compress  should  then  be  made  of  folded  lint  dressed  with  a 
lotion  of 

Liq.  Plumbi  .....     5!]. 

01.  Amygd.  Dulc.  ad    .         .         .         .     §iv.     M. 

This  accident  to  the  eyeball  is  not  so  rare  among  pugs  and 
other  prominent-eyed  dogs  as  one  not  accustomed  to  dog 
practice  would  imagine. 

If  the  eye  is  lacerated  or  it  cannot  be  replaced,  it  should  be 
removed  and  the  '  aching  void '  treated  with  soothing  remedies 
— that  above  mentioned  is  suitable. 

Overflow  of  Tears  is  a  matter  upon  which  veterinarians 
are  sometimes  consulted.  It  is  generally  due  to  blocking  up 
or  obliteration  of  the  tear  duct.  The  face,  whether  of  horse  or 
dog,  soon  becomes  scalded.  If  blocked  by  inflammation  or 
matter,  its  function  may  be  restored  by  reducing  the  inflam- 
matory action  and  removing  mechanical  impediments.  Many 
King  Charles  spaniels  and  dogs  of  that  class  are  habitually 


266  VETERIMARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

tear-stained  ;  their  large  limpid  eyes  appear  to  secrete  more 
tears,  and  their  flattened  noses  prevent  the  flow  of  them  into 
the  nose,  as  compared  with  other  dogs.  They  are  creatures  of 
man's  fancy,  being  bred  from  parents  selected  for  the  shortest 
noses,  besides  which  it  is  an  open  secret  that  dog-fanciers 
compress  their  noses  in  puppyhood. 

If  the  cause  cannot  be  removed,  the  face  should  be  dressed 
with  ung.  simplex  or  ung.  lanolini.  If  greasy  applications  are 
objected  to  by  the  fair  owners,  a  glycerin  lotion  not  stronger 
than  I  in  20  will  prove  grateful. 


WOUNDS,  SORES,  ETC.,  IN  ANIMALS 

The  Treatment  of  Wounds  is  a  large  subject,  and 
many  books  have  been  written  upon  it,  but  there  are  a  few 
simple  rules  to  be  observed  which  are  applicable  to  all  animals, 
including  man.  Without  entering  into  an  elaborate  dis- 
cussion on  germ  theories,  we  may  say  that  in  nothing  has  the 
healing  art  advanced  so  much  during  the  Victorian  era  as  in 
surgery.  It  must  be  admitted  that  veterinary  practitioners  have 
generally  a  better  claim  to  the  title  surgeon  than  have  the 
majority  of  those  by  whom  the  unqualified  title  is  borne.  The 
ever-increasing  number  of  specialists  in  the  medical  profession, 
and  the  facilities  for  getting  operations  done  at  hospitals,  have 
benefited  the  public,  but  not  the  men  who  call  themselves 
surgeons,  and  who  practise  for  years  v,-ithout  ever  venturing  on 
an  important  operation.  How  many  college  surgeons,  for 
example,  ever  performed  such  an  operation  as  ovariotomy? 
Hundreds  of  country  vets,  perform  it  daily,  and  under  the 
most  disadvantageous  conditions.  The  animals  on  which  they 
operate  are  generally  smaller,  and  consequently  more  difficult  to 
deal  with.  It  is  true  that  the  human  patient  is  more  prone 
to  blood-poisoning  and  other  bad  sequelce  than  animals 
whose  habits  are  simpler  ;  but  against  this  may  be  reckoned  the 
advantage  the  ordinary  surgeon  has  in  the  fact  that  his  patient 
is  more  amenable  to  control.  The  animal  doctor  has  to  allow 
for  the  chance  of  his  splints  and  bandages  being  bitten  off, 
and  himself  bitten,  kicked,  or  crushed  while  attempting  to 
help  his  patient. 

The  principal  varieties  of  wounds  to  be  dealt  with  may  be 
classified  as  incised,  punctured,  lacerated,  and  contused  ;  and 
to  these  may  be  added  gunshot  and  poisoned  wounds. 


268  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Incised  Wounds  are  those  in  which  a  clean  cut  is  made 
with  a  sharp  instrument,  dividing  the  structure  evenly  without 
tearing  or  stretching  the  tissues — a  clean  division  in  short. 
The  disposition  of  such  a  wound  to  gape  open  or  not  will  depend 
upon  the  direction  it  takes  with  regard  to  the  muscular  fibres 
beneath,  supposing  it  to  be  where  muscles  are  found.  This 
definition,  though  it  applies  well  enough  to  men,  is  scarcely 
complete  in  reference  to  animals.  There  are  many  wounds 
received  by  horses  below  the  knees  and  hocks,  where  no 
muscles  exist,  and  a  small  wound  may  be  of  vastly  more  im- 
portance than  a  large  one  upon  a  fleshy  or  muscular  part  of 
the  body.  According  to  the  nature  of  the  structures  injured 
must  the  treatment  be  regulated.  In  the  case  of  an  ordinary 
incised  wound  in  the  fleshy  parts  of  the  body  or  limbs,  the 
treatment  should  be  directed  to  bringing  the  edges  in  apposition 
with  the  least  possible  delay,  pouring  on  an  antiseptic  dressing 
even  before  sutures  or  strapping  are  ready  for  application.  An 
immediate  dressing  of  acid,  carbolic,  i  part,  ol.  olivas  40,  has 
the  most  agreeable  effect  in  relieving  pain,  and  will  frequently 
cause  cuts  about  the  hand  of  man  or  the  limbs  of  horses  to 
heal  by  first  intention,  or  adhesive  inflammation  as  it  is 
called.  If  the  wound  be  a  large  one,  it  will  take  the  '  sting ' 
out,  and  make  the  animal  more  amenable. 

Plaster  does  not  answer  very  well  with  animals,  on  account 
of  their  hairy  surfaces  and  the  ease  with  which  they  can  bite 
or  lick  it  off.  One  or  more  sutures  need  to  be  put  in  to  secure 
a  wound  of  any  size  ;  these  should  not  be  drawn  too  tight,  as 
there  is  always  swelling  afterwards,  and  the  stitches  may  be 
torn  out.  In  wounds  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  require  stitches, 
a  certain  amount  of  discharge  may  be  looked  for,  and  the 
lower  end  should  not  be  brought  together  quite  so  closely  as 
the  remainder,  so  as  to  allow  of  a  drain.  It  is  a  very  important 
consideration  to  allow  of  drainage,  as  pocket  wounds  some- 
times form  sinuses  or  pipes,  and  need  prolonged  treat- 
ment. 

It  is  sometimes  necessary  in  punctured  wounds  to  enlarge 
the  orificQ,  always  in  a  downward  direction,  irj  order  to  allow  Qf 


n^OU.VDS,  SOJ^£S,  ETC.,  m  AlflMALS  259 

free  drainage.  Splinters  and  other  foreign  bodies  are  more  apt 
to  be  present  in  wounds  of  this  class  than  simple  incised  or  even 
lacerated  wounds.  Splinters  of  wood,  iron,  &c.,  sometimes  re- 
main in  the  flesh  for  a  long  time,  and  small  ones  especially  find 
their  way  out  in  the  most  unexpected  places,  nails,  wire,  and 
needles  making  the  most  extraordinary  travels. 

Tetanus,  or  lock-jaw  as  it  is  more  commonly  called,  follows 
more  frequently  upon  punctured  wounds  than  others.  The 
magnitude  of  the  wound  is  no  measure  of  the  tendency  to 
tetanus.  It  more  often  results  from  a  prick  in  shoeing  than 
from  a  great  wound  inflicted  by  machinery  or  collision. 

An  explanation  is  found  in  a  specific  bacillus  being  the 
cause  of  tetanus.  The  hands  and  feet  being  more  in  contact 
with  the  soil  or  substances  in  which  the  organism  is  found. 

In  some  tropical  swamps  it  is  so  common  that  tetanus  car- 
ries off  a  large  proportion  of  persons  and  animals  suffering  from 
wounds. 

Perfect  asepsis  rendeis  its  invasion  impossible,  and  it  is 
now  quite  rare  in  hospital  practice,  where  formerly  it  was  most 
dreaded. 

Lacerated  Wounds  may  be  of  any  shape  and  size,  but 
differ  from  the  former  varieties  in  the  skin  being  torn  and 
ragged,  and  often  the  deeper  structures  besides.  To  brin"- 
the  injured  parts  into  apposition  is  the  object  to  be  aimed  at, 
whether  by  sutures,  bandages,  plaster,  or  other  contrivance. 
To  the  inexperienced  surgeon  the  bleeding  is  a  difficulty,  but 
it  is  very  rarely  dangerous  even  when  large  vessels  are  divided, 
for  the  animal  will  have  either  bled  to  death  before  his  services 
can  be  obtained,  or  the  vessels  will  have  plugged  themselves. 
If  an  artery  can  be  seen  spurting  bright  red  blood,  it  should  be 
secured  by  a  ligature,  and  the  ends  left  long  to  hang  out  of 
the  wound  for  removal  on  a  subsequent  occasion.  Liq.  ferri 
perchlor.  and  other  styptics  may  be  used,  but  haemorrhage  may 
generally  be  easily  enough  arrested  by  pressure,  according 
to  the  situation  of  the  wound.  The  operator  must  kee[) 
cool,  and  consider  where  and  how  the   pressure  should  be 


270  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

applied.  It  should  be  recollected  that  there  is  a  natural 
tendency  or  effort  on  the  part  of  nature  in  the  rapid  formation 
of  clots  )  vessels  may  be  seen  sometimes  with  clots  a  foot  long 
hanging  down  like  a  rough  cord,  and  effectually  plugging  the 
cut  end  till  others  shall  have  taken  up  the  work,  and  allowed 
the  divided  or  lost  artery  to  waste  away. 

The  loss  of  a  large  vessel  even  may  soon  be  compensated 
by  the  additional  work  undertaken  by  others — as,  for  instance, 
when  a  jugular  vein  is  rendered  impervious  by  inflammatory 
action,  the  circulation  in  the  head  is  carried  on  as  well,  or 
nearly  so,  as  before  the  accident. 

Unless  a  foreign  body  is  suspected  to  be  present  in  a  wound, 
it  is  generally  best  to  bind  it  up  in  the  blood  immediately,  and 
not  to  foment  or  remove  clots  unless  it  is  very  thoroughly 
done  with  modern  antiseptics.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
practice  of  bathing  a  fresh  clean  cut  with  hot  water  till  it  has 
the  appearance  of  butcher's  meat  has  pretty  well  gone  out  of  date. 

The  different  domestic  animals  vary  very  considerably  in 
their  power  of  recovering  from  wounds. 

Horses  are  perhaps  the  most  liable  to  tetanus  and  dogs 
the  least,  horned  stock  coming  between  them.  There  is  no 
record  of  tetanus  in  the  cat,  so  far  as  we  are  aware. 

"Wounds  in  dogs  heal  more  often  by  simple  adhesion  than 
is  the  case  with  any  other  animal.  Such  severe  operations  as 
ovariotomy,  necessitating  a  division  of  the  flank  and  the  in- 
troduction of  the  finger  into  the  abdomen,  will  often  heal 
without  the  formation  of  matter. 

The  after-treatment  of  wounds  needs  some  experience,  but 
the  chief  aim  should  be  to  excite  healthy  granulations,  and 
the  discharge  of  '  laudable  pus,'  to  quote  a  favourite  expression 
from  Professor  Simonds.  The  efforts  of  nature  to  repair 
wounds  sometimes  require  stimulating  and  at  others  repress- 
ing; hence  it  is  the  duty  of  the  surgeon  where  a  wound  is 
pale  in  colour,  with  a  thin  reddish  or  frothy  matter,  to  stimu- 
late with  ung.  resinre  or  ol.  tcreb.  rub.  i  pt.,  ol.  sesamce  3  pts., 
applying  daily  till  red  healthy  granulations  begin  to  show,  and 
thicker,  yellower  matter  to  ai)pcar.      '  Proud   flesh,'   as   it   is 


IP'OUXDS,  SORES,  ETC.,  hV  ANIMALS  271 

Called,  is  but  the  too  rapid  or  excessive  production  of  granula- 
tions, and  a  large  wound  may  at  first  require  remedies  to  pro- 
duce them,  and,  later  on,  others  to  keep  them  in  check  ;  for  the 
latter  purpose  nothing  can  compare  with  zinci  chlorid.  or  cupri 
sulph.  For  small  surfaces  argent,  nit.  answers  well  enough,  and 
forms  a  dry  scab  which  may  be  picked  off  roughly  from  time 
to  tinie,  thereby  bringing  the  edges  of  the  skin  together,  and 
leaving  less  blemish  than  if  left  to  nature,  even  supposing  the 
granulations  did  not  grow  out,  and  form  a  soft,  painful  surface, 
bleeding  upon  the  least  touch.     {See  Broken  Knees,  p.  36.) 

The  principles  of  treatment  of  a  wound  may  be  summed 
up  as  follows: — (i)  Arrest  haemorrhage;  (2)  remove  foreign 
bodies,  and  dress  antiseptically ;  (3)  bring  the  edges  into 
apposition  ;  (4)  and  again  apply  an  antiseptic  dressing. 

Professor  Pritchard  and  others  have  called  attention  to  the 
fact  that,  where  sutures  are  retained  for  a  day  or  two,  the  wound 
will  eventually  heal  opposite  the  marks  made  by  the  needle, 
no  matter  how  long  the  process  of  union  may  take. 

Abscesses  sometimes  result  from  wounds,  but  more  fre- 
quently from  severe  bruises.  They  may  be  briefly  described 
as  of  two  kinds,  serous  and  phlegmonous. 

Serous  abscesses  occur  in  all  domesticated  animals,  but 
most  frequently  in  the  dog  and  cat,  as  the  result  of  injuries 
received  in  combat.  They  occur,  too,  in  those  parts  where 
both  dogs  and  cats  usually  grapple  one  another — namely,  on 
the  throat,  ears,  and  face.  Their  formation  is  very  rapid,  pro- 
ducing great  swelling  and  much  inconvenience,  but  nothing 
like  the  pain  caused  by  abscesses  containing  pus.  The  inner 
surface  of  the  ear  is  frequently  the  seat  of  serous  abscess,  and 
must  there  be  very  painful.  It  is  perfectly  useless  to  attempt 
any  treatment  until  the  knife  has  been  freely  used.  The  abscess 
must  be  boldly  slit  up,  and  the  fluid,  which  is  of  a  reddish- 
yellow  colour,  evacuated.  Nor  is  this  all  that  is  necessary, 
for  it  will  be  found  as  full  as  ever  again  next  day,  and  the  lips 
of  the  wound  sealed  up,  unless  some  *  digestive '  remedy  has 
been  applied  to  destroy  the  serous  sac  or  lining  membrane  of 


7.f2.  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

the  abscess  which  secretes  the  fluid.  A  seton  dressed  with 
some  irritant,  such  as  ol.  tereb.,  or  hyd.  bichlor.,  gr.  v.,  sp. 
vini  5j.,  does  well  in  some  cases.  The  ends  of  the  tape 
or  string  composing  the  seton  should  be  knotted,  and  not  tied 
together,  as  both  dogs  and  cats  have  a  happy  knack  of  striking 
the  ear  and  face  with  the  hind  leg,  and  if  the  foot  hangs  up  in 
a  tied  seton  it  causes  great  and  unnecessarj'  pain,  and  perhaps 
irreparable  injury.  With  horses  and  cattle  there  is  not  the 
same  danger  ;  when  pus  begins  to  form,  the  seton  may  be  re- 
moved, and  nothing  more  is  needed  than  a  little  healing  oint- 
ment, such  as  ung.  resinae  and  cer.  cetacei  or  ung.  zinci  ox. 
5J.,  with  acid,  carbolic,  ntx. 

Phlegmonous  or  pus  abscess  is  more  painful,  and  usually 
longer  in  forming  than  the  serous,  though  arising  from  much 
the  same  causes.  It  must  not  be  lanced  until  ripe,  but  the 
process  may  be  hastened  by  hot  fomentation  or  the  application 
of  lin.  camph.  co.  or  other  warm  embrocation.  If  left  alone 
abscesses  usually  (though  not  always)  '  point  '—that  is  to  say, 
one  part  becomes  more  prominent,  and  when  felt  is  found  to 
be  much  thinner,  eventually  breaking  upon  some  motion  of  the 
patient,  or  blow  from  one  of  its  kind.  The  surgeon  may  save 
the  animal  a  good  deal  of  suffering,  by  boldly  lancing  at  the 
'  point '  or  thinnest  part,  and  squeezing  out  the  matter,  which 
is  often  very  thick,  and  sometimes  granular  if  long  neglected. 
A  pledget  of  tow  dipped  in  ol.  tereb.  rub.  or  lin.  alb.  or 
ung.  resinae,  will  facilitate  the  process  of  evacuation,  or  if 
the  situation  is  convenient,  and  the  patient  under  control,  an 
injection  of  either  of  the  fluid  remedies  suggested,  by  means 
of  a  metal  syringe,'  will  answer  better  still.  It  is  difficult  to 
get  a  pledget  of  ung.  resinae  to  stop  in,  even  if  the  patient  is 
quiet. 

Ulcers  occupy  so  considerable  a  space  in  old  works  on 

'  We  are  aware  of  the  chemical  objection  to  using  a  metal  syringe  with 
hyd.  bichlor.,  but  think  the  destruction  of  a  fourpenny  syringe  the  lesser 
evil.  Glass  syringes  are  very  liable  to  have  the  nozzles  broken  by  the 
sudden  movements  of  the  patient.  A  vulcanite  one  may,  of  course,  be  used. 


WOUNDS,  SORES,  ETC.,  IN  ANIMALS  273 

the  healing  art  that  it  may  be  assumed  that  they  were  more 
common  than  now — famine  and  dirt  have  always  contributed 
to  the  production  of  ulcers,  and  from  these  causes  they  are 
still  to  be  found  more  frequently  among  savage  races  than 
in  civilised  communities. 

Ulcers  among  domesticated  animals  in  the  British  Islands 
are  not  of  frequent  occurrence,  if  we  except  the  specific  ulcers 
of  certain  affections,  as  foot-and-mouth  disease,  or  loss  of  struc- 
ture following  upon  injuries  such  as  sinus-ulcers — quittor, 
poll-evil,  fistulous  withers,  &:c.  ;  but  of  ulcers  breaking  out 
upon  the  body  as  a  blood-disease,  we  do  not  see  many  ex- 
amples in  these  times  of  better  stabling  and  sanitation. 
Where,  however,  an  animal  shows  a  disposition  to  form  ulcers 
without  any  external  or  exciting  cause,  it  may  be  fairly  assumed 
that  the  blood  wants  '  mending  or  sweetening '  as  some  old 
works  state  it.  Alteratives  and  tonics,  such  as  are  prescribed 
elsewhere  in  this  work,  mineral  tonics  especially,  and  good 
diet  are  to  be  recommended.  Ulcers  may  be  divided  into 
weak,  indolent,  inflamed,  gangrenous,  &c.,  but  they  all  need 
treating  with  severity,  hence  the  black  oils  and  '  sublimate  ' 
treatment  that  is  the  practical  result  of  the  experience  of  ages. 
No  doubt  a  careful  distinction  between  the  ulcers  is  an  advan- 
tage to  doctor  and  patient,  but  the  chief  thing  to  be  arrived  at 
is  to  destroy  the  unhealthy  sore,  and  produce  in  its  place  a 
healthy  wound  which  will  heal  up  by  the  ordinary  process  of 
granulation.  This  may  be  done  by  the  hot  iron,  or  dusting 
it  over  with  hyd.  bichlor.  or  alum,  exsicc.  or  alum,  exsicc.  with 
various  proportions  of  flour,  or  zinci  ox.  vel  carb.  with  pulv. 
amyli,  or  dressings  of  cupri  sulph.  vel  acetas,  zinci  sulph.  or  zinci 
chlor.  Each  and  all  of  these  have  proved  effectual,  besides  a 
score  of  other  remedies  which  might  be  named,  but  we  most 
strongly  recommend  alum,  exsicc.  When  applied  for  such  a 
purpose  this  article  should  be  rubbed  quite  smooth,  and  may 
be  disguised  by  preparing  it  secundum  artem  with  pulv.  bol. 
armen.  vel  p.  curcuma  vel  carbo  animalis  (carbo  lig.  is  incon- 
veniently light). 

If  a  liquid  application  is  preferred,  alum,  sulph.  i  in  20,  or 

T 


274  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

cupri  sulph.  saturated  solution,  or  hyd.  bichlor.  gr.  x.  ad  5j.  of 
S.V.M.,  may  be  prescribed.  Washing  ulcers  clean  with  warm 
water  and  soap,  and  dusting  on  the  dry  powders  above  sug- 
gested, is  however,  we  consider,  preferable  treatment.  Pres- 
sure is  also  helpful,  especially  if  the  situation  lends  itself  to 
such  treatment  by  bandaging. 

Ulcers  in  the  mouth,  upon  the  tongue,  and  about  the 
muzzle,  are  frequent  in  cattle  and  sheep  as  a  result  of  foot-and- 
mouth  disease,  ivhich  see. 

For  all  kinds  of  ulcers  alum  is  a  specific.  The  most  rapid, 
and,  to  those  who  have  not  tried  it,  the  most  surprising  results 
follow  the  sponging  of  the  ulcers  with  an  aqueous  solution  of 
alum.  Two  or  three  days  will  often  suffice  to  completely  heal 
large  ragged  surfaces  inside  the  mouth  ;  but  the  process  is  not 
so  rapid  outside,  as  it  is  not  assisted  by  the  saliva,  and  is  more 
or  less  checked  by  contact  with  foreign  bodies  and  exposure 
to  the  atmosphere. 

Ulcers  of  the  hind  legs  occur  in  round-legged,  coarse-bred 
animals  with  a  tendency  to  farcy,  and  should  be  treated  with 
a  lotion  of  alum,  exsic.  5ij.,  cupri  sulph.  3ij.,  aq.  ad  Oj.  ;  M. 
ft.  lotio.     For  internal  remedies,  see  Farcy,  p.  115. 

Sinus-Ulcers  or  Fistulae  are  of  much  importance  to  the 
veterinarian.  They  may  and  do  occur  in  all  sorts  of  places, 
but  we  can  here  only  consider  a  few  of  the  more  important,  as 
quittor,  poll-evil,  and  fistulous  wither. 

Quittor  is  a  sinus-ulcer  having  its  orifice  between  hair 
and  hoof,  usually  on  the  inside  quarter  of  the  horse's  foot. 

It  may  arise  from  a  neglected  prick  or  festered  corn,  or 
tread  from  the  opposite  foot.  The  orifice  may  be  very  small, 
and  the  owner  think  lightly  of  it  ;  but  he  will  soon  find,  to  his 
cost,  that  another  pipe  or  sinus  has  formed  in  front  of  the  old 
one,  and  the  veterinary  surgeon  when  called  in  may  find  that 
branches  have  already  begun  to  grow.  Pipes  running  in  all 
directions  arc  found  in  the  foot  when  an  incurable  case  is 
dissected.     The  treatment  aims  at  destroying  these  pipes. 


WOUNDS,  SORES,  ETC.,  LV  ANIMALS  275 

In  a  few  mild  cases  the  exit  of  the  matter  is  followed  by 
speedy  recovery,  but  in  the  majority  of  cases  the  opening 
shows  no  tendency  to  heal,  the  discharge  continues,  and  the 
pain  and  lameness  remain.  This  is  due  to  one  of  two  causes  : 
either  there  is  some  dead  portion  of  tissue  lodged  in  the  part, 
as  a  piece  of  decaying  bone  or  fascia,  or  else  the  wall  of  the 
sinus  has  become  so  thick  and  hard  as  to  resist  the  ordinary 
reparative  power  of  nature. 

Whichever  of  these  be  the  case,  the  part,  if  not  interfered 
with,  would  be  a  considerable  time  before  it  resumed  its 
normal  condition.  In  case  of  the  lodgment  of  a  piece  of 
dead  bone,  nature  would  doubtless,  in  time,  remove  it  by  the 
constant  suppuration  ;  but  time  and  suffering  are  both  saved 
by  interference.  Both  of  the  perpetuating  causes  may  frequently 
be  removed  by  the  same  means  :  viz.,  setting  up  such  an 
amount  of  inflammation  as  shall  destroy  the  callous  lining  mem- 
brane, and  thoroughly  detach  any  portion  of  dead  tissue, 
which  would  then  be  removed  in  the  discharge,  and  a  healthy 
granulating  surface  left.  To  this  end  numerous  means  are 
employed.  Blisters  and  firing,  or  even  incision,  are  resorted  to, 
but  the  two  latter  require  a  qualified  professional  man.  Blisters 
are  of  little  use,  save  in  conjunction  with  caustic  injections. 
The  old  farriers  used  corrosive  sublimate  in  powder.  It  was 
placed  in  a  small  hollow  cylinder  of  paper,  and  pushed  into 
the  sinus.  This  method  is  very  good  when  only  one  passage 
exists,  but  too  often  the  sinus  has  three  or  four  collateral 
branches,  in  which  the  plug  of  caustic  would  not  produce  its 
effects.  The  sublimate  is  a  valuable  agent,  but  it  should  be 
used  in  solution  and  forcibly  injected  by  means  of  a  syringe, 
so  as  to  come  in  contact  with  the  whole  of  the  sinus. 

A  good  form  of  injection  is — 

Corrosive  Sublimate      .         .         .         •     5J- 
Hydrochloric  Acid         .         .         .         .      rn  x. 
Rectified  Spirit     .         .         .         .         •     5J- 

This  solution  may  be  used  once  a  day  for  two  days,  and 
then  either  diluted  to  half  the  strength,  or  used  once  every 


276  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

three  days.  If  there  is  still  much  pain  after  a  fortnight  of  this 
treatment,  apply  a  smart  blister.  Solutions  of  the  sulphates  of 
zinc,  iron,  and  copper  are  sometimes  used,  or  a  mixture  of 
all  three  under  the  name  of  Vallate's  solution,  which  has  proved 
successful  sometimes  where  all  other  agents  have  failed.  The 
general  health  must  not  be  neglected.  An  occasional  dose  of 
physic  is  useful,  and  at  the  outset  a  dose  or  two  of  opium  to 
allay  the  great  pain,  or  belladonna  extract  or  sol.  of  cocaine. 

The  old  school  of  practitioners  were  certainly  very  successful 
in  the  treatment  of  quitters  and  poll-evil,  and  had  a  great  deal 
more  practice  with  the  latter  than  we  have  since  stables  are 
not  now  built  low  and  dark,  and  blows  on  the  head,  accidental 
or  otherwise,  are  not  so  frequently  received. 

The  old  method  was  to  secure  the  animal  with  a  twitch  or 
by  holding  up  the  opposite  foot,  or  in  some  cases  casting  the 
animal  with  ropes  and  then  ascertaining  the  direction  of  the 
'  pipes '  by  means  of  a  probe ;  this  done,  the  '  sublimate ' 
would  be  rolled  in  thin  paper,  and  pushed  down  as  far  as  it 
would  go.  Some  practitioners  poultice,  enveloping  the  whole 
foot  for  several  days,  during  which  the  animal  will  ma- 
nifest much  pain  until  a  slough  or  '  core '  comes  out.  Then, 
if  the  sinus  were  truly  'bottomed,'  a  healthy  discharge  of  pus 
would  follow,  and  the  wound  would  eventually  heal.  Too  often, 
however,  there  is  permanent  injury  to  the  coronary  band,  and 
a  false  quarter  or  sand-crack  is  the  result. 

A  quittor  then  is  always  a  very  serious  matter,  and  often 
ends  in  sending  for  the  knacker,  after  a  great  deal  of  expense 
and  trouble  has  been  incurred. 

One  celebrated  man  effected  a  great  many  cures  in  cases 
that  had  been  regarded  as  hopeless  by  using  stick  zinci 
chlor.  His  plan  was  to  push  the  stick  of  zinc  in  and  out 
of  the  sinus  nearly  every  day,  and  the  zinc  being  easily 
li(iucfied  would  be  to  a  certain  extent  pumped  into  the  branched 
sinuses — he  also  had  the  sole,  crust,  liars,  and  all  cut  down  to 
the  quick,  and  poulticed  for  a  few  days. 

'J'hc  modern  treatment  is  to  explore  the  sinus  with  probes 
and  lay  the  pipes  open  by  means  of  a  bistoury  and  director,  in- 


WOUNDS,  SORES,  Etc.,  m  animals  277 

jecting  some  caustic  solution  if  necessary  with  a  syringe  made 
on  purpose,  and  having  two  eyes  or  finger-holes  on  the  barrel 
so  as  to  enable  the  operator  to  do  it  with  one  hand.  Carbolic 
acid  has  been  used  successfully,  and  other  agents  have  effected 
the  destruction  of  the  sinuses,  which,  as  we  remarked  at  the 
opening  of  the  chapter,  is  the  object  of  whatever  system  of 
treatment  is  adopted. 

In  all  cases  of  quittor  the  shoe  should  first  be  removed, 
and  if  arising  from  a  corn  or  prick  these  should  be  well  pared 
out,  and  drainage  got  from  below  by  poultices. 

Poll-Evil  is  a  sinus,  or  more  frequently  a  number  of 
sinuses,  situated  in  that  part  of  the  horse  called  the  poll — the 
back  of  the  head  or  top  of  the  neck.  It  is  caused  by  blows 
or  other  injuries,  and  was  much  more  frequently  met  with  in 
times  past  when  stables  were  low  and  dark.  Now  it  is  almost 
confined  to  mines  and  underground  works.  The  treatment 
required  is  the  same  as  for  quittor  (as  explained  in  the  preceding 
section),  namely,  the  destruction  of  the  sinuses  and  the  produc- 
tion of  a  healthy  wound  in  the  place  of  the  destructive  pipes 
or  sinuses.  In  some  respects  poll-evil  is  more  easily  treated  than 
quittor,  inasmuch  as  a  seton  can  be  put  through  the  part,  and 
a  dependent  orifice  thereby  obtained.  The  same  agents  are 
used  as  for  quittor,  and,  despite  warnings  about  destroying  the 
ligament  (nuchte)  which  supports  the  head,  and  the  danger  of 
coming  down  on  the  spinal  cord  between  the  two  first  bones  of 
the  neck,  it  generally  proves  successful.  Injections  of  zinci 
chlor.,  cupri  sulph.,  (S:c.,  often  answer  well  enough,  but  for  a  case 
of  any  standing  we  advise  a  coarse  seton  dressed  in  zinci  chlor. 
at  first,  and  afterwards  with  ol.  terebinth.  When  once  the  sinus 
is  destroyed  the  wound  becomes  healthy,  and  heals  up  with 
the  ordinary  treatment  accorded  to  granulating  wounds.  {See 
Wounds.) 

Fistula. — Fistulous  wither  is  another  variety  of  piped 
wound,  and  is  caused  by  hard  saddle-trees  or  harness  pinching 
and  crushing  the  wither.  It  never  occurs  in  a  well-managed 
stable,  as  it  is  simply  a  matter  of  looking  after  the  saddles 


278  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

and  seeing  that  they  are  properly  stuffed  or  renewed  from  time 
to  time.  When  fistula  is  once  established  the  pipe  must  be 
traced  with  a  probe,  slit  open  with  a  knife,  or  destroyed  by  a 
seton,  taking  care  to  bring  out  the  lower  end  of  the  tape  as 
low  down  as  possible,  so  as  to  obtain  a  good  drain  from  the 
wound.  All  this  may  be  prevented  if,  upon  discovery  that  the 
withers  are  WTung,  and  the  '  galled  jade  '  winces  at  the  prospect 
of  saddling,  a  good  fomentation  of  hot  water  with  an  ounce  of 
glycerin  to  the  quart  of  water  be  used,  and  finally  an  evapo- 
rating lotion  as — 

Amnion.  Mur.   .         .         .         .         •     BJ- 

Acid.  Acetic.     .....     §ss. 

Tinct.  AmicK   .....     §j. 

Aq.  ad      , §xl, 

M.  ft.  lotio. 

To  be  applied  two  or  three  times  a  day,  allowing  the  parts 
to  dry  without  clothing. 

Saddle  and  Collar  Galls  arc  frequently  produced  by 
sudden  chills  in  taking  off  saddles  and  collars  while  the  horse 
is  hot ;  good  grooms  unbuckle  and  ease  them  while  they  are 
attending  to  other  matters,  and  so  allow  the  parts  to  cool  slowly. 

Bad-fitting  collars,  especially  if  too  large,  are  a  frequent 
cause  of  galls,  and  useful  horses  are  incapacitated  for  work  by 
wounds  no  larger  than  a  sixpence.  This  is  galling  both  to  the 
animal  and  the  owner,  and  a  lotion  that  will  quickly  mend 
it  is  in  demand.  There  is  a  lotion  much  used  by  carters, 
and  with  some  measure  of  success,  which  we  can  hardly 
recommend  here.  It  is  always  of  the  right  temperature  for 
application,  and  has  a  varying  amount  of  saline  material  in  it,  de- 
pending a  good  deal  upon  the  drinking  habits  of  the  carter.  We 
should  recommend,  as  a  well-proved  remedy,  the  following  : — 


Acid.  Sulph.      . 

■    5J- 

Alum.  Sulph.    . 

•    5U- 

Cupri  Sulph.      . 

•    5'J- 

Potass.  Nit. 

.    .1J. 

Aqu.i:  ad  .         . 

.     Oiij 

M.  ft.  lotio. 

.Shake 

before  api 

.ly 

ng- 

WOUNDS,  SORES,  ETC.,  LV  ANIMALS  279 

Frequently  applied  and  allowed  to  dry  on,  this  lotion  has 
the  effect  of  quickly  drying  up  a  sore  shoulder  or  saddle-gall, 
and  appears  to  harden  and  thicken  the  skin  to  resist  future 
rubs.  The  practitioner  should,  if  possible,  examine  the  collars, 
pads,  &c.,  to  see  if  they  will  discredit  his  medicaments  by  pro- 
ducing fresh  galls  as  soon  as  the  patient  is  put  to  work. 

Plumbi  acetas  is  a  time-honoured  and  helpful  agent,  but 
we  recommend  the  above  to  the  counter  prescriber  for  more 
reasons  than  one. 

Sitfasts  are  irregular-shaped  pieces  of  skin  in  the  process 
of  separation  from  the  body,  and  may  be  compared  to  hard 
corns  on  the  human  hand  or  foot.  They  become  thickened 
and  insensible  in  the  middle,  and  press  upon  the  surrounding 
soft  tissues  like  a  foreign  body,  such  as  a  stone  tied  on  to  a 
gall.  They  are  caused  by  the  repeated  bruising  of  badly  fitting 
harness,  and  are  most  frequently  found  on  the  withers  and 
under  the  collar.  Their  presence  causes  a  great  deal  of  pain, 
and  recovery  is  impossible  while  the  cause  remains.  Poulticing 
and  fomentation  facilitate  the  separation  of  the  slough  or  dead 
skin,  and  where  poultices  cannot  be  applied  an  ointment  such 
as  the  following  will  answer  best  : — 

Fuller's  earth     .....  5ij. 

Glycerin    ......  gi. 

Lanoline  .         .         .         .         .         •  §j- 

Vaseline    ......  5j. 

IM.  ft.  ung. 

The  whole  sore  should  be  enveloped  in  this  ointment, 
which  has  the  effect  of  promoting  disintegration  of  the  dead 
tissue  while  keeping  soft  and  healthy  the  surrounding  wound. 
Some  of  the  old  authors  —  Percivall  for  instance— advised 
repeated  mild  blisters,  but  Professor  Williams,  in  his  work  on 
Veterinary  Surgery,  recommends  the  knife  in  preference. 
Sitfasts,  as  the  name  implies,  do,  indeed,  sit  fast,  and  some- 
thing more  than  a  powerful  thumb-nail  is  needed  to  remove 
them  in  many  cases.     Once  removed,  the  treatment  needed 


280  VETEkliVAkY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

is  that  usually  accorded  to  granulating  wounds.    {See  Wounds, 
p.  270.) 

Sore  Shoulders,  &C. — Badly  fitting  harness  frequently 
causes  sores  on  the  skin,  the  shoulders  and  back  suffering  most. 
Such  injuries  vary  from  mere  loss  of  hair  to  deep  angry  wounds  j 
but  something  between  these  two  extremes  is  what  advice  is 
generally  sought  for.  Should  the  skin  be  not  broken,  but 
present  a  tender  surface,  a  good  application  can  be  obtained 
by  heating  together  an  ounce  of  glycerin  and  two  drachms  of 
fuller's  earth ;  to  be  smeared  on  cold.  A  simple  skin  wound 
will  yield  readily  to  salt  and  water,  which  may  be  increased  in 
apparent  value  if  coloured  with  tinct.  lavender.  But  sores 
caused  by  harness  are  too  frequently  of  a  more  serious 
character.  Careless  horsekeepers  neglect  a  slight  wound,  and 
the  irritation  being  kept  up,  a  deep  circular  sore  is  the  result, 
the  margins  of  which  become  callous  and  the  centre  covered 
by  a  hard  scab,  under  which  is  always  more  or  less  matter. 
Such  a  wound,  commonly  called  from  the  centre  scab  a 
sitfast,  is  most  obstinate,  showing  little  tendency  to  heal  un- 
aided. No  half  measures  are  of  use;  the  scab  must  be  re- 
moved, and  the  whole  sore  dressed  with  some  caustic,  as  nitrate 
of  silver  or  even  corrosive  sublimate  (the  first  in  stick,  the 
latter  dissolved  in  spirit  of  wine,  5j.  to  the  ounce).  A  very 
bad  case  is  radically  cured  by  an  incision  right  through  it,  so 
as  to  alter  the  circular  to  an  elliptical  wound,  at  the  same  time 
starting  healthy  granulations. 

It  is  common  amongst  heavy  horses  to  see  on  the  inside  ot 
saddles  or  collars  the  padding  roughly  cut  out  over  a  wound  with 
a  view  to  prevent  pressure  upon  it.  This  certainly  spoils  the 
harness,  and  very  seldom  answers,  as  the  padding  protrudes  and 
keeps  irritating  the  wound.  The  neatest,most  effectual  and  econo- 
mical method  of  relieving  any  sore  from  pressure,  is  to  apply 
pads  to  the  harness  so  that  one  rests  above  the  sore  and  one 
below  it.  'i"he  pads  may  be  made  of  chamois-leather  and  stuffed 
with  curled  horsehair.  Common-sense  will  point  out  that  a  pad 
must  not  be  so  applied  to  a  collar  as  to  press  on  the  jugular  veins. 


Wounds,  soues,  etc.,  in  animals  281 

Open  Joints. — A  special  difficuky  in  treating  these  cases 
is  to  check  the  flow  of  joint  oil  or  synovia.  To  do  this  it  is 
first  of  all  necessary  to  fix  the  joint,  so  as  to  prevent  movement. 
Some  joints,  as  the  fetlock,  &c.,  are  easily  fixed  by  a  bandage  ; 
larger  joints,  as  the  knee  and  hock,  usually  need  some  con- 
trivance, as  an  iron  bar  or  piece  of  wood,  put  on  to  the  leg 
like  a  splint.  The  higher  joints  cannot  be  fixed  in  this  manner, 
but  if  the  lower  ones  be  fixed,  motion  is  always  more  or  less 
limited  in  the  one  immediately  above. 

In  the  case  of  the  stifle  joint,  from  the  anatomical  arrange- 
ment of  certain  tendons,  movement  cannot  take  place  if  the 
hock  be  fixed.  The  jaw-joint  is  a  very  awkward  one  to  fix, 
as  by  doing  so  mastication  is  stopped  ;  but  this  must  be 
done  for  a  time,  and  motion  must  be  limited  till  recovery 
ensues.  A  tight  nose-band  effectually  does  this.  By  some, 
blisters  are  applied  round  the  opening  and  over  the  joint  ;  they 
act  very  well  ;  they  increase  the  granulatmg  process,  and  keep 
the  joint  still. 

In  all  such  cases,  however,  it  is  an  advantage  to  coagulate 
the  discharge.  The  discharge  is  albuminous,  so  that  there  are 
a  number  of  substances  to  use.  A  common  one  is  alum  ;  not 
by  itself,  but  as  an  ingredient  of  what  is  called  open-joint 
POWDER,  made  thus — 

Alum     .         .         .         .    -^ 

Ferri  Sulph.  .         .         .     '   partes  ffiquaks. 

Pulv.  Myrrhse         .         .    J 

Finely  powder,  and  sprinkle  on  to  the  part. 

The  objection  to  this  is,  that  albumen  is  redissolved  by 
alum  in  excess.  The  two  best  and  neatest  applications  are 
nitrate  of  silver  in  the  solid  form,  and  corrosive  sublimate  ( 5 j.  in 
§j.  S.V.R.)  applied  with  a  feather.  Care  must  be  taken  with 
both  of  these  substances  not  to  introduce  them  into  the  joint, 
but  merely  to  touch  the  escaping  synovia  at  the  opening. 
Finally,  never  remove  the  plug  of  coagulated  synovia  from  the 
opening  when  dressing  a  case. 


282  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

'Grease'  in  Horses. — This  expressive  name  is  given  to 
a  skin  disease  affecting  the  legs.  Heavy  cart-horses  are  most 
subject  to  it.  The  hind  legs  seem  more  prone  to  become 
'  greasy '  than  the  fore.  Grease  varies  in  degree,  from  a  small 
spot  covered  with  short  broken  hairs,  representing  merely  a 
wet  surface,  to  a  state  in  which  the  leg  up  to  near  the  hock 
is  covered  with  red,  painful  granulations  and  a  stinking  dis- 
charge. The  treatment  of  this  disease  is  generally  tedious, 
and  often  unsuccessful ;  this  is  probably  owing  to  neglect 
in  dressing  as  much  as  to  the  natural  obstinacy  of  the  affection. 
The  restiveness  of  the  animal,  coupled  with  the  offensive  smell 
arising  from  a  greasy  leg,  renders  the  duty  of  dressing  so  dis- 
agreeable as  to  ensure  neglect  by  all  but  the  most  patient  of 
men.  A  dressing  should  be  astringent,  caustic,  and  disinfec- 
tant.    These  qualities  are  combined  in  the  following  : — 

Ferri  Sulph.         .         .         .    "j 
Zinci  Sulph.         .         .         .    [  of  each  I  lb. 
Cupri  Sulpli.        .         .         .    J 
Dissolve  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water  and  add  Carbolic  Acid  4  oz. 

The  sulphates  of  copper  and  zinc  are  also  given  internally 
in  drachm  doses,  their  action  upon  the  lymphatics  of  the  leg 
being  unquestionable.  Three  or  four  balls  per  week  of  the 
above  strength  may  be  given. 

If  there  is  much  swelling  of  the  affected  limbs  an  aloetic 
ball  may  be  given  ;  the  animal  should  be  kept  at  work  save 
during  the  first  two  or  three  dressings,  as  then  in  bad  cases 
the  pain  is  considerable.  As  a  last  resort,  firing  may  be  had 
recourse  to  ;  but  as  this  entails  at  least  two  months'  idleness, 
only  a  valuable  horse  is  worth  it. 

Fractures  are  called  simple  when  the  bone  is  only  snapped 
in  two,  comminuted  when  it  is  splintered,  and  compound  if  a 
wound  of  the  skin  accompanies  and  communicates  with  the 
fracture.  The  bones  most  frequently  broken  are  the  long 
bones  of  the  limbs.  Fractures  of  ribs  or  skull  arc  dangerous 
from  llic  chance  of  injury  to  organs  within,  and  should  only 


WOUNDS,  SORES,  ETC.,  IN  ANIMALS  283 

be  treated  by  an  expert.  We  therefore  confine  our  remarks 
to  more  simple  cases. 

Detection  of  a  fracture  below  the  knee  or  hock  is  an  easy 
matter  by  the  obvious  deformity  ;  above  this,  however,  where 
the  bone  is  well  covered  with  flesh,  a  careful  examination  is 
often  necessary. 

The  symptoms  of  fracture,  in  addition  to  pain  and  lameness, 
with  sometimes  swelling  and  displacement,  are  twitching  of  the 
muscles  and  crepitus,  i.e.  a  grating  sound  heard  on  moving  the 
bone  so  as  to  bring  the  broken  ends  into  contact.  The  twitch- 
ing of  the  muscles  is  due  to  irritation  caused  by  the  broken 
ends.  A  fracture  may  be  mistaken  for  dislocation,  and  vice 
versa.  It  may  therefore  be  remembered  that  ordinary  extension 
will  reduce  a  fracture  to  its  proper  position,  while  considerable 
force  is  required  to  reduce  a  dislocation,  and  when  reduced  it 
remains  fixed.  A  fracture,  say  of  the  arm  of  a  dog,  is  accom- 
panied by  swelling,  due  to  blood  effused  at  the  part  from 
lacerated  vessels.  This  is  rapidly  absorbed,  and  in  its  place 
we  find  organisable  lymph,  which  gradually  becomes  condensed. 
This  material  not  only  surrounds  the  fracture,  but  is  found 
between  the  ends  of  the  bone. 

This  change  takes  place  in  about  a  week.  Then  we  have 
bony  deposit  between  and  around  the  ends  of  the  bone,  which 
in  time  replaces  all  the  plastic  material  first  formed,  acting  like 
a  ferule  to  the  part.  This  bony  ring  in  surgery  is  known  as 
the  Provisional  Callus,  in  contradistinction  to  the  Definitive 
Callus,  i.e  the  portion  between  the  ends  of  the  bone.  These 
are  not  separate,  but  continuous  ;  the  difference  is  that  the 
superfluous  encircling  mass  becomes  absorbed,  while  the  inter- 
mediate portion  remains  as  the  union.  Really,  however,  this 
also  changes— for  at  first  it  is  a  solid,  compact  mass,  but  in  time, 
by  absorption,  it  assumes  the  form  and  structure  of  the  original 
bone. 

The  treatment  of  fracture,  then,  consists  of  two  parts— setting 
and  retaining  the  ends  of  the  bone.  Correct  adaptation  is 
necessary,  as  Nature  attempts  repair  in  whatever  position  the 
parts  are  kept,  and  so  might  perpetuate  deformity.     Success  is 


284  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

shown  by  the  outline  of  the  Hmb  and  by  the  grating  together 
of  the  ends  of  the  bone.  To  retain  them  in  position  in  the 
best  manner  is  done  by  applying  such  an  apparatus  as  will  take 
the  form  of  the  parts,  and  prevent  movement  without  injuring 
any  of  the  tissues.  AVe  may  use  either  '  splints,'  as  thin  pieces 
of  wood,  cardboard,  or  gutta-percha,  or,  better  than  either 
perhaps,  a  long  bandage  saturated  with  glue  or  starch,  to  give 
it  the  requisite  firmness.  If  the  bandage  be  strengthened  with 
glue,  this  should  be  melted  with  a  little  glycerin  instead  of 
water.     It  is  thus  made  softer  and  tougher. 

Do  not  apply  the  starched  bandage  directly  to  the  limb. 
Firit  roll  a  dry  bandage  carefully  round,  beginning  at  the  toes, 
and  applying  it  as  high  on  the  limb  as  possible.  The  joint 
above  and  below  a  fracture  should  always  be  fixed  if  practicable, 
as  movement  is  thereby  reduced  to  a  minimum.  A  bandage 
should  never  be  applied  to  a  limb  so  as  to  leave  a  distal  portion 
uncovered,  for  the  compression  above  is  certain  to  cause  swell- 
ing below  and,  if  continued,  congestion  or  even  gangrene.  No 
matter  what  part  of  a  limb  is  fractured,  if  a  bandage  be  applied, 
commence  at  the  toes,  so  as  to  have  a  uniform  pressure.  Over 
the  dry  bandage  apply  the  starched  or  glued  one.  Secure  the 
ends,  and  keep  the  dog  in  a  small  cage,  so  as  to  limit  his 
movements. 

This  apparatus  should  remain  on  for  about  fourteen  days, 
and  be  examined  daily  to  see  it  is  not  loose  or  too  tight.  A 
compound  fracture  had  better  be  treated  with  splints  and  a 
simple  bandage,  so  arranged  as  to  allow  the  wound  to  be 
examined  without  removing  the  whole  arrangement.  A  com- 
minuted fracture  may  be  treated  like  a  simple  one  ;  but  if  also 
compound,  and  any  pieces  of  bone  are  quite  detached,  they 
should  be  removed. 

In  fractures  of  such  bones  as  the  thigh,  where  we  cannot 
api)ly  a  bandage,  we  can  fix  the  hock  and  stifle  joints,  and  so 
prevent  a  good  deal  of  movement.  A  plaster  over  the  part 
will  also  aid  if  the  hair  be  previously  cut  short,  otherwise  it 
only  causes  annoyance.  These  fractures  only  pay  for  treat- 
ment in  pet  dogs  or  bitches,  as  frequently  a  false  joint  saves 


WOLWWS,  SORES,    ETC.,  IN  ANIMALS  285 

the  animal's  life,  but  renders  him  lame  for  life.  These  remarks 
specially  refer  to  dogs,  but  are  equally  applicable  to  other 
animals.  The  bones  of  the  lower  animals  unite  with  great 
rapidity  ;  but  the  money  value  is  generally  the  standard  by 
which  the  advisability  of  treatment  is  judged.  Those  kept  for 
stud  purposes  are  generally  worth  a  trial ;  those  for  the  butcher 
never. 


286  VETERINARY   COUNTER  PRACTICE 


DISEASES   OF  POULTRY 

Nearly  all  the  diseases  of  poultry  are  the  result  of  cold, 
wet,  want  of  cleanliness,  bad  feeding,  or  overcrowding,  and 
several  are  very  infectious.  The  diseases  in  all  classes  of 
domestic  fowls  or  game  are  very  similar,  so  that  the  remarks 
made  in  regard  to  poultry  apply  generally  to  most  of  the  birds 
included.  It  may  be  remarked  that  ducks  are  especially  bad 
to  manage  when  ill  ;  they  seem  to  be  very  little  susceptible  to 
medicines,  and  when  not  feeding  naturally,  almost  all  that  can 
be  done  is  to  '  cram '  them. 

POULTRY 

Abortion.— Sometimes  when  hustled  or  violently  driven 
about,  hens  suffer  much  in  this  way.  The  bird  should  be  put 
away  in  a  quiet  place,  and  fed  sparingly  on  soft  food  to  which 
is  added  a  small  piece  of  prepared  chalk,  or  a  pinch  of  sodii 
bicarb,  may  be  placed  in  the  drinking  water. 

Apoplexy. — Birds,  apparently  in  robust  health,  fall  sud- 
denly, and  arc  found  cither  dead  or  insensible.  Hens  may  die 
on  the  nest  while  ejecting  the  egg.  The  only  hope  of  cure  is  in 
immediate  bleeding  by  opening  one  of  the  largest  veins  on  the 
inner  side  of  the  wings  by  a  longitudinal  incision.  So  long  as 
the  thumb  is  pressed  on  the  vein  at  any  point  between  the  body 
and  the  cut,  blood  will  flow.  The  disease  is  generally  caused 
by  a  too  liberal  or  a  too  stimulating  diet.  Hcmpseed  or  an 
over-supply  of  pea-  or  bean-meal  may  occasion  it.  If  the 
fowl  should  recover  after  treatment,  keep  it  very  quiet  for  a 


DISEASES  OF  POULTRY  287 

few  days,  and  give  it  only  soft  food.  Afterwards  a  pill  should 
be  given  of 

Pulv.  Ext.  Coloc.  Co.       .         .         •     gr.  x. 
Hydrarg.  Subchlor gr.  j. 

The  bird  should  have  rest  for  a  few  days.  If  symptoms  of 
paralysis  should  be  observed,  liq.  strychnince  in  5-minim  doses 
may  be  given  twice  a  day  in  soft  food  or  in  the  drinking-water. 

Baldness  and  White  Comb.— AMiite  Comb  is  a  hard 
scurfy  condition  of  the  organ.  Give  good  green  food  and 
exercise,  and  a  5 -grain  Plummer's  pill  every  night  for  a  week. 
The  parts  should  be  dressed  daily  with  sulphur  or  tar  ointment. 
Instead  of  the  pill  a  tablespoonful  of  castor-oil,  followed  by  a 
teaspoonful  of  sulphur  in  the  food,  may  be  given  daily  for  ten 
days.  One  'authority '  on  the  subject  recommends  an  oint- 
ment as  follows,  and  claims  that  it  is  a  specific  for  the  disease : 

Pulv.  Curcumx     .....     jij. 
01.  Cocos  Nucif.  .         .         .         •     SJ- 

Black  Rot. — This  disease  was  more  common  formerly 
than  now.  Its  symptoms  were  blackening  of  the  comb  and 
swelling  of  the  legs  and  feet.  The  treatment  consisted  in 
giving  gss.  castor  oil,  or  calomel  gr.  ij.,  followed  by  a  course  of 
tonic  treatment,  such  as  5ss.  doses  of  syr.  ferri  phosph.  co. 
twice  a  day  for  a  fortnight,  with  warm  and  nourishing  food. 

Bronchitis. — This  may  or  may  not  be  associated  with 
ordinary  catarrh.  It  is  characterised  by  frequent  coughing. 
Five  grains  pil.  scillse  co.  twice  daily,  and  '  Douglass  Mixture '  in 
the  water,  is  the  best  treatment.  A  grain  or  two  of  cayenne 
may  be  added  to  the  food.  The  bird  should  be  kept  in  dry, 
comfortable  quarters. 

Bumble  Foot. — This  term  signifies  deformity  of  the 
feet,  caused,  it  is  supposed,  by  pressure  from  the  perch,  espe- 
cially in  large  heavy  birds,  'provided  with  square  instead  of 
round  bars. 

No  treatment  is  of  avail. 


288  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Canker  or  Ulceration. — This  exhibits  itself  as  a  cheesy 
growth  or  ulcerated  condition  of  the  mucous  membranes  of  the 
mouth  or  throat,  sometimes  also  affecting  the  eyes  and  nostrils 
so  as  to  cause  actual  suffocation.  Among  the  remedies  recom- 
mended are  liq.  sodse  chlor.  as  a  lotion  with  which  to  swab 
the  mouth  and  throat,  or  carbolic  lotion,  i  in  20,  used  in  the 
same  way.  Some  recommend  the  growth  to  be  scraped  away, 
and  the  spots  touched  with  argent,  nitr.  As  it  is  now  gene- 
rally believed  that  the  disease  is  of  a  tuberculous  nature  and 
highly  contagious,  birds  affected  in  this  way  should  be  promptly 
destroyed  and  their  carcases  burned. 

Catarrh  shows  itself  by  a  watery  or  adhesive  discharge 
from  the  nostrils  with  swelling  of  the  eyelids.  When  the  dis- 
charge becomes  purulent  and  offensive,  and  the  other  sym- 
ptoms are  aggravated,  the  disease  is  called  Roup  {which  see). 
A  dry  warm  situation  and  stimulating  food  will  often  relieve 
slight  cases,  which  should  never  be  neglected.  At  the  first 
symptoms  affected  birds  should  be  removed  to  comfortable, 
•warm  and  dry  quarters,  and  fed  moderately  on  soft  warm 
food  to  which  have  been  added  pulv.  capsici,  pulv.  glycyrrhizse, 
pulv.  anisi,  pulv.  cocci,  ferri  sulph.,  diS. paries  (cquaks,  sufificient 
to  make  the  food  piquant.  Or  i  pil.  scillse  co.  may  be  given 
twice  a  day.  The  above  powder  will  be  found  useful  as  a 
concentrated  poultry  spice,  of  which  a  teaspoonful  daily  in 
the  food  is  sufficient  for  about  fifteen  to  twenty  birds. 

Cholera. — Chicken  cholera,  although  not  so  common  as 
it  formerly  was,  is  still  at  times  a  severe  scourge  in  the  poultry 
yard.  In  character  and  symptoms  it  is  not  unlike  human 
cholera,  appearing  in  hot  weather  and  sometimes  becoming 
epidemic.     It  is  due  to  a  specific  bacillus. 

Its  symptoms,  although  not  always  uniform,  are  a  sudden 
accession  of  thirst,  accompanied  by  diarrhcea,  at  first  of  a 
greenish,  then  'rice  water'  description.  There  is  great  weak- 
ness  and  prostration,  with  probably  a  'cramped'  condition. 

No  treatment  is  desirable,  but  removal  and  burning  of  in- 
fected carcases  and  thorough  disinfection  of  coops  are  essential. 


D/S£A^£S  OF  POlfLTKY  2§9 

Cramp. — Young  chickens  sometimes  suffer  from  cramp 
>Vhen  exposed  to  damp  and  cold  wind  in  early  spring.  When 
observed,  they  should  at  once  be  removed  to  a  dry,  clean, 
boarded  floor,  liberally  sprinkled  with  sand  or  fine  peat  moss, 
and  the  legs  rubbed  two  or  three  times  a  day  with  '  white  oils.' 

Good  henwives  bring  in  the  chicks  and  cover  with  flannel, 
placing  near  a  fire  but  not  above  it.  Bottom  heat  from  hot 
water  bottles  does  not  suit  chickens,  but  they  quickly  respond 
to  warmth  from  above. 

Crop-bound. — This  name  is  given  to  distension  of  the 
crop,  either  by  over-feeding  and  subsequent  swelling  of  the 
grain,  or  by  the  presence  of  some  single  object  too  large  to 
pass  into  the  stomach.  To  treat  it,  first  pour  warm  water 
down  the  throat  to  soften  and  loosen  the  food,  kneading  the 
crop  for  some  time  with  the  fingers.  Then  give  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  castor-oil  or  from  5  to  8  grains  of  jalap  mixed  in  butter. 
If  this  should  not  be  effective,  as  a  last  resort  the  crop  must 
be  opened.  Cut  into  the  upper  part  of  the  crop  with  a 
s'larp  penknife  about  an  inch,  loosen  the  mass  with  some 
blunt  instrument,  and  remove  it ;  if  very  offensive,  wash  the 
crop  out  with  warm  water.  Feed  for  a  few  days  on  soft  food, 
adding  a  little  of  the  spice  recommended  under  Catarrh.  If 
the  incision  is  small  it  may  be  left,  if  large  a  stitch  or  two 
should  be  inserted. 

Crop,  Soft  or  Swelled. — This  is  another  form  of  dis- 
tension of  the  crop  as  the  result  of  indigestion.  Treatment  as 
for  the  first-mentioned  form  will  be  suitable,  allowing  only  a 
moderate  quantity  of  water  and  soft  cooked  food  for  a  time. 
In  both  forms  a  comp.  rhubarb  pill  is  occasionally  useful. 

Croup  and  Canker. — A  purge  of  castor-oil  should  be 
first  given,  after  which  the  following  pill  will  often  be  found 

useful : — 

Pulv.  Cajisici      .         .         .         .         ,     gr.  v. 
Pulv.  Cupri  Sulphat.  .         .         •     g^  iij- 

Syrup q.  s. 

Fiat  massa.  Make  into  an  oval  pill,  and  roll  in  liquorice  powder, 
A  pill  to  be  given  twice  a  day. 

U 


290  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Debility. — Anything  that  tends  to  lower  the  vitality  of 
the  birds  will  induce  this  condition,  apart  from  any  actual 
disease.  It  is  best  treated  by  the  exhibition  of  chemical  food 
in  5ss.  doses,  or  the  'Douglass  Mixture'  as  recommended 
below. 

'  Douglass  Mixture '  for  Moulting  Birds.— Dissolve 
1  oz.  of  iron  sulphate  in  i  quart  of  water,  add  i  drachm  of 
dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and  put  i  teaspoonful  of  this  mixture  in 
each  quart  of  drinking  water.  When  chickens  droop  and 
seem  to  suffer  as  the  feathers  on  the  head  grow,  give  them 
once  a  day  meat  minced  fine  and  canary-seed. 

DiarrhcEa  is  common  in  changeable,  cold,  wet  weather. 
Eating  fish  also  causes  it.  If  observed  in  its  early  stages  it  can 
usually  be  checked  by  feeding  on  boiled  rice,  with  which  is 
mixed  a  little  chalk  in  fine  powder,  or  a  pill  of  the  same  to 
which  has  been  added  5  minims  spt.  camph.  may  be  given 
twice  a  day,  and  if  very  severe  pulv.  opii  gr.  \  may  be  given 
with  it. 

Dysentery  (Bloody  Flux). — Should  diarrhoea  go  on  to 
this  stage,  it  is  rarely  cured,  but  above  treatment  may  be  perse- 
vered with  for  some  time. 

Ferri  sulph.  is  the  best  remedy. 

Egg-bound. — Sometimes  on  account  of  the  large  size  of 
the  egg  a  hen  or  other  bird  is  unable  to  expel  it  from  the  ovi- 
duct. A  little  olive  oil  should  be  passed  up,  taking  care  not 
to  break  the  egg  ;  at  the  same  time  fomenting  the  '  vent '  with 
warm  water  so  as  to  relax  the  tissues  around.  This  is  best 
accomplished  by  sitting  the  hen  over  a  bucket  of  steaming  bran. 

Elephantiasis  or  Scaly  Leg.— It  is  due  to  a  parasite 
of  the  mange  order,  and  is  best  treated  as  such.  To  facilitate 
the  oi)cralion  of  a  sulphur  ointment  or  lotion,  the  legs  should 


DISEASES  OP  rOULTkV  291 

be  first  washed  with  strong  soda  water,  to  remove  the  dense 
masses  which  accumulate  to  such  an  extent  as  to  have  given 
the  synonym  above  employed. 


Feather  Eating. — As  a  consequence  of  indigestion  this 
is  at  times  veiy  prevalent,  especially  during  hot  dry  weather, 
and  where  the  drinking  water  has  become  contaminated  or  hot. 

It  is  thought  to  be  due  to  parasitic  invasion  of  the  skin  about 
the  feather  root.  The  same  remedies  as  mentioned  above  for 
scaly  leg  are  usually  successful.  Town-kept  birds  in  narrow 
runs  would  appear  to  commence  the  practice  from  sheer  ennui, 
but  it  is  quite  possible  to  keep  them  in  perfect  health  although 
confined,  if  green  food  and  grit  are  supplied  in  plenty  and  hard 
corn  added  to  the  kitchen  fragments,  which  consist  too  often  of 
bread  and  potato  to  such  an  extent  as  to  either  set  up  skin 
diseases  or  else  diarrhoea. 

Gapes. — This  very  fatal  disease  is  common  in  young 
birds  of  all  descriptions,  caused  by  the  presence  in  the 
trachea  and  lungs  of  a  worm  called  the  strongylus  filar ia. 
These  sometimes  become  so  numerous  in  the  windpipe  as  to 
entirely  fill  it,  causing  the  bird  to  gasp  for  breath  ;  hence  the 
term  '  Gapes.'  Those  affected  should  be  driven  into  a  closed 
place  and  made  to  inhale  the  fumes  from  carbolic  acid  until 
nearly  suffocated  ;  or  a  feather  dipped  in  glycerin  acid,  carbol. 
may  be  inserted  into  the  windpipe  and  twisted  round  ;  this  at 
the  same  time  anoints  the  parts  and  removes  some  of  the 
parasites  when  withdrawn. 

Where  the  value  of  the  fowls  will  warrant  it,  half  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  the  glycerine  as  above  may  be  slowly  injected  into  the 
trachea  by  means  of  a  hypodermic  syringe.  As  a  preventive 
the  run  should  be  kept  as  clean  as  possible,  and  freely  sprinkled 
with  a  solution  of  carbolic  acid,  or  disinfecting  powder  and 
lime  freely  thrown  about  the  ground. 

Giddiness  (see  Vertigo). 

u  2 


2$2  VETERWARV  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Indigestion. — Injudicious  feeding,  such  as  too  much 
spiced  food,  meat,  or  maize,  or  the  want  of  grit  for  mastication, 
often  causes  indigestion,  and  may  be  the  forerunner  of  other 
diseases. 

The  symptoms  are  a  want  of  appetite  with  lassitude,  while 
the  droppings  are  scanty  and  unhealthy  in  character.  The 
food  ought  to  be  completely  changed,  and  a  comp.  rhubarb  pill 
given  daily  for  a  week.  If  the  liver  seems  affected  a  grain  of 
calomel  may  be  added  to  the  pill,  while  the  water  given  should 
be  frequently  changed. 

Leg  Weakness  is  common  in  young  birds  of  the  larger 
breeds  as  a  result  of  their  rapid  growth  and  v/ant  of  bony 
material  in  the  food.  The  symptoms  are  constant  squatting 
on  the  ground  and  disinclination  to  move.  Bone-dust,  lime, 
&c.,  should  be  given  in  the  food,  and  20-drop  doses  of  syrup 
hypophosph.  co.,  or  5ss.  of  chemical  food  twice  a  day.  Or 
3  to  8  grains  of  ferri  et  ammon.  citr.  once  a  day. 

Liver  Disease  is  evidenced  by  a  sickly  yellowish 
appearance  about  the  head  and  comb.  It  is  generally  the 
result  of  over-feeding  on  too  fattening  material,  such  as  maize 
and  other  starch  foods,  with  highly  spiced  condiments.  It 
sometimes  causes  much  loss  if  neglected.  Treatment  should 
be  directed  to  reducing  the  fatty  condition  and  arousing  the 
liver  to  work  by  daily  doses  of  calomel  gr.  j.,    or  a  pill  as 

follows  : — 

Podophyllin S"^-  i 

Til.  Rhei  Co gr.  ij. 

daily  for  a  week,  or  until  there  are  signs  of  improvement.  In 
tuberculous  disease  of  this  organ  of  course  there  is  no  cure, 
and  if  suspected  the  best  course  is  to  promptly  destroy  the 
sufferer  and  burn  the  carcase. 

Loss  of  Feathers.— Sometimes  the  feathers  have  been 
pecked   out  by  the  other  birds.     In  such  cases  the  pecked 


DISEASES  OF  POULTRY  293 

parts  should  be  smeared  over  with  sulphur  ointment,  cut  or 
broken  feathers  should  be  removed,  and  the  bird  separated 
from  the  rest.  Generally  the  loss  of  plumage  is  the  result  of 
too  little  green  food  or  of  bad  housing.  Nothing  will  restore 
the  feathers  till  the  next  moult. 

Paralysis  affecting  either  of  the  limbs  is  incurable. 

Parasites  (External). — With  ordinary  care  and  atten- 
tion birds  can  be  easily  kept  free  from  parasites.  The  houses 
ought  to  be  frequently  lime-washed,  carbolic  acid  solution  or 
powder  freely  sprinkled  about,  and  insect  powder  on  the  birds 
will  free  them  from  most  pests.  Dipping  the  bird  in  a  weak 
solution  of  any  soluble  disinfectant  or  parasiticide  not  stronger 
than  1-40  or  50  will  be  effectual  to  free  them  from  lice. 

Sitting  hens  should  have  sulphur  flowers  under  them, 

Pip. — Furred  tongue,  horny  tongue,  &c.  If  very  much 
thickened  the  tongue  should  be  scraped,  and  a  lotion  of  liq. 
sodae  chlor.  or  borax  applied.  A  dose  of  pil.  rhei  co.  should 
also  be  given  daily  for  a  week,  from  gr.  ij.  for  a  young  fowl 
to  gr.  iv.  for  a  fully  grown  one.  Alum,  exsicc.  put  in  the  mouth 
answers  the  purpose  of  clearing  the  tongue. 

Rheumatism. — All  birds  are  subject  to  this  affection  as 
a  result  of  bad  housing  and  cold  or  wet  runs.  It  shows  itself 
by  the  occurrence  of  stiff  swollen  joints  ;  at  the  same  time  the 
toes  are  cramped  and  contracted,  with  painful  gait.  It  is  dis- 
tinguished from  leg  weakness  by  the  evident  pain  which  it 
gives.  A  warm  and  dry  house,  and  warm  stimulating  food,  to 
which  is  added  cayenne  or  other  spice,  is  the  best  treatment. 
At  the  same  time  the  legs  should  be  rubbed  with  equal  parts 
of  turpentine  and  oil,  or  '  white  oils,'  and  salicylate  of  soda 
given  in  three  to  five  grain  doses. 

Roup  (Cold,  Catarrh,  etc.). — Various  affections  of  the 
respiratory  organs  go  by  this  name,     The   most  prominent 


294  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

symptoms  are  those  of  an  aggravated  catarrh,  shown  by  sneezing 
and  gasping,  with  a  discharge  from  the  eyes  and  nostrils  some- 
times so  bad  as  to  entirely  close  these.  If  neglected  the 
disease  speedily  ends  in  death.  It  is  very  contagious,  and 
therefore  the  sufferer  should  be  promptly  isolated  and  disin- 
fectants used.  The  bird  must  be  kept  warm  and  dry,  and  a 
dose  of  castor-oil  given ;  the  nose  and  eyes  should  be  well 
sponged,  and  syringed  with  a  solution  of  liq.  sodse  chlor.  1-2, 
and  if  the  nostrils  are  plugged  with  the  discharge  this  solution 
ought  to  be  injected  into  these,  the  mouth  and  throat  likewise 
receiving  the  same  treatment. 

Inhalations  are  found  successful  in  many  cases,  but  unless 
birds  are  particularly  valuable,  for  stock  purposes,  it  is  almost 
certain  to  be  cheaper  to  destroy  every  affected  one.  The  fol- 
lov.-ing  is  the  composition  of  a  favourite,  and  it  is  to  be  put  into 
a  W.M.  bottle,  and  the  sufferer's  head  held  over  it  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  compel  him  to  inhale  the  fumes. 

Acid.  Carbolic "jij. 

Ammon.  Carb.  (in  fragments)      .          .      jj. 
Tereber.i 5J. 

The  patient  should  be  held  up  by  the  heels  for  a  few 
minutes  night  and  morning,  before  the  inhalation,  as  a  lot  of 
fluid  v/ill  escape  from  the  mouth  and  nostrils,  and  afford  the 
medicaments  much  better  access  to  the  diphtheritic  mem- 
branes, or  roupous,  to  be  more  exact.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the 
memljrancs  may  remain  in  a  catarrhal  condition  for  some  time 
and  recover,  or  go  on  to  a  croupous  or  diphtheritic  state. 

In  convalescence  the  '  Douglass  Mixture  '  may  be  given  for 
a  time.  As  recommended  elsewhere,  if  the  presence  of  tuber- 
cle is  suspected  the  bird  should  be  destroyed  and  the  carcase 
burned,  in  the  interests  of  health  and  humanity. 

Soft  Eggs. — This  condition  is  sometimes  a  result  of 
over-feeding  and  want  of  grit  or  gravel ;  hence  the  remedy  is 
easy— grit,    calcined    oyster-shells,  old   mortar,  and,    in   the 


DISEASES  OF  POULTRY  295 

drinking  water,  some  lime,  so  as  to  provide  material  for  form- 
ing the  shell. 

Thrush. — Tincture  of  myrrh  and  borax  diluted  with 
water,  to  wash  the  tongue  and  mouth  with  twice  daily,  is  the 
best  treatment. 

Tuberculous  Diseases.— Scrofula,  Ulceration,  Canker, 
Consumption,  Roup,  &c.  Domestic  birds  are  very  subject  to 
tubercle  in  various  forms,  and  nearly  all  the  organs  of  the  body 
may  become  affected.  The  principal  symptoms  are  cheesy- 
looking  or  calcareous  growths,  or  maybe  ulcerations,  on  any 
organs,  such  as  lungs,  liver,  mouth  and  throat  (roup),  nostrils. 
Treatment  is  of  no  avail,  and  the  bird  should  be  at  once 
destroyed,  and  even  a  healthy-looking  fowl  when  killed  ought 
to  be  examined  for  evidence  of  this  disease,  and  if  present  it 
should  not  be  used  for  human  food. 

Vertigo. — The  birds  run  in  circles  or  flutter  about  without 
control  of  their  movements.  Hold  the  head  under  a  stream 
of  cold  water  for  a  time.  Give  3  grains  of  calomel  and  10 
grains  of  jalap.     Keep  on  low  diet. 

TURKEYS 

Sores  over  the  Tail. — Abscess  sometimes  forms  in 
this  situation,  causing  the  bird  to  depress  the  tail  and  suffer  a 
good  deal  of  discomfort.  When  found  to  fluctuate  under  pres- 
sure of  the  finger,  the  swelling  should  be  lanced  at  the  thinnest 
point  and  the  matter  evacuated  by  gentle  pressure,  syringing 
or  bathing  with  an  antiseptic  of  the  lysol  class 

Diarrhcea  is  caused  by  too  much  green  food.  Give  warm 
food,  chick-peas,  and  powdered  tormentil.  Or  give  5  grains 
each  of  powdered  chalk  and  rhubarb  and  3  grains  of  cayenne 
pepper.  If  the  flux  is  not  checked,  give  i  grain  of  opium  and 
I  grain  of  ipecacuanha  every  four  hours. 


296  VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 

Epilepsy. — Give  wine,  and  anoint  the  head  with  ohveoil. 
Much  green  food  must  not  be  given. 

Lice  result  from  uncleanness.  Dust  into  the  feathers 
flowers  of  sulphur  or  sawdust  moistened  with  benzoline  or 
carbolic  acid ;  and  lime-wash  the  hen-house,  adding  a  little 
carbolic  acid  to  the  wash.  A  good  method  is  to  slake 
half  a  bushel  of  lime,  and  when  cold  mix  with  it  10  lbs.  of 
sulphur  and  i  oz.  of  carbolic  acid.  After  sweeping  out  the 
hen-house,  drive  out  all  the  birds,  close  all  the  doors  and 
windows,  and  begin  at  the  further  end  and  walk  backward, 
scattering  the  mixture  freely  all  over  the  floor  and  through  the 
air,  on  to  the  perches  and  into  the  nests,  everywhere  thoroughly 
— leaving  a  dense  cloud  of  medicated  dust  suspended  through 
the  house.  Gradually  it  settles  in  every  crack  and  crevice, 
and  wherever  it  reaches  a  hen-louse  or  other  insect  destroys 
it.  If  the  chickens  have  roup,  leave  them  in  the  house  ;  it 
will  not  kill  nor  hurt  them,  but  the  sneezing  will  be  terrific, 
and  every  particle  of  mucus  that  has  accumulated  in  the  air- 
passages  and  throat  will  be  expelled,  and  the  medicated  dust 
will  reach  every  portion  of  the  membrane  and  cure  it  too.  In 
cases  of  gapes,  too,  this  treatment  is  likely  to  be  successful. 
It  kills  the  worms  in  the  air-passages  and  makes  the  chicken 
cough  them  up,  and  so  cures  the  case  at  once. 

Pip. — This  is  commonest  among  the  young  ones.  To  pre- 
vent it,  add  to  the  drinking  water  thyme  or  pepperwort  or 
nigella-seed,  and  let  them  often  run  among  green  food.  The 
pip — a  white  horny  skin — should  be  cut  from  beneath  the 
tongue  with  a  sharp  penknife,  and  taken  out.  Moisten  the 
part  with  salt  dissolved  in  wine  vinegar,  and  give  nothing  to  cat. 
Bread  cut  in  cubes  and  soaked  in  vinegar  is  good  later  on. 

Worms  on  the  Head.  —Hang  the  birds  up  and  search 
the  hcatl  tiiorouglily.  If  small  brown  worms  are  found,  which 
quickly  become  larger  and  feed  on  the  head,  drench  with  fish- 


DISEASES  OF  POULTRY  257 

oil  or  ol.  animalis  and  ol,  picis  equal  parts,  and  iheri-aftcr  rub 
with  this  occasionally. 

GEESE 

Diarrhoea. — Place  the  twigs  and  buds  of  a  young  pine 
tree  bruised  in  the  drinking  water.  Mix  bruised  thistles  with 
groats  as  food,  and  once  a  week  add  some  tobacco  ashes. 

Gnats  and  Flies  creep  into  the  little  cavities  in  the  ears 
and  nostrils  of  young  geese  and  kill  them.  Anoint  the  ears, 
in  June  and  July,  with  linseed  or  olive  oil.  If  the  disease 
is  severe,  put  barley  at  the  bottom  of  a  deep  trough  filled  with 
•water.  The  birds  in  reaching  for  the  food  put  their  heads 
deep  into  the  water  and  wash  the  vermm  out.  Fresh  fern 
leaves  often  strewed  in  the  run  drive  away  the  insects. 

Lice  generally  affect  the  young  in  summer.  Rub  the 
affected  places  with  tobacco  ashes,  or  with  a  mixture  of  fish  oil 
and  rape  oil ;  anoint  the  head,  and  the  sides  under  the  wings. 
If  they  show  themselves  on  the  throats  of  young  geese,  which 
is  often  fatal,  rub  the  throat  with  mercurial  ointment. 

Pip. — Greater  pimpernel  plant  should  be  steeped  in  water, 
the  herb  given  as  food,  and  the  infusion  as  drink.  The  sore 
should  be  cut  off,  and  the  wound  anointed  with  unsalted 
butter. 

riGEOXS 

Swelling  of  the  Crop  results  from  eating  too  much  fresh 
corn.  Pay  attention  to  the  feeding,  and  if  the  crop  swells,  soak 
bread  in  brandy,  and  give  as  food. 

Pigeons  should  always  be  supplied  with  old  mortar  or  chalk 
in  a  box,  where  they  can  peck  at  it,  and  with  a  lump  of 
common  salt  in  another  vessel.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  put  some 
lavender-stalks  about  the  pigeon-house  occasionally,  and  before 
gtocking  it. 


298  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

The  Parasites  that  infest  pigeons  are  fleas,  lice,  feather 
lice,  mites,  and  ticks.  Persian  insect-powder  is  efificacious  in  all 
cases.  Fleas  may  be  killed  by  sprinkling  a  little  snuff  over  the 
birds,  and  into  their  nests. 

Lice  usually  attack  weak  birds.  A  little  powdered  sulphur 
should  be  dusted  among  the  feathers,  and  the  birds  should  be 
kept  clean  and  in  good  condition. 

Mites  are  very  small  insects  which  inhabit  the  cracks  and 
nooks  in  the  walls  of  the  pigeon-house,  issuing  at  night  to  feed 
on  the  blood  of  the  birds.  They  sometimes  enter  the  ears  of 
young  birds  and  cause  intense  annoyance.  A  drop  of  oil  on 
the  ears,  under  the  wings,  or  wherever  mites  are  seen,  will 
destroy  them.  The  walls  should  be  smoothed  and  all  cracks 
stopped.  Birch  twigs  and  heath  should  be  given  for  the  nests 
instead  of  hay.     The  house  may  be  whitewashed. 

Ticks  are  larger  parasites,  infesting  generally  the  head  and 
back.     Cleanliness  and  sulphur  are  the  only  remedies. 

Feather  lice  are  long,  flat,  tough  insects  which  cling  very 
tightly  between  the  fibres  of  the  feathers.  Their  food  is  the 
down  on  the  quill  end  of  the  feathers. 

Canker  is  a  cheesy  stinking  growth  on  the  mucous  mem- 
brane of  the  mouth  and  throat.  It  is  very  fatal  to  young  birds, 
and  is  thought  to  be  contagious.  Dissect  away  the  cheesy 
growth  with  a  bit  of  wood  cut  like  a  spatula.  Touch  the  spot 
with  lunar  caustic.  Give  scanty  diet  and  much  exercise.  If 
the  flesh  round  the  eyes  is  wounded  by  fighting,  bathe  with  salt 
water  for  several  days,  and  if  this  does  not  succeed,  try  alum 
and  water. 

Moulting. — If  there  are  any  broken  stumps  of  feathers 
which  the  bird  cannot  remove,  considerable  suffering  results. 
The  stumps  must  be  withdrawn,  one  by  one,  with  a  pair  of 
pincers.     Give  plenty  of  good,  but  not  oily,  food. 

Pouters  sometimes  ovcrgorge  themselves  with  dry  food, 
which  swells  in  the  crop,  and  is  apt  to  cause  death.     The  crop 


DISEASES  OF  POULTRY  299 

should  be  opened  with  a  sharp  penknife,  the  mass  removed, 
and  the  wound  sewed  up.  If  skilfully  performed,  the  operation 
is  very  harmless. 

Roup  affects  the  mucous  membranes  of  the  mouth,  nos- 
trils, and  air-passages.  Warmth  will  cure  slight  attacks.  A 
copaiba  capsule  is  almost  a  specific.  When  the  discharge  from 
the  nostrils  is  offensive  and  purulent,  apply  to  the  eye  a  lotion 
of  nitrate  of  silver,  5  grains  to  i  oz.  The  birds  must  be  kept 
warm  and  well  nourished  \  hempseed  should  be  given.  Dry 
roup  is  known  by  the  dry,  husky  cough.  Give  3  or  4  cloves  of 
garlic  every  day. 

Scouring,  or  Diarrhoea,  is  caused  in  weak  birds  by  want 
of  exercise.  Add  a  pinch  of  sulphate  of  iron  to  the  drinking 
water. 

Scrofula  sho^^'s  itself  in  various  forms.  As  Wing  Disease 
it  forms  deposits  of  cheesy  and  scrofulous  matter  in  and  around 
the  joints,  especially  of  the  elbow.  In  early  stages  tincture  of 
iodine,  applied  externally,  may  cure  ;  but  in  advanced  cases  the 
bird  should  be  killed.  When  it  attacks  the  liver,  scrofula 
causes  the  formation  of  white  tubercles.  The  birds  lose  flesh, 
and  are  said  to  '  go  light.'    They  must  be  destroyed. 

Sore  Eyes  are  common  among  carriers  and  barbs.  A 
lotion  or  ointment  of  silver  nitrate  should  be  applied.  Among 
old  birds  there  is  a  tendency  to  form  spouts  by  the  turning  out 
of  the  lower  eyelid.  These  may  be  removed  by  cutting  them 
from  below  upwards  with  a  very  sharp  pair  of  scissors. 

Vertigo  occurs  in  highly  fed  birds.  Stan-e  for  two  or 
three  days,  and  reduce  the  food  afterwards. 

Wasting  is  said  to  be  cured  by  green  food,  especially 
watercress. 


3C0  VETERINARY  COUNTER  TTACTICE 

Pigeon  Spice  Balls, 
Where  large  numbers  of  pigeons  are  kept  on  the  Continent,  it  is  usual 
to  place  in  the  dovecotes  little  spiced  loaves  or  cones,  containing  salt, 
spice,  and  earth,  which  the  pigeons  peck  at,  and  which  tend  to  keep  them 
in  health,  and  induce  them  to  lay  more  prolifically.  These  cones  are 
made  in  this  manner :  Ten  pounds  of  vetch  or  other  farinaceous  seeds  are 
mixed  with  2  lbs.  of  cumin  seeds.  Separately,  sufficient  clay  is  kneaded 
with  water  containing  in  solution  2  lbs.  of  salt  to  make  a  soft  dough.  This 
is  then  thoroughly  mixed  with  the  seeds,  and  the  paste  is  dried  in  the  sun 
or  in  a  moderately  heated  oven.  Cakes  are  made  from  it  and  kept  in  a 
dry  place,  two  or  three  being  left  in  each  dovecote.  In  the  winter 
especially  these  form  a  valuable  stimulating  food  for  the  birds. 

PHEASANTS 

Cold  and  Roup. — In  cold  damp  seasons,  weak  broods  of 
young  are  attacked  by  catarrh.  Remove  them  to  a  warm,  dry 
place  ;  give  stimulating  food,  as  bread  soaked  in  ale,  with 
cayenne  or  pepper,  and  moisten  the  oatmeal  or  other  soft  food 
with  a  solution  of  \  oz.  ferrous  sulphate  in  i  quart  of  water, 
using  enough  to  give  the  meal  an  inky  taste. 

Roup  i.s  the  name  given  to  the  disease  when  the  nasal 
discharge  has  become  purulent  and  contagious.  The  diseased 
birds  should  be  at  once  removed. 

'  Gapes '  is  caused  by  the  presence  of  parasites  or  entozoa 
in  the  windpipe  :  young  birds  are  most  commonly  affected. 
They  keep  aloof  from  the  others,  have  ravenous  appetites,  and 
are  yet  much  smaller,  weaker,  and  less  feathered  than  their 
healthy  fellows.  At  short  intervals,  the  bird  stretches  its  neck 
and  gapes  ;  this  apparently  unfolds  the  knot  of  parasites  in  the 
windpipe,  and  allows  of  a  certain  degree  of  expiration  or 
inspiration.  The  best  method  of  treatment  is  to  expose  the 
affected  bird  to  the  fumes  of  heated  carbolic  acid  until  on  the 
point  of  suffocation.  The  bird  may  be  placed  in  a  box  with  a 
hot  brick,  and  carbolic  acid  placed  thereon.  The  birds  soon 
recover  from  the  incipient  suffocation,  and  are  almost  always 
freed  from   the  disease.     Care  must  be  taken  to  burn  the 


DISEJS^S   OF  POULT kV  36 1 

parasites  coughed  out,  and  the  bodies  of  any  birds  which  may 
die  of  the  disease. 

Scrofulous  Diseases,  as  tubercles  of  the  lung  and  liver, 
can  only  be  remedied  by  breeding  from  healthy  stock,  and 
removing  to  fresh,  untainted  ground. 

CANARIES 

The  bright  plumage  is  obtained  by  feeding  the  birds  with 
food  containing  a  liberal  proportion  of  powdered  tasteless 
Capsicum.  Turmeric  is  also  given,  and  plenty  of  egg-yolk. 
Colouring  foods  consist  generally  of  powdered  egg-shells  and 
the  mild  capsicum.     Another  good  formula  is  :— 

Capsicum  .         .         .         .         .         •  5'J' 

Turmeric   ......  5Jss. 

Peroxide  of  iron  ....  555. 

Sugar         .         .  ...  3iv. 

Mix. 


302 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


I 


POSOLOGICAL  TABLE 

Doses  of  the  most  generally  used  dnigs  and  mediciiics  for  animals 

For  cattle  the  doses  are  generally  about  the  same  as  for  horses,  or  rather 
more  ;  for  sheep  the  same  to  the  same  and  a  half  as  for  pigs  ;  for  cats  half 
the  doses  given  to  dogs. 

The  doses  quoted  are  for  average  animals  of  full  age.  The  following 
table  for  regulating  the  doses  to  younger  animals  is  quoted  from  Hertwig's 
'  Arzneimittellehre.' 


I.  Horses 

PART 

From  3  years  and  upwards 

.         =     I 

,,     i|  to  3  years  . 

~   a 

,,     9    ,,  i8  months 

_    1 

~     4 

„     4tm    9      m             •         • 

-    1 
8 

„     I    „    4^    M 

_      1 

~    1<J 

II.  Cattle 

From  2  years  and  upwards 

.          =     I 

,,     1  to  2  years     • 

•     =  h 

,,     \  ,,   I  year 

=  J 

,,     3  ,,  6  months. 

=  ^ 

>>     I  ))  3      >> 

~     17! 

III.    SlIF-EP 

From  2  years  and  upwards 

.     =  I 

,,     I  to  2  years     . 

•  =i 

„    ^  „   I  year       . 

•  =i 

,,     3  ,,  6  months.         , 

•  =* 

»>     •  >i  3       »»      •         •         • 

_    1 
•        -    Id 

I 


POSOLOGICAL   TABLE 


303 


IV.  Pigs 

PART 

ron 

n  I  \  year  and  upwards 

.        =    I 

>» 

9    to  iS  months       . 

_    1 

>> 

4i  „     9       M            .         . 

•                 4 

)> 

2|»     4|     „             .          • 

_     1 

»> 

I    „     2       „ 

_      1 

V.  Dogs 


From    \  to    i  year  . 
,,     3    ,,     6  months 

J  >     ^  I  >  >     3       >  > 
,,  20    „  45  days  . 
,,  10    ,,  20     ,,     . 


Horse 

Pig 

Dog 

Acid.  Benzoic.    . 

5i.-iii, 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

„      Carbolic.  . 

02-^2 

gr.  iv.-xii. 

gr.  ii.-vi. 

,,      Hydrochlor.  Dil. 

5i._iv. 

mx.-xx. 

niii.-x. 

,,      Hydrocyanic.         Dil 

B.P.  2% 

m  XX. -XXX, 

in  iv.  -xii. 

in  ii.  -v. 

Scheele's,  4%    . 

Half 

these  doses 

„      Nitric.  Dil.  (1-5) 

5i.-iii. 

v\  vii.  -XX. 

rn  iii.-x. 

,,      Nitro   -    Hydrochlor 

Dil. 

5i.-iii. 

m  vii.-xx. 

Tn  iii.-x. 

,,      Phosphoric.  Dil. 

5i.-iii. 

m  vii.-xx. 

in  iii.-x. 

,,      Salicylic. 

51. -in. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

„      Sulphuric.  Dil.  (1-12 

)        5i-"i- 

m  vii. -XX. 

nt  iii.-x. 

,,      Tannic. 

54-1 

gr.  vi.-xv. 

gr.  ii.-v. 

Aconiti  Tinct.  (I-8)    . 

5I-I 

iniv.-xv. 

Tnii.-v. 

^ther  (Sulphuric) 

5i-ii. 

5|-iii- 

Tnxv.-5ii, 

,,       Nitros.  Spiritus 

ji-iii. 

5|-iii. 

5i-ii- 

Alcohol  {see  Sp.  Vini  Rect. 

-    — 

( Barbadensis     . 

5iii.-viii. 

5i|-iv 

5i-i 

Aloes  -j  Capensis 

Quarter  these 

doses  as  stoma 

chic  and  tonic 

( Socotrinae        , 

Ammonii  Carb.  .         . 

5i.-iii. 

gr.  XX. -xl. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

Liq.  Amm.  Acet.    , 

^ii.-vi. 

5i.-ii. 

5ii.-vi. 

Spiritus               Ammonia 

Aromat.       . 

•        5H4 

51-4 

in  XV. -XXX, 

Spiritus              Ammonia 

e 

Foetidus      .        • 

.  1      5^'^ 

5l~ih 

tnxv.-xxx. 

304 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


Horse 

Pig 

Dog 

Amyl  Nitris        .         . 

5i.-iii. 

■nivii.-xx. 

m  iii.  -XV. 

Half  these 

doses     inter 

nally 

Anisi  Oleum 

inxx.-5i. 

miii.-x. 

■rn  i.-iv. 

Antimon.  Nig.    . 

^i.-iii. 

Tnvii.-xx. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

Tart.  . 

-5l-i. 

gr.  iv.-xvi. 

gr.  i.-iv. 

„          as  vermifuge 

5i.-ii. 

— 

— 

Arecre  Nucis  Pulv. 

5l-^. 

5l-"- 

gr.  xv.-5ii. 

Argenti  Nitras    . 

gr.  iv. -xii. 

gr.i-i| 

gr.  \-\ 

Half  these 

doses    subcu 

taneously 

Arsenic.  Alb. 

gr.  ii.-vii. 

gr-H 

gr-    20~l0 

Liquor  Arsenicalis  (l-ioo) 

(Fowler's  Solut.) 

5i'-5>- 

3i-ii- 

mv.-xx. 

Hydrarg.    lodid.    (Dono- 

van's Solut.) 

5"--5i- 

m  xv.-xlv. 

m  ii.-x. 

Asafetidre  Gummi 

511. -VI. 

gr.  XV. -51. 

gr.  v. -XX, 

Belladonna;    (Folia)    Tinct. 

(I-20). 

nixv.-xxx. 

mv.-xx. 

Extract. 

gr.  ii.-vi. 

gr.  i-iii. 

Atropine  Sulphas 

gr.  i.-ni. 

gr.  -l~\ 

gr-    (To~20 

Boracis  Pulv. 

5ii.-vi. 

gr.  xv.-xlv. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

Calcii  Chloridum 

5ii-v- 

gr.  x.-xlv. 

gr.  v.-xx. 

,,      Phosphas . 

5i|-i''- 

gr.  x.-xlv. 

gr.  v.-xx. 

Calcis  Liquor 

51V.-V1. 

'sMi. 

5i.-iv. 

Calumbre  Radicis  PuU". 

5ii.-v. 

gr.  XV. -51. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

Tinct.  (1-8)    . 

gi.-ii. 

51.-11. 

5A-I 

Camphora  .... 

5i.-iii. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  lu.-x. 

Cannabis  Indies  Extract.    . 

5|-i| 

gr.  ii.-xv. 

gr.  i-iii. 

Cantharidis  Pulv. 

gr.  v.-x. 

gr.  i.-iv. 

gr.  i-i. 

Capsici  (Fructus)  Pulv. 

gr.  x.-xx. 

gr.  i.-v. 

gr.  1-11. 

Carb.  Ligni 

IV^\ 

5HI 

gr.  XV. -5i. 

Cardamom.  (Sem.)  Pulv.     . 

511. -VI. 

gr.  XV. -51. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

Tinct.  Comp.  (1-80) 

5i.-in. 

5i.-n. 

5  2.7 '2 

Carj'ophylli  Pulv. 

5n.-vi. 

gr.  xy.-5i. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

Oleum    .... 

inxx.-5i. 

iniii.-x. 

•sty  i.  -iv. 

Catechu  Pulv.     . 

5ii.-iv. 

gr.  XV. -5! 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

Chloral  Hydras  . 

3»-5i- 

gr.  xv._5i. 

gr.  vii. -XXX. 

Chloroform. 

3i.-ii. 

in  vii.-xx. 

m  iii.-x. 

Tinct.  Co.  (1-19)    • 

§i.-iii. 

5i.-iii. 

5  2-*  2 

Chlorodynum 

5i.-iii. 

Til  vii.-xxx. 

in  iii. -XV. 

Cinchona:  (Cort.)  Pulv. 

l\-A 

5i-ii- 

gr.  XV. -5i. 

Tinct.  (1-5)    . 

51. -m. 

^51.-111. 

5^1^ 

Cinchonidin.x-  Sulphas 

gr.  xv.-xlv. 

gr.  ii.-x. 

gr.  i.-v. 

Cinchonina;  Sulphas.  . 

5l-i. 

gr.  iv.-xii. 

gr.  ii.-vi. 

Cinnamomi  Cort. 

5ii.-iv. 

gr.  XV. -5i. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

Codeina      .... 

gr.  xv.-xlv. 

gr.  ii.-vi. 

gr.  T-'. 

Colchici  .Sominum  Pulv. 

5^»- 

gr.  IV. -XX. 

gr.  ii.-vi. 

Conii  Extract.     . 

51.-111.    , 

^r.  iv.-x. 

gr.  i.-v. 

Copaiba     .... 

— 

— 

inx.-5i.   . 

rOSOLOGICAL    TABLE 


305 


Creosotum 
Creta  Praeparata . 
Crotonis  (Semina)  Pulv. 

,,        Oleum 
Cumini  (Fructus)  Pulv. 

Cupri  Sulphas     .         , 

Digitalis  Folia    .         . 

Tinct.  (1-8)    . 
Ergota 

,,       Extract.  Liq.  . 
Extract.  Filicis  Liquidum 
Fel  Bovinum  Purificatum 
Fenugreci  (Sem. )  Pulv. 
Ferri  et  Ammonii  Citras 
,,     et  Quininre  Citras 
,,     Perchloridi  Liq.  Fort 
,,     Phosphas    . 
,,     Quininje  et  Strjxhninae 

(Easton's)  Syr.   . 
,,     Sulphas      .         . 
Filicis  Maris  Pulv. 
Foeniculi  (Fructus)  Pulv, 
Gentianse  (Radicis)  Pulv. 

,,        Tinct.  Comp. 
Glycerinum 
Glycyrrhizae  (Radicis)  Pulv, 
Plydrarg.  lodid.  Rub. 
,,         lodid.  Vir.   . 
,,  Perchloridum 

(Corrosive  Sublimate) 
Hydrarg.  (Calomel)  Purg. 

,,  c.  Creta 

Hyoscyami  (Folia)  Extract 

Tinct.  (1-8)    . 
ledum        ... 
lodoformi    Unguentum    (i- 
9) 

Ipecacuanhce  Pulv. 


fl 
Vinum  (i-20)J  j 


Jalapje  Pulv. 


Horse 

Pig 

Dog 

in  XV. -51. 

m  ii.  -x. 

m  i.-iv. 

5i-i| 

02    ^2 

gr.  v.-5i 

3i-'- 

gr.  iv.-x. 

gr.  n.-x. 

mx.-xxx. 

ini.-iii. 

m  4-ii. 

5r?^ 

5l-ii 

gr.  XV. -xl. 

51-". 

gr.  n'.-x. 
(Emetic) 

gr.  i.-iii. 
(Emetic) 

— 

gr.  Xj-xxx. 

D.  gr.  iv.-x. 

— 

— 

C.  gr.  i.-iii. 

gr.  xv.-5i. 

gr.  ii.-x. 

gr.  i.-iii. 

5i*-v- 

71\X.-XXX. 

tnv.-xx. 

5ii.-iv. 

gr.  xv.-xxx. 

gr.  ii.-x. 

5i.-iv. 

mx XX. 

mii.— X. 

l\-^\ 

54-"- 

in  XV. -XXX. 

54-". 

gr.  v.-xv. 

gr.  ii.-vi. 

5i-ii 

54-ii- 

gr.  XV.-XXX. 

51. -ni. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

5i.-iii. 

gr.  vii XX. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

5^1^ 

Tniv.-xx. 

in  ii.-x. 

51. -m. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

.^i-ii- 

5i.-ii. 

5I-I* 

5i.-iii. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

§ii.-iv. 

l\-^\ 

5ii.-vi. 

52-' 2 

54-ii- 

gr.  XV. -5i. 

5"-Si- 

gr.  xv._5i. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gi.-ii. 

5i.-ii. 

5l-ii 

Ju.-v. 

5n.-v, 

51.-111. 

gr.  11. -IV. 

gr.  XV. -5i. 
pr  J— i 

gr.  XV. -5i. 

gr.  ii.-%aii. 

gr.  4-ii. 

gr.  ii.-vi. 

gr.  i-i 

gr.^-i 

5l-i- 

gr.  i.-iv. 

gr.  i.-iv. 

— 

— 

gr.  iii.-x. 

5l|-i"- 

gr.  vi.-xx. 

gr.  ii.-x. 

§ii.-iv. 

5i.-iii. 

inxv.-5i. 

gr.  viii.-xxx. 

gr.  1.-111. 

gr.  4-ii. 

5^1 1 

gr.  iv.-xx. 

(Emetic) 

gr.  i.-v. 
(Emetic) 

— 

gr.  XX. -XXX. 

gr.  x.-xxx. 

— 

— 

(Expect.) 

— ■ 

^  — 

in  x XXX. 

— 

'  — 

(Emetic) 

— 

— 

5ii.-v. 

— 

5i.-iii. 

51-1^ 

3c6 


VETERINARY   COUNTER  PRACTICE 


— 

Horse 

i 

Pig 

Dog 

Juniperi   Empyreum  Oleum 

(Huile  de  Cade) 

5^"- 

rniv.-xv. 

inii.-iv. 

Kamala      .... 

.¥-"• 

5i.-ii. 

5i.-ii. 

Kino  Pulv. 

51.-111. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  11. -X, 

Lini  Oleum         . 

o\-\\ 

gii.-vi. 

gi.-ii. 

( 

5i.-v. 

gr.  x-xlv. 

gr.  x.-xx. 

Magnesii  Carb.            . 

(Foals  and 
calves) 

-~ 

— 

( 

Twice  these 

doses  as 

laxatives 

Mentha;  Piperita  Aqua 

Oi.-ii. 

5ii.-v. 

5i.--ii. 

Morphinse  Acetas 

j     gr.  iv.-x. 

gr.  \-^\ 

^'•r\ 

,,         Hydrochlcr. 

i     gr-  iv.-x. 

gr.  \-^h 

gr-  *-4 

Morrhuse  Oleum 

'      gii.-viii. 

gi.-ii. 

5ii-5i- 

Nucis    Vomicce    Tinct.    (i- 

lo)          .... 

§1-1 

5i.-ii. 

rn  xv.-xxx. 

Olivre  Oleum 

Oi.-i| 

511. -VI. 

Si--V;. 

Opium        .... 

5i.-ii. 

gr.  IV. -XX. 

gr.  i-iu. 

Opii  Tinct.  (about  I-13)     . 

Si--"- 

5^-ii 

in  x.-xxx. 

Phosphorus 

gr.  i-ii. 

rrr     -I 1- 

&'-    .15     10 

gr-  .^o-iV 

1   Podophylli  Rhizoma   . 

5i.-iii. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  lu.-x. 

Potassii  Bicarbonas 

5^-1^ 

3l-i^ 

gr.  XV. -xl. 

,,         Bichromas 

gr.  iii.-vii. 

— 

,,         Bitartras 

5i.-iii. 

5i.-iii. 

02    ^3 

,,         Lromidum 

511. -VI. 

gr.  XV.-51. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

,,         Chloras. 

51.-111. 

gr.  x.-xxx. 

gr.  v.-xv. 

,,         lodidum 

5^-i| 

gr.  iv.-xx. 

gr.  ii.-x. 

,,         Nitras    . 

511. -IV. 

5^-i- 

gr.  v.-x. 

Quininse  Sulphas 

gr.  xv.-xlv. 

gr.  n.-x. 

gr.  i.-v. 

Rhei  Radix 

§^-i- 

5i.-ii. 

gr.  xv.-xxx. 

Tinctura  (i-io) 

§li.-V. 

5ii.-v. 

5i.-ii. 

Ricini  Oleum 

0.|-i.^ 

5i.-iii. 

3^7^^ 

Salicinum   .... 

1       5i.-iii- 

gr.  vii.-xxx. 

gr.  iii.-xv. 

Santoninum 

gr.  XV. -xl. 

gr.  ii.-x. 

gr-  i--v- 

Scammonia:  Resina 

5i.-iii. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

,,            Gum  mi    . 

5i.-iii. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

gr.  iii.-x. 

Scillae  Pulv. 

5^-1  V 

gr.  iv.-x. 

gr.  ii.-v. 

,,      Acelum  (l-S)    . 

'         5>-i- 

?,i-i- 

tn  xv.-xxx. 

Sodcc  Liquor 

1        5^-ii. 

5Uii. 
5.i-.'.3 

in  xv.-xxx. 

Sodii  Bicarbonas 

1    5^-i-. 

gr.  xv.-xlv. 

,,       Chlorid.     . 

§1.-11. 

51.-1U. 

gr.  x.-xxx. 

,,       Ilyposulphis 

=  1-1 1 

.1  3     '  i 

gr.  xv.-xlv. 

,,      Salicylas    . 

5ii.-iv. 

gr.  xv.-xxx. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

ib.  i-i. 

si.-iii. 

IVA. 

,,      Sulphas     . 

(Cathartic  for 
cattle) 

(Cathartic  for 
j        sheep) 

(Emetic) 

gxii.-xxiv. 

gi.-iii. 

5i.-ii. 

Spirit.  Vini  Rcct. 

,.5vi.-x. 

5>-iii- 

5i.-ii 

.Suychnina          . 

1      gr.  i-111. 

gr-  if'-^ 

gr.  -nrio 

POSOLOGICAL    TABLE 


307 


— 

Horse 

Pig 

Dog 

Strychninae  Liquor 

5ii.-vi. 

51-"- 

miii.-x. 

Sulphuris  lodidum 

gr.  viii.-xx. 

gr.  i.-iu. 

gr.  ^-ii. 

Sulphur  Sublimat. 

gi.-iv. 

§Hi. 

5|-iv. 

Terebinthina  Canaden. 

S^-ii. 

5i.-ii. 

rnxv.-5i. 

,,            Oleum   . 

5*-ii- 

5l-i. 

ntxv.-xlv. 

(Twice  these 

doses  are 

anthelmintic) 

,,            Veneta  . 

S*-"- 

5|-ii- 

Tnxv.-5i. 

Valeriance  Radix 

Bi-ii- 

5l-ii. 

gr.  xv.-5i. 

,,         Tinctura(i-8)     . 

U-^\ 

5?-^!.. 

in  XV.  -xlv. 

( 

B^-i 

gr.  iv.-xii. 

gr.  ii.-v. 

Veratrum  Album 

(as  sedative) 

— 

gr.  XX. -XXX. 

— 

. — . 

Veratrina   .... 

gr.  i.-iii. 

gr,M 

err  i--' 

fa        10     10 

( 

5^i- 

gr.  iv.-x. 

gr.  i.-iii. 

Zmci  Acetas        .         .          •] 

— 

(Emetic) 

i 

— 

— ■ 

gr.  x.-xx. 

,,     Bromidum 

5l-i. 

gr.  iv.-x. 

gr.  i.-iii. 

( 

51.-11. 

gr.  x.-xx. 

gr.  ii.-v. 

,,     Sulphas      .         . 

(Emetic) 

(Emetic) 

— 

gr.  xxx.-l. 

gr.  viii.-xv. 

Zingiberis  Pulv. 

5''--.5>- 

gr.  XV. -5i. 

gr.  vii.-xx. 

,,        Tinctura  (1-8)     . 

Sl-i^ 

5l-i| 

mxv.-xx. 

308 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


MISCELLANEOUS    VETERINARY 
FORMULA 

The  following  have  been  contributed  at  various  times  to 
'The  Chemist  and  Druggist,'  and  are  quoted  here  for  their 
possible  occasional  usefulness. 

Appetising  Powder  for         1       To  be  given  every  six  hours. — 
Horses.  '    [Cressioell.) 

Cream  of  Tartar     .     .     .   jj. 
Black  Antimony     .     .     .   5vj. 
Common  Salt    ....  giv. 
Powdered  Gentian .     .     .   jiv. 
,,         Juniper  berries,   ^iv. 
,,         Caraway      .     .   l). 
,,         Mustard  Seed  .   f,]. 
....   5ij. 


Blistering  Ointments. 


Oatmeal  .... 
Mix. 

Dose.—h.  tablespoonful  with  each 
feed  thrice  daily. 


Pulv.  Caritharid. 

•  S^v- 

Pulv.  Euphorbii 

•  5^- 

01.  Olivre  Comm. 

. 

•    S>:'^- 

01.  Terebinth.   . 

•  S'^'J- 

Digest  for  24  hours, 

then 

add 

Ceresini    . 

.     \f.X. 

Resin.  Flav. 

■   l^- 

Asthma  Cure  for  Canaries. 

Tr.  Capsici .^j. 

Spt.  Chloroformi    .     .     .   ^ij. 

Ferri  Amnion.  Cit.      .     .  5J. 

Aq.  Foeniculi  ad     .     .     .   Jvj. 
M. 

A  few  drops  to  be  put  on  a  lump 
of  sugar  in  the  cage  every  day. 


melted  by  the  heat  of  waterbath, 
and  stirred  until  creamy. 


II. 
Pulv.  Cantharid. 
01.  Morrhua:  Sec. 
Gum.  Thus  . 
Cera;  Flav.    . 
Vaselin.  Vet. 


Bl.ACK-LEG  AND   BLACK-QUARTER 

Draught  for  Cows. 
Sodii  Sulphitis  .     .     .     .  5J. 

Sodii  Salicylat 5J. 

Aq .VJ- 

Solve. 


•  5^- 

•  l"i- 

Put  the  cantharidcs  and  the  cod- 
livcr  oil  on  the  hob  all  day,  stirring 
occasionally ;  then  melt  the  last 
three  ingredients  together  and  strain 
into  the  cantharidcs  mixture  ;  stir 
well  and  add 

01.  Origani Jss. 


MISCELLANEOUS   VETERINARY  FORMULA 


309 


III. 
Pulv.  Cantharidis  .     .     .   "i^w. 

01.  Terebinth Jxij. 

Acid.  Acet.  Fort.   .     .     .  jix. 

Lanolini Ibijss. 

Vaselini Itijss. 

Mi.x  the  first  three,  and  allow  to 
stand  for  twenty-four  hours  ;  then 
add  the  lanoline  and  vaseline, 
melted  on  a  water-bath,  and  mix 
well,  stirring  until  cold. 

{Label.) 

Horse  Blister,  as  approved  by 
leading  veterinary  surgeons.  Of 
all  the  preparations  for  blistering 
horses,  this  compound  is  the  most 
highly  esteemed,  being  certain  in 
action,  curative,  and  thoroughly 
reliable.  The  blister  may  be  used 
for  sprains,  thickened  tendons, 
wind-galls,  soft  enlargements,  and 
in  all  cases  where  the  use  of  a 
vesicant  is  indicated  by  the  veteri- 
nary attendant. 

Direct iotts.  —  Spread  the  oint- 
ment upon  a  linen  cloth  and  apply 
to  the  affected  part,  allowing  it  to 
remain  on  all  night  ;  then  dress 
with  hog's  lard. 

This  label  is  also  suitable  for  Ung. 
Hydrarg.  lod.  Rub. 

Blistering  Tinctures. 

I. 

Cantharides,  powd,      .     .  jjss. 

Camphor jj. 

Cochineal gr-  x. 

Spirit q.  s. 

Macerate  in  Jvij.  of  spirit  for  a 
week,  strain,  press,  and  filter,  wash- 


ing the  marc  with  more   spirit  to 
make  5viij. 

11. 

Cantharides 5"J' 

Euphorbium  Resin      .     .  jjss. 

Amyl  Acetate   .     .     .     .  gx. 

Spirit  to f^\x. 

Macerate  for  four  days,  filter, 
and  wash  the  marc  with  spirit  to 
I  pint.  

Bran  Mash. 
Put  half  a  peck  of  bran  into  a 
pail  and  saturate  thoroughly  with 
boiling  water.  Stir  well  and  cover 
it,  and  let  s!and  till  of  the  tempera- 
ture of  new  milk.  Various  ingre- 
dients, such  as  treacle,  honey,  sweet 
ale,  &c.,  are  occasionally  added. 


Bronchitis  Powders  for 

Horses. 
Pulv.  Nucis  Vom.  .     .     .  jj. 
,,     Cupri  Sulphat.    .      .   jj. 
,,     Acidi  Arseniosi  .     .  ijj. 
M.  et  div.  in  pulv.  xij. 

One  powder  to  be   given  every 
night  and  morning. 


Bull-burnt  Remedy. 

Pot.  Nit 5iv. 

Pot.  Bicarb Jij. 

Mag.  Sulph o^iij. 

M.     Ft.  haust.     Bis  terve 
die  ex  aqua. 

A  cooling  diet  should  be  given, 
and  an  injection  into  the  sheath  of 

Zinci  Sulph. gr-  x. 

Aq.  Dest.  ad      .     .     .     .   Oj. 
Scepe  utendum. 


310 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


Calf-Meal  or  Milk 

Substitute. 

Freshly  ground  Linseed.     ']Vci%. 

Barley  Meal     ....   14  lbs. 

^Vheat  Meal    ....   14  lbs. 

Mix. 
A  small  quantity  is  made  into  a 
thin    paste  with   cold   water,   then 
boiling  water  is  poured  upon  it. 


Calving-Dren'CII. 
Pulv.  Ergotc-e     .     .     .     .  5J. 

„     Aloes 5j. 

„     Zingib 3J. 

,,     Curcuma;  .     .     .     .   5J. 

Mag.  Sulph gxij. 

M. 
To  be  given  in  a  quart  of  hot  ale 
or  thin  gruel  within  two  hours  after 
calving. 

Canadian  Oil. 

Spirit  of  Tar      ....   _?J. 

Paraffin  Oil  to   ...     .   gviij. 
Mix. 

This  mixture  is  reputed  in  Canada 
to  remove  dandruff  and  dirt,  leave 
the  skin  soft,  white,  and  clean  ;  to 
cure  the  worst  case  of  mange  in 
the  world,  keep  the  hair  soft  and 
silky,  stop  all  irritation  and  rubbing, 
to  be  useful  as  a  preventive  against 
flies,  destructive  to  lice,  to  take 
stains  out  of  white  horses,  and  keep 
black  horses  from  fading  out. 


CARBUNa.E  Powder  for  Cows. 
Pulv.  Nuc.  Vom.    .     .     .  rij. 

Ammon.  Carb ~)ij. 

Fcrri  Peroxid ,~)ij. 

Pulv.  Gentian ^j. 

M. 


To  be  given  in  a  pint  of  water 
twice  daily.  —  ( Cresrcvell. ) 


Castration  Oil. 

Gum.  Benzoini  .     .     .     .  5J. 

Acid.  Carbolic gj. 

Rad.  Anchusce  ....  gss, 

01.  Olivje Oj. 

Digest    for    several    days    in    a 
warm  place,  and  strain. 


Cattle  Cancer  Ointment. 
Acid.  Arsenios 5J. 


Pulv.  Calaniince 
Adipis      .     .     . 
Ft.  unj. 


ly 


Cattle  Food  and  Spices. 

I. 
Ground  locust  beans,  50  ;  linseed 
cake,  50  ;  coarsely  ground  liquorice, 
5  ;  gentian,  i  ;  fenugreek,   3  ;  and 


Aniseed,  allspice,  cumin,  ginger, 
liquorice,  turmeric,  of  each  equal 
parts. 

III. 
Fenugreek,  500;  juniper  berries, 
100;  fennel  seed,  So  ;  linseed,  150; 
bicarbonate  of  soda,  lOO  ;  gentian, 
100 ;  ginger,  lOO ;  common  salt, 
50  ;  sulphate  of  soda,  100  ;  asafe- 
tida,  5  parts.  Mix  the  whole,  after 
!    powdering,  and  sift.     A  tablespoon- 

ful  is  the  dose. 
'       No.   I.  is  a   food  ;  Nos.  11.    to 
I    IV.  arc  condiments. 


MISCELLANEOUS   VETRIUNARV  POLiMVLM        311 


Ground  Linsecd-cake 
Locust  Meal  .     •     . 

Bran 

Common  Salt 
Sulphate  of  Iron  .     . 
Black-pepper  G ruffs 
Fenugreek 

Mix  thoroughly. 


1  cwt. 
56  lbs. 

40  11)5. 

2  lbs. 

1  lb. 

2  lbs. 
2  lbs. 


Chlorodyne  (Veterinary). 

Extract  of  Indian  Hemp  .  5ij. 

Capsicin gv.  v. 

Oil  of  Peppermint  .      .      .  gjss. 

Rectified  Spirit  ....  gij. 

Rub  up  the  extract  and  capsicin 
with  a  little  spirit,  and  gradually 
add  the  rest  of  the  latter ;  then  add 
the  oil  and  the  following  :  — 

Methylated  Chloroform    .   jj. 

Methylated  Ether  .     .     .  §j. 
Mix. 

Separately  prepare  the  following 
mixture : — 

Acetate  of  Morphia      .     .  5J. 

Dilute  Acetic  Acid       .     .  5jss. 

Distilled  Water ....   §iv. 

Dissolve  by  heat,  and  add  to  • 

Comp.  Tragacanth  Powd.  5iij. 

Treacle 5X. 

Liquid  Ext.  of  Liquorice  .  gij. 

To  this  mixture  gradually  add  the 
chloroformic  solution,  shaking  well 
after  each  addition. 

The  dose  of  this  preparation  for 
a  horse  is  §ss.  to  5J.  Ten  minims 
of  acid,  hydrocyanic,  dil.,  B.P. , 
may  be  added  to  each  ounce  if 
desired. 


Cheshire  Red  Bottle. 

P.  Boracis ^xij. 

P.  Potass.  Nit jviij. 

Tinct.  Opii gvj. 

Spt.  Camphor =x. 

Ras.  Santal  Rub.     .      .     .  _?jij. 

01.  Origani =ij. 

Tr.  Capsici giv. 

Aq.  Ferv Ci^ng.  j. 

Mix. 

Allow  to  stand  a  day  or  two,  and 
filter. 

{Label. ) 
The  Famous  Cheshire  Bottle. 

The  properties  and  doses  of  this 
highly  prized  medicine  are  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

For  a  Cow  Bloiun  or  Hoven. — 
Two  wineglassfuls  in  a  pint  of  mint 
tea,  hot. 

Red  Wate;- or  Black. — Two  wine- 
glassfuls  in  a  pint  of  warm  milk  or 
whey. 

Bloody  Urine. — Two  wineglass- 
fuls in  a  pint  of  linseed  oil. 

Diarrhoea  or  Scouring. — Three 
wineglassfuls  in  a  pint  of  milk,  pre- 
viously boiled  with  a  little  flour. 

Fellon  Cold  or  Iiijluenza. — Three 
wineglassfuls  in  a  pint  of  warm 
treacle-water. 

Colic  or  Gripes  in  Cow  or  Horse. 
—  Quarter- pint  in  a  pint  of  hot 
water  with  wineglassful  of  turpen- 
tine, rubbing  the  loins  with  same. 

Gargei  or  Doivnfall  (Gorglc)  in 
Udder.^A^^ly  the  Cheshire  Bottle 
warm. 

Milk  Fever. — Quarter-pint  with 
one  ounce  of  alum  in  a  quart  of 
barley-water. 


^ETERl^ARV  ComrM  PRACTICE 


314 

Dlarrhcca  or  Dysentery  (^Gurr)  in 
Calves.  —A  large  tablespoonful  (first 
dose)  with  one  ounce  of  castor  oil 
in  half-pint  new  milk  ;  (second  dose) 
in  half-pint  new  milk  and  half- 
ounce  chalk. 


Colic  Draughts  for  Horses. 
I. 

Opii 5J- 

Spt.  ^ther.  Nit.    .     .     .  l<]. 

Chloroformi 5'J* 

Aq.  ad 5vj. 

Rub  down  the  opium  with  some 

of  the  water,  dissolve  the  chloroform 

in  the  spirit ;  add,  and  make  up  to 

6  oz. 

For  one  dose  to  be  mixed  with  as 

much  water. 

II.  For  Simple  Colic, 

Chlorodyni jij. 

Spt.  /Ether.  Nit.    .     .     .  ^ij. 

01.  Lini        Oj. 

M. 
Give  at  one  dose,  and  repeat  in 
two  hours,  if  necessary.  — (//<7a;Y.) 

III.  For  Flatulent  Colic. 

Creolin gss. 

01.  Terebinth jij. 

Spt.  Amnion.  Arom.  .  .  ^ij. 
Tr.  Asafelidos  ....  f,!]. 
01.  Lini Ojss. 

M. 
For  one  dose.  —  {Hoare. ) 


CoLciucuM  Poisoning. 
Crcsswcll   recommends   the    fol- 
lowinij  dr-iutjht  to  be  administered 
in  a  pint  of  yrucl  to  cows  every  four 


hours  for  three  or  four  successive 
times  : — 

Solution  of  Ammonia 

Brandy  or  Whisky . 
Mix. 


Condition  Powders  for 
Horses. 


Nitre 

•Sulphur    .... 
Powdered  Gentian . 
,,         Fenugreek 
,,  Liquorice 

Mix. 
A  tablespoonful  for  a  do^e. 

II. 
Pulv.  Gentians. 

,,     Zingib.      ,     . 

, ,     Fenugrcec. 

,,     Glycyrrhiz.     . 

,,     Pot.  Nit.  .     . 

M.  et  div,  in  pulv.  xij. 
One  morning  and  evening 


?iv. 


Su- 
sy- 

SiJ' 
SiJ- 

B'J- 


III. 

Sulphur ftj. 

Pulv.  Glycyrrhiz.    .     .     .  _^xij. 

„     I'ot.  Nit jviij. 

,,     Anlim.  Nig.  .     .     .  ^v. 

,.     Anisi Sjj. 

,,     Nucis  \'()m.   .     .     .  5'j' 

M. 
A  tablespoonful  for  a  dose. 

IV. 
Prize  Medal  Condition  Poicder. 

Pulv.  Gentiana;       .     .     .  jiv. 

,,     Pot.  Nit }y. 

Sulpluir.  Subl 5iv. 

Pulv.  Zingib jiv. 

,,     Anlim.  Nig.  .     .     .  jiv. 


MISCELLANEOUS   VETERINARY  FORMULA 


3*3 


Pulv.  Resin. ,     .     . 

■  SiJ- 

,,     Fenugrcec. 

•  5iJ- 

,,     Capsici      .     . 

•  Vh 

,,     Serpentarii     . 

■  SU- 

,,     Sodii  Sulphat. 

•  .v^- 

,,     Lini  riaccnt. 

.  Ibj. 

M. 

A  small  tablespoonful 

twice  a  day 

in  the  feed. 

Cough  Balls  for  Horses. 

I'ulv.  Camphora;      .     .         555. 

,,     Antim.  Nig.  .     .     .  553. 

,,     Scillce 5SS. 

,,     Digitalis    .     .     .     .Li. 

„     Zingib .-j. 

„     Tot.  Nit 5ij. 

Mel q.  s. 

Make  a  ball. 

One   ball   to   be   given  morning 
and  evening. 


Give  two  teaspoonfuls  three  times 
ad2Ly.  —  (IIoare.) 


Cough-draught  for  Horses. 
Oil  of  Anise .     .     . 
Camphor      .     .     . 
Extract  of  Liquorice 
Tincture  of  Opium 

Spirit 

Water  to      .     .     . 


iriv. 
gr.  XX. 

5J- 
§ss. 

Dissolve  the  oil  and  camphor  in 
the  spirit,  and  add  to  the  other  in- 
gredients, previously  mixed  well. 


CODGH-MlXTURE   FOR   DOGS. 
Tr.  Belladonnce       .     .     .  ^ss. 

Syr.  Scillx jss. 

Tr.  Camph.  Co.      .     .     .   ^^j. 

Aq.  ad -xj. 

M. 


Cough-Powders. 
I. 
Useful   in   the  simple  coughs  of 
horses  depending  on  catarrh  :^ 


5"J- 
5Jss. 
gjss. 

5ij- 


Pulv.  Camphorce     . 
Potass.  Chlorat. 
Pulv.  Fol.  Belladon. 
Pulv.  Anisi  .     . 

Div.  in  pulv.  vj. 
Give  one  twice  a  day  in  the  food. 

II. 
For  chronic  cough  in  the  horse  :  — 

Pulv.  Fol.  Aconiti .     .     .  5VJ. 

Pulv.  Digitalis  ....  5iv. 

Arsenic.  Alb gr.  iv. 

Pulv.  Anisi §ss. 

Div.  in  pulv.  vj. 

Give  one  every  night  in  the  food. 
(Iloare.) 


Counter-irritant  in  Acute 
Inflammatio.n, 

Spirit gx. 

Spirit  of  Turpentine  .  .  §x. 
Solution  of  Ammonia  .  .  giv. 
Oil  of  Origanum     .     .     .   =ss. 

Mix. 
Apply  every  three  hours. 


PuU 


Cud  Balls. 

Rad.  AlthcEK     . 

,,  Gljcyrrh. 
Gum.  Acaciix;     . 
Sal.  Communis. 

!        Make  a  stiff  mass   with 
1    and  cut  to  suitable  sizes. 


5J- 
water, 


314 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


Curb  Lotion. 
Corrosive  Sublimate    .     .  :^j. 
Potassium  Iodide    .     .     .   ^J, 

Proof  Spirit gj 

To  be  rubbed  in  at  interval 

two  to  three  days  till  applied  eight 

to  ten  times. 


of 


Devonshire  Oils. 


5^- 

?.ss. 


5J- 
3SS. 


Spirit  of  Turpentine 
Camphor.     .     .     . 
Dissolve,  and  add 
Solution  of  Ammonia 
Tincture  of  Opium . 

Put  in  a  wine-bottle  and  fill  up  with 
the  following  mixture  : — 

Soft  Soap llij. 

Boiling  Water    .     .     .     Cong.  j. 

Armenian  Bole  ....  gjss. 
Mix.    Label,  '  Shake  the  bottle.' 


Di 


Gentian 
Turmeric 
Fenugreek 
Ginger 
Anise  . 
Cloves 
Caraway 
Mix. 


5>^- 

5Jss. 
5Jss. 
5jss. 


DiARRHa:A  OR  Scour  in  Calves. 
Powder. 
Mag.  Carb.  Levis  .     .     .  Jxvj. 

Pulv.  Rhei jj. 

,,     Pulv.  Glycyrrh.  Co.  ^iv. 
„     Zingib.  Com.      .     .   jj. 
Icrri  Carb.  Sacch.       .     .   Jss. 

M. 
A  teaspoonful  to  be  given  three 
times  a  day.     This  is  especially  ser- 
viceable when  the  food  sours. 


Mixture. 
Pulv.  Ext.  Hrematox. 
CretEe  Prceparat.  . 
Chlorodyni  . 
Syrup.  Zingib.  .  . 
Aq.  ad  ...  . 
M. 


5"J- 

5>J- 
§jss. 


Dose. — Half  a  wincglassful  every 
four  hours. 


■  Distemper  Mixture 
Pot.  Chlorat.     .     . 
Liq.  Ammon.  Acet. 
Spt.  ^ther.  Nit.    . 
Tr.  Hyoscyam.  . 
Aq.  ad      ...      . 

5J.  to  5ij.  tcr  in  die. 


5'J- 
5'J. 

.^iv. 


Distemper  Pills. 

Quin.  SuljDh gr-  j> 

Pulv.  Ipecac gr-  ^ 

Ext.  Gentian.     .    q.  s.  ut  ft.  pil. 

A   pill    to   be   given    night   and 
morninir. 


Distemper  Powder. 

Potass.  Nitrat 5iv, 

Antim.  Nig jij. 

Sulphur 5J. 

P.  Foeniculi jj. 

Mix. 

Ten  to  thirty  grains  for  a  dose, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  dog. 


Doo-Wasil 
.Saponis  Mollis  .     . 
Sacch.  Ust.  .     .     . 
01.  Mirbani.     . 
Aq.  ad      ...      . 
M. 


5'J- 
q.  S. 

!n.x. 
Oj. 


MISCELLANEOUS   VETERINARY  FORMULM 


515 


Driffield  Oils. 
A  preparation  for  the  same  pur- 
poses as  this  is  made  by  mixing 
together  in  a  4-lb.  jar  15  oz.  of 
linseed  oil  and  5  oz.  of  spirit  of 
turpentine.  Add,  with  constant 
stirring,  TO  drachms  of  strong  sul- 
phuric acid,  and  after  a  few  hours 
a  pint  of  water.  Allow  to  stand 
all  night,  decant  the  oil,  and  add 
an  ounce  of  spirit  of  tar  to  it.  Take 
care  that  the  oil  does  not  froth  over 
the  jar  when  adding  the  vitriol. 


Embrocation  Powder. 
(For  horses'  broken  knees. ) 

Plumbi  Acet 5J. 

Zinci  Sulph 5J. 

Cretse  Rub 5J. 

Misce  bene. 

This  quantity  (two  lablespoonfuls) 
to  make  a  quart  of  lotion. 


Equinocure. 

(A  good  tonic.  ] 

Sodii  Bicarb.      .     . 

•   5^ij 

Ferri  Peroxid.     .     . 

•  v-i- 

Pulv.  Fenugrrec, 

•  Bvj. 

„     Anisi    .     .     . 

.  W 

J,     Gentian.   .     . 

•  5^> 

„     Carui  ,     .     . 

.    .  5^J- 

Draught  for  Piles  in  Cows. 
Ext.  Taraxaci  Liq.       .     .   ^iv. 
Ammon.  Chlorid.    .     .     •   §j. 

Pulv.  Gentian ^j. 

M. 
After  a  purge  of  Glauber's  salts, 
give  the  above  twice  daily  in  a  pint 
of  warm  water {Cresswell.) 


Pulv.  Potass.  Nit.  , 
Sulph.  Subl. 
Pulv.  Antim.  Tart. 
Mix  and  sift. 


Jxxiv. 


Dose. — A  tablespoonful  night  and 
morning  with  the  feed. 


Ewes'  Antiseptic  Syringing 
Lotion. 

Acid.  Carbolic ?j." 

Glycerini giij. 

Aq .  gxx. 

M. 

Directions. — The  whole  quantity 
to  be  mixed  with  a  quart-jugful  of 
warm  water  and  used  to  syringe  out 
the  womb  when  the  afterbirth  is 
retained. 


Ewes'  Stimulating  Mixture. 
(A  substitute  for  spirits.) 

Ammon.  Carb 5J. 

Tr.  Zingib §ss. 

Spt.  Chloroform.     .     .     .  §ss. 
Inf.  Gent.  Co.  Cone,  ad  .  5vj. 
M. 

Dose. — For  a  ewe,  half  a  wine- 
glassful  in  twice  as  much  water ; 
and  for  a  lamb  a  dessertspoonful. 


Ew 

Es'  Soothing 

Mixture. 

Ext 

Ergotce 

Liquid 

.  .     .  §ss. 

Tr. 

Opii  . 

.     .  5ss. 

Spt. 

^theris 

. 

.     .  ,^ss. 

Tr. 

Lavand. 

Co.     . 

.     .  5ss. 

M 

[. 

This  makes  two  doses.  When 
the  afterbirth  is  retained  repeat  the 
dose  after  two  hours. 


3t6 


VETERtMARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


Eye-water  for  Horses. 
A  saturated  solution  of  boric  acid 
coloured  with  liquor  cocci. 


Fellow-chine  or  Cow  Lumbago 
Draught. 

Ammon.  Carb 5ij. 

Potass.  Bicarb §j. 

Pulv.  Gentian gj. 

Pulv.  Zingib §j. 

M.     ' 
To  be  given  in  a  pint  of  gruel 
twice  a  day. 

Liniment. 
Lin.  Belladonn.       .     .     .   giv. 
Lin.  Amnion.  Co.  .     .     .   §iv. 
RL  ( Cress-well. ) 


Fever  Balls 

FOR 

Ho 

RSES. 

Pulv.  Pot.  Nit. 

•  5^'ij- 

,,     Camph. 

.  5U- 

,,     Antimonial.   . 

•   5'jss. 

,,     Resin. 

•   §ij- 

Theriacne .     . 

,   q.  s. 

Make  a   mass, 

bine 

ing 

it   with 

powdered    gum, 

and 

divi 

de    into 

5-drachm  balls. 

Fever  Draught  for  Horses. 
Spt.  A:ther.  Nit.     .     .     .  Jj. 
Liq.  Ammon.  Acet.     .     .   Jv, 

M. 
To  be  given  before  a  hot  mash 
supper. 

Fleming's  Tincture  of 
Aconite. 

The  B.  P.  tincture  is  generally 
ordered  in  this  book,  but  as  Fle- 
ming's tincture  is  often  ordered  in 
veterinary  practice,  we  append  the 
formula  :  Bruised  aconite  root  Ibj.  ; 


macerate  with  §xvj.  of  rectified 
spirit  for  four  days  ;  strain  and  treat 
the  aconite  by  percolation  with  more 
spirit  until  the  tincture  obtained 
amounts  to  gxxiv. 


Fly  and  Maggot  Oils. 
I. 

Spirit  of  Turpentine    .  ^v. 

Spirit  of  Tar     .     .     .  §v. 

Corrosive  Sublimate   .  gss. 

Muriatic  Acid    .     .     .  §ss. 

Butter  Milk  or  Water  .  Cong.  ss. 

Mix. 


The  following  is  a  modification 
of  a  formula  suggested  by  Professor 
Robertson  : — 

Corrosive  Sublimate    .   ^j. 

Methylated  .Spirit  .     .   gviij. 

Spirit  of  Tar      .     .     .   gx. 

Powdered  Quillaia .     .   gij. 

Water  to Cong.  j. 

Powder  the  corrosive  sublimate, 
and  shake  with  the  n-.ethylated 
spirit  until  dissolved  ;  then  add  the 
quillaia  and  a  pint  of  water.  Ma- 
cerate overnight,  and  add  the  spirit 
of  tar  and  rest  of  water  ;  occasion- 
ally shake  well  for  a  day  or  two, 
and  strain. 

Directions. — To  prevent  the  fly 
striking,  and  for  maggots  :  Mix  two 
tablespoonfuls  w  ith  a  winebottleful 
of  cold  water. 

To  kill  Lice.— yVix  three  table- 
spoonfuls  with  a  winebottle  of  cold 
water  and  rub  on  with  a  brush. 

/•'or  Afangc. — Mix  four  table- 
spoonfuls  with  a  winebottle  of  cold 
water,  and  well  rub  in  the  mixture 
with  a  brush  every  day  until  iured. 


MISCELLANEOUS    VETERINARY  FORMULA 


317 


Fly  Powder. 
Plumbi  Ox.  Rub. 
riumbi  Alb.   .     . 
Pulv.  Umber  Ang. 
Flor.  Sulph.   . 
Pulv.  Ilelleb.  Alb. 
01.  Animalis  . 
01.  Picis    .      .      . 

M.  Ft.  pulv. 
To   send    out    in    i    lb.    packets 
labelled  as  stated  on  p.   209, 


lliss. 

Ifcjss. 

Itij. 

ftij. 

tt)ij. 

5'J- 


Foot-rot  Paste. 

Cupri  Sulphat.   . 

.Hiv. 

Zinci  Sulphat.    . 

.^J- 

Pulv.  Tragacanth.  Co. 

.5J- 

Acid.  Carbolic. 

.Vij- 

Mel.  Depurat.    .     .     . 

iA- 

Aq 

q.s. 

M.     Ft.  pasta. 

Foot-rot  Powder. 

Camphor §j. 

Cupri  Acetat Ibj. 

Reduce  to  fine  powder  and  mix 
intimately. 

Directions. — To  be  applied  to 
the  affected  parts,  and  smeared 
with  veterinary  vaseline. 


Gapes  in  Pheasants. 


Sulphate  of  Iron 
Capsicum 
Fenugreek     . 
Red  Sanderswood 
Liquorice 
Treacle     . 


5J- 


•  5J- 

•  IV 

a  sufficiency. 

Mix  the  powders,  and  make  into 
a  soft  pill-mass  with  the  treacle. 


.5"J- 
?x. 


Garget  White  Oils. 

Liq.  Calc,  Saccharat. 
Aq.  ad     ...     . 
Misce  et  adde 

01.  Lini 5x, 

Shake  well. 
I       To    be    applied    freely    to    the 
;  udders. 


Garget  Ointment. 

(For  inflammation  of  the  udders 
of  cows  and  ewes. ) 

Ung.  Camphorce     .     .     .    ^^j. 

Ung.  Hydrarg 'j. 

Ung.  Petrolei  Vet.       .     .  Jvj. 
M. 

Directions.  —  Gently  rub  or  work 
the  ointment  over  the  udders  for 
five  minutes,  after  which  the  udders 
should  be  wiped  carefully  with  a 
soft  and  clean  rag. 


Grease  and  Cracked  Heels 
Ointment. 
Sulphur.  Subl.   . 
Plumbi  Acetat.  . 
Creolin     . 
01.  Eucalypti     , 
Vaselini    .     .     . 
Lanolini  ... 
M.     Ft.  ung. 
Apply  twice  daily. — (Hoarc.) 


5J- 
5ss. 
5ss. 
gss. 

^iv. 


Green  Ointment 
Resin  Ointment 
Verdigris  .... 
Spirit  of  Turpentine 
Mutton  Suet      .     . 
Oil  of  Origanum 
Tincture  of  Iodine 
Mix. 


5'J- 

Itij. 
5''J- 
S'U- 


3i8 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


This    IS    a     good     remedy     for 
scratches,  hoof-e\al,  cuts,  &c.,  and   ] 
is  also  good  for    fistula,    after   the   , 
rowels  are  taken  out,  and  a  good   | 
healing  ointment  for  any  purpose. 


Gripe  Drench. 

Chloroform    .     . 

Pimento  . 

Camphor .     .     . 

Opium 

S.V.R.     .     .     . 

Capsicum 

Macerate  the  opium  and  capsicum 
in  the  spirit  for  seven  days,  filter, 
and  mix  the  other  ingredients.  Dose, 
li  oz.,  with  I  oz.  of  spirit  of  nitre, 
in  a  pint  of  warm  gruel. 


5iv- 
§ss. 

§ss. 

§ss. 

Oj. 

5J- 


Healing  Lotion. 

(For  sprains,  bruises,  sore  throats, 

cuts  and  wounds  in  horses. ) 


Liq.  Plumbi  Subacet. 
Ol.  Eucalypti     .     . 

Aceti 

Vitell.  Ovi    .     .     . 
01.  SesamcE  ad  .     . 


Svij. 

ij- 

r.XX. 


Horse  Balls. 

Barbadoes  Aloes     .     .     .  g^^iij. 

Ginger §j. 

Soap 5J. 

Treacle q.  s. 

Melt  at  a  moderate  heat  to  form 
a  mass.     Dose  from  5V.  to  5X, 

J.  Bell  &  Co.'s  formula  [Pharm. 
Journ.  vol.  v.). 


Horse  Tice,  or  Entice, 
is  generally  composed  of  an  equal 
mixture  of  ol.  anisi  and  ol.  rhodii. 
To  catch  colts,  this  mixture  is  rubbed 
into  the  hands  or  upon  the  coat- 
sleeve. 

Restive  horses  are  sometimes  ren- 
dered quiet  by  smearing  the  bit 
with  it.  It  does  not  answer  equally 
well  with  all  individuals,  as  some 
persons  have  an  influence  over 
horses  which  they  cannot  them- 
selves ascribe  to  drugs. 


Rub  the  egg-yolks  in  a  mortar 
with  the  sesame  oil,  add  the  euca- 
lyptus oil,  then  the  lead  and  vinegar 
mixed  together,  and  make  an  emul- 
sion.   

Heaves  Remedy. 
Canada  Balsam ....   %w. 

Copaiba 51 V. 

Calcined  Magnesia,  a  sufficiency. 

Make  a  mass,  and  divide  into 
half-ounce  l)ans. 

Dose. — One  ball  nighl  and  morn- 
ing for  eight  days. 


HovEN  Draught  for  Cattle. 

Creolin jj. 

01.  Terebinth §iv. 

Spt.  Ammon.  Arom.  .     .  jiv. 

01.  Lini Ojss. 

M. 
For  one  dose. — {Hoarc.) 


Husk  Mixti 
Fcrri  Pcroxid.    . 
Spirit.  Picis  .     . 
01.  Terebinth.    , 
01.  Lini  ad  .     ■ 

M. 
A  small  tablcspoonful  night  and 
morning. 


5'J- 


MISCELLANEOUS    VETERINARY  FORMUL/E        319 


Influenza  (Pink  Eye)  Powders. 
Pulv.  Ammon.  Chloric!.    .  Jiij. 
Pulv.  Potass..  Nit.  .     .     .  giij. 
Pulv.  Glycyrrhiz.    .     .     .  gvjss. 
Pulv.  Sodii  Sulphat.    .     .  Jxx. 
M. 

Dose— A   teaspoonful    in    gruel 
thrice  daily. 


Influenza  Balls. 

Pulv.  Camphor. 
Pulv.  Pot.  Nit.  . 
Pulv.  Aloes  .     . 
Lini  Farinae  . 
Theriacae . 

Ft.  mass,  et  div.  in  boles  ij. 
'  Give  one  ball  immediately,  and 
the  other  three  hours  after.' 


5J- 
q.  s, 


Influenza  Draught 

FOR 

Horses. 

Chlorodyni   .... 

•    .'iJ- 

Spt.  ^ther.  Nit.    .     . 

•  .Vi- 

Liq.  Ammon.  Acct.     . 

•  in- 

Aq.  ad 

.    \\v. 

M. 

This  dose  is  to  be  given  every 
three  hours  during  the  first  stage, 
when  much  shivering  is  evident. — 
{Hoare. ) 


Lamb  Drench 
Magnesium  Sulphate 
.Sodium  Sulphate 
Diapcnte .     .     . 
Nitre  .... 
Sulphur    . 
Peroxide  of  Iron 
Mix  intimately. 
Dose.  —  I  oz.  in  gruel. 
For  Diapcnte,  see  p.  314, 


5ss. 


Lambing  Oils. 

Acid.  Carbolic *ss. 

01.  Viridis ?ij. 

01.  Gossypii       ....   sxxij. 

Directions. — To  dress  the  shape, 
and  to  apply  inside  the  passage  by 
means  of  the  fingers  in  order  to 
assist  the  delivery  of  the  lamb.  If 
the  afterbirth  is  retained,  some  of 
the  oil  should  be  introduced  into 
the  womb  by  means  of  a  syringe. 


^xxx. 


Lameness  Liniments. 
I. 
Liq.  Ammon. 
Spt.  Camphor.  .     . 
Tr.  Canth.  (i  in  10) 
Sapon.  Mollis    .     . 
Aq.  ad      ...     . 
Dissolve  the  soap  in  the  water, 
and  add  the  other  liquids. 

II.  Restitution  Fluid. 
Sodii  Chlorid.  . 
Tr.  Capsici  . 
Spt.  Camphor.  . 
Liq.  Ammon.    . 
Spt.  ^theris     .     , 
Spt.  Tenuior. 
Rub  the  salt  to  fine  powder  and 
mix  with  the  liquids. 


5-^- 


Leeming's  Essence. 
Cantharides B^'i'j- 


Camphor . 
Euphorbium 
Oil  of  Origanum 
Castile  Soap 
Spirit .... 


Ovj. 


Digest  for  14  days  and  filter. 


320 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


Lotion  for  Broken  Knees. 

Cupri  Sulph §j. 

Gum.  Benzoin   ....  §ij. 

Aquae .     .     .     .     .     .     .  §xl. 

Boil  in  covered  vessel  and  filter. 


Lotion  for  Fouls  in  Cattle. 
Liq.  Hydrarg.  Pernit.       .   §j. 

Glycerin §ss. 

Aq.  ad jiij. 

M. 
To  be  applied  to  the  sores  with 
a  soft  rag  once  a  day. 


Malt  Mash 
is  made  in  the  same  way  as  Bran 
Mash,  substituting  malt  for  bran. 


Mange  Smear. 
Sulphuris  Nigri .  .  . 
Olei  Cadini  .... 
Spiritus  Picis  ad     .     . 


5'J- 
5ij. 
5J- 


Milk-fever  Powder  for  Cows. 

Pulv.  Camphor.       .     .     .  5J. 

Pulv.  Potass.  Nit.  .     .     .  5ij. 

Pulv.  Sodii  Sulpliat.  Exsic.  jjss. 
M. 

This  powder  to  be  given  thrice 
daily  in  water. 


MiTHRinATE. 

In  Yorkshire  this  preparation 
frequently  forms  an  ingredient  of 
cattle-drinks.  The  formula  used 
locally  is  :  — 

P.  Bacc.  Lauri  .     .     .     .   jj. 
I'.  Pip.  Long i). 


P.  Sem. 

Carui  .     . 

•   5ss. 

P.  Sem. 

Anisi    .     . 

•   §ss. 

P.  Rad. 

Gentian.    . 

•   SU- 

P.  Rad. 

Curcum.    . 

•  Sij. 

P.  Rad. 

Valerian.  . 

•  5J- 

P.  Rad. 

Zingib. 

•  5J- 

P.  Gum 

.  Acacice     . 

•    5ij- 

Bole    . 

.      .     .    q.  s 

to  colour 

Oatmeal  Gruel. 

Put  I  lb.  of  medium  oatmeal  into 
a  basin  and  add  about  i  gallon  of 
cold  water.  Mix  thoroughly,  let 
the  coarser  particles  settle,  pour  off 
the  liquid  and  bring  it  to  the  boil, 
stirring  all  the  time. 


Ointment  for  Grease  in 
Horses. 

Citrine  ointment     .     .     .   §ij. 

Lard gi . 

Spirit  of  Turpentine    .     .   ^ss. 
Sat.  Sol.  Nitrate  of  Copper  5ij. 
Mix.         ^__ 

Ointment  for  Horses'  Knees. 

Mercurial  Ointment     .     .  Jij. 

Honey §j. 

Camphor jij. 

Burned  Cork,  powdered  .  5ij. 

Mix.      

Ointment  for  Sores,    Chafes, 

Pulv.  Boracis     .     .     .     .   5J. 
Pulv.  Carbo.  Animalis     .  5ss. 

01.  Picis njx. 

Ol.  Camphor 5J. 

Adipis  ad jj. 

M.  ft.  ung.    Nocte  maneque  utend. 


MISCELLANEOUS    VETERINAR\    FORMULAL        321 


Ointment  for  Warts  or 

Anglekerries. 
Arsenici  Sulphid.  Flav. 
Glycerini       .... 

Lanolini 

M. 
Apply   to   the    part    night    and 
morning. 


5J- 
5'J- 


Pig  Powders. 

I. 

Flower  of  Sulphur  .     .     ,   ftxx. 

Red  Ochre Ibjss. 

Tartaraled  Antimony  .     .   gxij. 
Mix.     Weigh  into  powders  con- 
taining \  oz.  each. 

One  powder   to  be  given  every 
few  weeks. 

II. 
Pulv.  Pot.  Nit.       .     .     .  gviij. 
Sulph.  Sublim.  , 
Ferri  Oxid.  Rub.    . 
P.  Curcumse 
P.  Carui  .... 
P.  FenugrKC. 

M. 
Doses.  —  From  a   dessertspoonful 
to  a  tablespoonful. 

III. 
Golden  sulphuret  of  antimony  and 
red  oxide  of  iron,  of  each,  15  grains  ; 
common  salt,  30  grains ;  nitre,  40 
grains;  powdered  liquorice,  of  each, 
30  grains.  Mix  well,  and  give  with 
the  food.  The  powder  may  be 
made  in  bulk,  and  given  in  doses 
of  a  teaspoonful. 


5'J- 


Purgative  Oil  for  Cattle. 
01.  Crotonis  ....  ^ss. 
Tr.  Opii 5jss. 


Fxt.  Glycyrrh.  Lifj.     .     .  5iij. 

01.  Lini  ail "^kk. 

M. 
Dose.  —  For  a  calf  a  wineglassful, 
for  a  cow  two  or  more. 


Purgative  Powder  for  Cows. 
Tartar  Emetic    .     .     .     •  5J. 

5J- 


Dried  Glauber's  Salts  . 
Powdered  Aloes      .     . 
Mix. 


Give  a  tablespoonful  every  three 
hours  until  the  bowels  are  moved. 


Purgative  Powder  for 

Horses. 

Powdered  Croton  Seeds  .  3j. 

Crushed  Linseed     .     .  .  5J. 

Powdered  Caraway      .  .   9j. 

Mix. 

This   is   a   dose   for    a    carriage 
horse. 


Purgative  Powder  for  Cattle 

and  Horses. 

Epsom  Salts       ....   Ihj. 

Powdered  Fenugreek  .     .   ?j. 

Peroxide  of  Iron      .      .      .    ?ss. 

Mix  well. 


Red  Condition  Balls. 

Ferri  Carb.    . 

P.  Pot.  Nit.  .     . 

P.  Quassias    . 

Antim.  Sulphuret. 

Pulv.  Zingib. 

01.  Fceniculi 
M. 

Mass  with  linseed  meal  and  simple 
syrup  to  form  6  drachm  balls. 

Dose. — One  twice  or  three  times 
a  week. 


5JSS. 

5J- 

5J- 

5SS. 

5SS. 

gtt.  x. 


322 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


Roup  Pills  for  Poultry. 

I. 
Hydrarg.  Subchlor.     .     .  gr.  j. 
Pulv.  Antimonialis       .      •   gr.  j. 
Pulv.  Glyc)Trhiz.    .     .     .  gr.  j. 

Copaibse q.  s. 

Ft.  pil. 
A   pill   to   be   given   night    and 
morning. 

II. 

Pulv.  Cubeboe    .     .      .     .   §j. 
^lagn.  Levis      ....   gss. 
Bals.  Copaibce    .     .     .     .  q.  s. 

Mass  and  divide  into  3-gr.  pills, 
a  few  drops  of  oil  of  aniseed  being 
added  to  the  mass  to  give  a  dis- 
tinctive smell. 


Sheep  Mixture. 
(For  cough,  fever,  &c. ) 

Acet.  Ipecac gij. 

Liq.  Cocci 5vj. 

Chlorodyni Siij. 

Spt.  Terebinth.       .     .     .  .^iv. 

Liq.  Amnion.  Acet.  ad     .  gviij. 

M. 
Directions.— A  small  tablespoon- 
ful  three  times  a  day. 


Stimulating  White  Liniment. 

01.  Terebinth 5XVJ. 

Camphorje '%]• 

.Saponis  Mollis  ....   gij. 

Aq.  Destil Jij. 

vel  q.  s. 

Mix  the  soap  with  the  water ; 
dissolve  the  camphor  in  the  turpen- 
tine ;  mi.x  the  two,  and  bring  down 
to  the  desired  consistency  with 
y,Si\.CT.—(Hoare.) 


Swine  Cramp  Powders. 

Potass.  Brom 5Jss. 

Sodii  Chlorid 5!]. 

Pulv.  Glycyrrhiz.    .     .     .  5J. 
M.  et  div.  in  pulv.  xij. 

One  powder  to   be  given   three 
times  a  day. 


Swine  Diarrhoea 

Mixture. 

Tr.  Opii  .     .     . 

•     •  5U- 

Tr.  Valer.  Am.  . 

•     •  5"J- 

Inf.  Catechu 

.     •  §ij. 

Liq.  Calc.  Sacch. 

•     •  5i^'- 

Dec.  Quercus  ad 

•     •  5^-J- 

M. 

Dose. — §j.  twice  or 

three  times  a 

day. 

Throat  Liniment. 
(For  sore  throats  in  horses.) 

01.  Terebinth 5J. 

Liq.  Amnion.  Fort.     .     .   f^]. 

01.  Olivx 5J. 

M.  {Hoare.) 


Tinctura  Opii  Aquosa. 
(Suitable  for  veterinary  prepara- 
tions. ) 
Boil  l^  oz.  of  opium  with  5  oz. 
of  water  for  half  an  hour,  replacing 
any  water  lost  by  evaporation  ;  then 
make  up  to  15  oz.  with  water,  add 
5  oz.   of  rectified  spirit,  and  after 
two  or  three  days  filter. 


Tonic  Pills  for 

Pir.EONS. 

Ferri  Sulph.  Gran. 

■     •  5J- 

Pulv.  Capsici     .     . 

.     .  »j. 

Ext.  Nucis  Vom.    . 

•     •  gr.vj 

Pulv.  Gentian.x 

.     .  5SS. 

Glyc.  Tragacanth.  . 

.       .    q.S. 

MISCELLANEOUS    VETERINARY  FORMULAi        323 


Mix,  and  divide  into  60  pills. 
Coat  with  sugar.  Allow  each 
pigeon  six  of  these  pills  per  day. 


Warbles  in  Horses  and  Cattle. 

Zinci  Sulphat 5iij. 

Liq.  Aminon.  Fort.     .     .  5vj. 

Spiritus  Vini      ....  «jss. 

Liq.  Plumbi  Subacet.  .     .  §jss. 

Tr.  Aloes  et  Myrrha;  .     .  5Jss. 

Aq.  ad S^'iij- 

M.     Ft.  lotio. 
*  To  be  used  twice  daily. ' 


Warble  Preventive. 

01.  Lini Si'jss. 

01.  Terebinth siijss. 

Tinct.  AsafetidcE     .     .     ■   gj- 

Smear  along  the  back  and  sides, 
early  in  summer,  and  repeat  occa- 
sionally during  the  hot  season. 


Worm  Oil. 
(For  worms  in  lambs'  throats.) 

Spirit  of  Turpentine     .     .   giv. 

Linseed  Oil §iv. 

Powd.  Red  Sanderswood  .   g  s. 

Mix. 
A  teaspoonful  of  this  to  be  slowly 
poured  over  the  animal's  throat. 


Worm  Remedies  for  Horses. 

I. 

Dippel's  Oil  (01.  Animal. )  5ijss. 

Paraffin  Oil 5'jss. 

Powdered  Valerian      .     •   jj- 
Powdered  Santonica    .     .   gij. 

Mix. 
To  be  given  in  a  corn  feed. 


Pulv.  Acid.  Arsenios.  .  gr.  xv. 
Sem.  Lini  Contus. .     .  gss. 
M. 

A  powder  to  be  given  at  supper- 
time  for  four  or  five  days. 


Cupri  Sulph sj. 

Arsenic.  Alb ^ss. 

Pulv.  Sem.  Santonic.  .     .  jj. 

Pulv.  Glycyrrh.       .     .     .  giv. 
M. 

A  tablespoonfid  in  a  mash  twice 
a  week. 


Santonin 5J. 

Tartar  Emetic    ....  533. 

Physic  Mass |ss. 

Mix  and  make  a  Lall. 


Pulv.  Antim.  Tart.  .  .  5iv. 

,,    Jalap9e     .  .  .  gjss. 

,,    Zingiberis      .  .  .  5ij. 

,,    Aloes  Barbad.  .  .  jij. 

,,    Sapon.  Hispan.  .  gss. 

01.  Caryophylli      .  .  .  555. 

Syrupi  Simplicis     .  .  .  ?J. 

Mucil.  Tragacanlh.  .  .  gss. 

Make  a  mass,  and  divide  into 
i-oz.  balls. 

Directions. — Give  a  ball  after  a 
very  light  meal  at  night,  repeating 
in  two  or  three  days  if  necessary. 
A  tonic  ball  should  be  given  once 
a  week,  or  else  a  tablespoonful  of 
tonic  and  condition  powder  every 
other  day  to  horses  which  are  sub- 
ject to  worms. 

Y2 


324 


VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 


Sulphur.  Nigri   .     .     .     .   gj. 
Pulv.  Antim.  Tart.      .     .   5J. 

Bol.  Armen 5J. 

Mix  thoroughly  in  a  mortar. 
Dii-edions. — To  be   given    after 
a  light  mash. 

Wound-dusting  Powder. 

Iodoform 5J- 

Pulv.  Acid.  Boric.  .     .     .   gvj. 

M. 
To  be  dusted  upon   the  wounds 
and  sores  of  horses. 


Wound  Balsam. 

Elemi gij. 

Venice  Turpentine.     .     .   giv. 

Tallow .^iv. 

Lard giv. 

Cotton  Seed  Oil      .     .     .   gj. 
Carbolic  Acid    .     .     .     .  gr.  x 
Alkanet q.  s. 


Wound  Stone. 

Iron  Sulphate    ....   ttiij. 

Alum Ibij. 

Zinc  Sulphate    ....   giv. 

Copper  Sulphate     .     .     .   giv. 

Armenian  bole  enough  to 
colour  it. 

Pcv.-der  the  ingredients.  Mix  and 
sift. 

Put  up  in  2-oz.  packets.  To  be 
dusted  on  the  wounds  alternate  days 
until  tlie  sore  appears  healthy. 


Newmarket  Physic-paste. 

This  i^aste  was  sup])lied  in  the 
fifties  to  the  leading  trainers  and 
turfites  — viz.  the  late  John  Scott, 
•  the  Wizard  of  the  North '  in  racing 
circles,  the  late  Colonel  Peel,  Count 


Hjxiijss. 
.  ftivss. 

.  5xx. 


Batthyani,  the  late  Marquis  of 
Exeter's  trainer,  the  late  John  Day 
(Lord  Palmerston's  trainer),  Jem 
Robinson  (the  celebrated  jockey), 
Frank  Battlis,  '  Nat '  (Colonel 
Peel's  jockey),  Sam  Rogers,  Job 
Marron  (the  rider  of  Teddington), 
and  many  others.  The  recipe  is  a 
good  one. 

Aloes  Barbadensis 
Saponis  Communis 
PotassDe  Carbonatis , 
Ol.  Anisi 
Aqure 

Cut  the  soap  into  small  shreds  and 
put  into  a  pan  with  the  water. 
Heat,  and  when  thoroughly  melted 
and  quite  smooth  add  the  carbonate 
of  potash  and  the  aloes.  Let  it 
simmer  for  some  time,  stirring  fre- 
quently until  the  aloes  is  dissolved. 
If  allowed  to  boil,  the  mass  will 
come  over  before  melted.  Lastly 
add  the  oil  of  anise,  and  stir  it 
well  in. 

A  small  piece  of  the  mass  taken 
out  before  the  anise  is  added,  and 
cooled  on  a  slab,  will  tell  whether 
the  paste  has  been  brought  to  a 
proper  consistence  or  not.  Twelve 
drachms  of  the  mass  contains 
8  drachms  of  aloes.  The  paste 
used  to  be  supplied  to  trainers  in 
3-lb.,  4-lb. ,  and  7-lb.  tins. 


Stopping  for  Horses'  Heels. 

Stockholm  Tar         .         .   gviij. 

Tallow    ....   gviij. 

Lard        ....   Jviij. 

Beeswax  ....   gij. 

Melt  the  last  three  first,  then  add 
the  tar,  and  stir  up  well. 


THE    VETERINARY  SURGEONS  ACT, 
44  &  45  Vict.  c.  62 

Passed  August  27,  1881 

Whereas  it  is  expedient  that  provision  be  made  to  enable  persons  requir- 
ing the  aid  of  a  veterinary  surgeon  for  the  cure  or  prevention  of  diseases  in 
or  injuries  to  horses  and  other  animals,  to  distinguish  between  qualified 
and  unqualified  practitioners  : 

Be  it  therefore  enacted  by  the  Queen's  most  Excellent  Majesty  by  and 
with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Lords  Spiritual  and  Temporal  and 
Commons  in  this  present  Parliament  assembled  and  by  the  authority  of  the 
same  as  follows  : 

1.  This  Act  may  be  cited  as  the  Veterinary  Surgeons  Act  18S1. 

2.  In  this  Act — 

'  The  Royal  College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons '  means  the  Royal  College 
of  Veterinary'  Surgeons  incorporated  and  regulated  by  a  charter  and  two 
supplemental  charters  granted  by  Her  Majesty  in  the  years  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  forty-four,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-six, 
and  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-nine  respectively. 

'  The  Registrar '  means  the  Registrar  for  the  time  being  of  the  said 
Royal  College. 

'  Veterinary  surgery '  means  the  art  and  science  of  veterinary  surgery 
and  medicine. 

3.  —  (I.)  The  register  of  members  of  the  Royal  College  of  Veterinary 
Surgeons  directed  by  Her  Majesty's  said  Royal  Charter  of  1876  to  be  made 
and  maintained,  shall  be  styled  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  and 
shall  be  kept  as  accurately  as  possible  by  the  Registrar. 

(2. )  The  Council  of  that  College  shall  cause  correct  copies  of  the  said 
register  to  be  from  time  to  time  and  at  least  once  a  year  printed  under 
their  direction  and  published  and  sold,  and  such  copies  shall  be  admissible 
in  evidence. 

4.  The  Royal  College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  shall  be  bound  to  make 
provision  in  the  manner  permitted  by  their  charters  for  the  examination  in 
England  of  the  students  attending  the   Royal  Veterinary  College,  and  in 


326  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

Scotland  of  the  students  attending  the  several  Scotch  Veterinary  Colleges, 
and  in  Ireland  whenever  a  Veterinary  College  shall  be  established  in  that 
country,  and  to  admit  and  register  such  students  as  have  passed  the  ex- 
amination as  members  of  the  said  Royal  College  under  the  provisions  of 
such  charters  and  this  Act. 

5. — (i.)  The  Registrar  shall  from  time  to  time  insert  in  the  Register  of 
Veterinary  Surgeons  any  alteration  which  may  come  to  his  knowledge  in 
the  name  or  address  of  any  person  registered. 

(2.)  The  Registrar  shall  remove  from  the  said  register  the  name  of 
everj^  deceased  person. 

(3.)  The  Registrar  may  remove  from  the  said  register  the  name  of  a 
person  who  has  ceased  to  practise,  but  not  (save  as  hereinafter  provided) 
without  the  consent  of  that  person. 

(4.)  Where  the  Registrar  has  reason  to  think  that  any  person  registered 
has  ceased  to  practise,  the  Registrar  may  send  by  post  to  such  person  a 
notice  inquiring  whether  or  not  he  has  ceased  to  practise  or  has  changed 
his  residence  ;  and  if  the  Registrar  does  not  within  three  months  after 
sending  the  notice  receive  any  answer  thereto  from  such  person,  the 
Registrar  may  within  fourteen  days  after  the  expiration  of  the  three  months 
send  him  by  post  in  a  registered  letter  another  notice  referring  to  the  first 
notice  and  stating  that  no  answer  thereto  has  been  received,  and  if  the 
Registrar  does  not  within  one  month  after  sending  the  second  notice 
receive  any  answer  thereto,  such  person  shall  for  the  purpose  of  the  present 
section  be  deemed  to  have  ceased  to  practise  and  his  name  may  be  removed 
accordingly. 

(5.)  In  the  execution  of  his  duties  the  Registrar  shall  act  on  such 
evidence  as  in  each  case  appears  sufficient. 

6.  The  power  conferred  by  the  said  Supplemental  Charter  of  1876  on 
the  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Council,  at 
which  not  less  than  two  thirds  of  the  members  are  present,  and  with  the 
consent  of  three  fourths  of  the  members  so  present,  but  not  otherwise,  to 
remove  a  name  from  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  may  be  exercised 
in  respect  of  any  person  who  is  at  the  passing  of  this  Act  on  that  register, 
or  who  is  after  the  passing  of  this  Act  placed  thereon  under  the  said  charter, 
or  this  Act,  but  in  the  following  cases  only  (that  is  to  say),  at  the  request 
or  with  the  consent  of  the  person  whose  name  is  to  be  removed,  or  where 
a  name  has  been  incorrectly  entered,  or  has  been  fraudulently  entered  or 
procured  to  be  entered,  or  where  a  person  registered  has,  either  before  or 
after  the  passing  of  this  Act,  and  cither  before  or  after  his  registration,  been 
convicted,  cither  in  Her  Majesty's  dominions  or  elsewhere,  of  an  oflcnce 
which,  if  committed  in  England,  would  be  a  misdemeanour  or  higher 
ofTcncc,  or  where  a  person  registered  is  shown  to  have  been  guilty,  cither 
before  or  after  the  passing  of  this  Act,  and  either  before  or  after  his  regis- 


VETERINARY  SURGEONS  ACT  327 

tration,  and  either  in  Her  Majesty's  dominions  or  elsewhere,  of  any  conduct 
disgraceful  to  him  in  a  professional  respect. 

7. — (I.)  Where  the  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College  have  removed 
the  name  of  any  person  from  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  the  name 
of  that  person  shall  not  be  again  entered  in  the  register  except  by  a  resolu- 
tion of  the  Council  passed  under  this  section,  or  by  order  of  a  court  of 
competent  jurisdiction. 

(2.)  The  Council  may  by  resolution  passed  by  a  like  proportion  of  their 
number  as  is  for  the  time  being  required  for  the  removal  of  a  name  from 
the  said  register,  direct  the  Registrar  to  restore  to  the  register  any  name 
removed  therefrom,  either  without  fee  or  on  payment  of  such  fee  not  ex- 
ceeding the  registration  fee  as  the  Council  from  time  to  lime  fix,  and  the 
Registrar  shall  restore  the  same  accordingly. 

(3.)  The  name  of  any  person  removed  from  the  said  register  at  the 
request  of  such  person  or  with  his  consent  shall,  unless  it  might  if  not  so 
removed  have  been  removed  by  order  of  the  Council,  be  restored  to  the 
register,  on  his  application  and  on  payment  of  such  fee  not  exceeding  the 
registration  fee  as  the  Council  from  time  to  time  fix. 

8. — (I.)  The  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College  shall,  for  the  purpose 
of  exercising  in  any  case  the  power  of  removing  a  name  from  or  of  restoring 
a  name  to  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  ascertain  the  facts  of  the  case 
by  a  committee  of  the  Council,  the  powers  of  the  committee  being  exer- 
ciseable  by  not  fewer  than  three  members  of  the  committee  ;  and  the  report 
of  the  committee,  after  hearing  the  person  concerned,  if  he  so  desires,  shall 
be  for  the  purpose  aforesaid  conclusive  as  to  the  facts,  but  so  that  the 
Council  shall  form  their  own  judgment  on  the  case  independently  of  any 
opinion  of  the  committee. 

(2.)  If  in  any  case  the  Council  determine  to  remove  the  name  of  any 
person  from  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  or  not  to  restore  thereto 
the  name  of  any  person,  the  Council  shall,  if  required  by  him,  state  in 
writing  the  reason  for  that  determination,  and  he  may  appeal  to  the  Privy 
Council ;  and  the  Pri\-y  Council,  after  communication  with  the  Council  of 
the  said  Royal  College  and  the  appellant,  may  either  dismiss  the  appeal, 
or  order  that  Council  not  to  remove  the  name  of  the  appellant,  or  to  restore 
his  name,  as  the  case  may  require. 

9.  A  copy  of  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  for  the  time  being 
purporting  to  be  printed  and  published  in  pursuance  of  this  Act  shall  be 
evidence  in  all  cases  (until  the  contrary  be  made  to  appear)  that  the  persons 
therein  named  are  on  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  ;  and  the  absence 
of  the  name  of  any  person  from  such  copy  shall  be  evidence  (until  the  con- 
trary be  made  to  appear)  that  such  person  is  not  on  that  register  :  Provided 
that  in  the  case  of  any  person  whose  name  does  not  appear  in  such  copy  a 
certified  copy  under  the  hand  of  the  Registrar  of  the  entry  of  the  name  of 


328  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

such  person  in  the  said  register  shall  be  evidence  that  such  person  is  on  the 
said  register. 

10.  Every  registrar  of  deaths  in  the  United  Kingdom,  on  receiving 
notice  of  the  death  of  any  person  on  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons, 
shall  forthwith  transmit  by  post  to  the  Registrar  a  certificate  under  his 
hand  of  such  death,  with  the  particulars  of  time  and  place  of  death  ;  and 
on  the  receipt  of  such  certificate  the  Registrar  shall  erase  the  name  of  such 
person  from  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  and  shall  transmit  to  the 
said  registrar  of  deaths  the  cost  of  such  certificate  and  transmission. 

11.  Any  person  who  wilfully  procures  or  attempts  to  procure  himself 
to  be  placed  on  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  by  making  or  producing 
or  causing  to  be  made  or  produced  any  false  or  fraudulent  declaration,  cer- 
tificate, or  representation,  either  in  writing  or  otherwise,  and  any  person 
aiding  and  assisting  him  therein,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  in  England  or  in 
Ireland  of  a  misdemeanour  and  in  Scotland  of  a  crime  or  offence  punishable 
by  fine  or  imprisonment,  and  shall  on  conviction  thereof  be  liable  to  a  fine 
not  exceeding  fifty  pounds  or  to  be  imprisoned  with  or  without  hard  labour 
for  any  term  not  exceeding  twelve  months. 

12.  If  the  Registrar  wilfully  makes  or  causes  to  be  made  any  falsification 
in  any  matter  relating  to  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  he  shall  be 
deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanour,  and  shall  be  liable  to  a  fine  not  exceed- 
ing fifty  pounds,  or  to  be  imprisoned  with  or  without  hard  labour  for  any 
term  not  exceeding  twelve  months. 

13.  —  ( I . )  Where  a  person  shows  that  he  holds  some  recognised  veterinary 
diploma  granted  to  him  in  a  British  possession,  and  either  that  the  grant  of 
such  diploma  occurred  when  he  was  not  domiciled  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
or  in  the  course  of  a  period  of  not  less  than  five  years  during  which  he 
resided  out  of  the  United  Kingdom,  or,  if  he  was  practising  veterinary 
surgery  in  the  United  Kingdom  at  the  passing  of  this  Act,  that  he  has 
practised  veterinary  surgery  for  not  less  than  ten  years,  either  in  the  United 
Kingdom  or  elsewhere,  he  shall  upon  payment  of  the  registration  fee  be 
entitled  without  examination  in  the  United  Kingdom  to  be  registered  as  a 
colonial  practitioner  in  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  and  to  become 
to  all  intents  a  member  of  the  said  Royal  College. 

(2.)  Where  a  person  shows  that  he  obtained  some  recognised  veterinary 
diploma  granted  in  a  foreign  country,  and  cither  that  he  is  not  a  British 
subject,  or  that  if  a  British  subject  he  has  practised  veterinary  surgery  for 
more  than  ten  years  elsewhere  than  in  the  United  Kingdom,  or  if  he  was 
jiraclising  veterinary  surgery  in  the  United  Kingdom  at  the  passing  of  this 
Act  for  not  less  than  ten  years,  cither  in  the  United  Kingdom  or  elsewhere, 
and  cither  continues  to  hold  that  dijiloma  or  has  not  been  deprived  thereof 
by  any  cause  which  disqualifies  him  for  being  registered  under  this  Act,  he 
shall,  on  payment  of  the  registration  fee,  be  entitled  without  examination 


VETERINARY  SURGEONS  ACT  329 

in  the  United  Kingdom  to  be  registered  as  n  foreign  practitioner  in  the 
Register  of  Veterinar)'  Surgeons  and  to  become  to  all  intents  a  member  of 
the  said  Royal  College. 

(3. )  For  the  purpose  of  this  section  a  veterinary  diploma  is  any  diploma, 
licence,  certificate,  or  other  document  granted  by  any  university,  college, 
corporation,  or  other  body  in  respect  of  veterinary  surger}',  and  includes  a 
licence  or  authority  to  a  person  to  practise  veterinar)'  surgery  granted  by 
any  department  of  or  persons  acting  under  the  authority  of  the  government  of 
the  countr}'  or  place  within  or  without  Her  Majesty's  Dominions  wherein 
the  licence  or  authority  is  granted  ;  and  a  British  Possession  is  any  part  of 
Her  Majesty's  Dominions  out  of  the  United  Kingdom  ;  and  a  recognised 
veterinary  diploma  is  a  veterinary  diploma  recognised  for  the  time  being 
by  the  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College  as  furnishing  a  sufficient  guaranty 
of  the  possession  of  the  requisite  knowledge  and  skill  for  the  efficient 
practice  of  veterinary  surgery,  and  as  entitling  the  holder  thereof  to  practise 
veterinar}'  surgery  in  the  British  Possession  or  foreign  country  wherein  the 
diploma  was  granted. 

(4.)  If  a  person  is  refused  registration  as  a  colonial  practitioner,  or  as  a 
foreign  practitioner,  the  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College  shall,  if  required 
by  that  person,  state  in  writing  the  reason  for  that  refusal,  and  if  that  reason 
be  that  the  veterinary  diploma  held  or  obtained  by  him  is  not  a  recognised 
veterinar)'  diploma,  that  person  may  appeal  to  the  Privy  Council,  and  the 
Pri\'y  Council,  after  communication  with  the  Council  of  the  said  Royal 
College  and  the  appellant,  may  either  dismiss  the  appeal  or  order  that 
Council  to  recognise  that  veterinary  diploma. 

14.  The  said  charters  of  the  Royal  College  of  Veterinar)-  Surgeons  are 
hereby  confirmed,  and  are  declared  to  be  and  shall  be  in  full  force  and 
virtue,  except  as  far  as  the  same  are  by  this  Act  altered,  or  as  the  same  are 
inconsistent  with  this  Act,  but  not  so  as  to  prevent  the  making  of  any 
amendment  thereof  or  addition  thereto  by  any  supplemental  Royal  Charter 
not  being  inconsistent  with  this  Act. 

15. — (i.)  Where  at  the  passing  of  this  Act  any  person  practises  and 
has  continuously  for  not  less  than  five  years  next  before  the  passing  of  this 
Act  practised  veterinary  surgery  in  the  United  Kingdom,  but  is  not  on  the 
Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  he  shall  be  entitled,  subject  to  the  provi- 
sions of  this  Act,  to  be  placed  on  a  separate  register  under  the  heading  of 
'  Existing  Practitioners,'  without  examination,  on  such  terms  as  to  payment 
of  fees,  and  as  to  other  matters,  as  the  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College, 
with  the  approval  of  the  Privy  Council,  direct. 

(2. )  On  any  person  applying  for  registration  under  this  section  within 
one  year  after  the  passing  of  this  Act,  and  thereupon,  or  within  a  reasonable 
time  thereafter,  producing  to  the  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College  evidence 
of  his  title  to  registration  by  statutory  declarations  of  himself  and  of  other 


330  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

persons  able  to  testify  on  his  behalf,  or  such  other  evidence  as  that  Council 
reasonably  require,  he  shall  be  registered  under  direction  of  that  Council 
accordingly. 

(3.)  If  a  person  is  refused  registration  under  this  section,  the  Council  of 
the  said  Royal  College  shall,  if  required  by  him,  state  in  writing  the  reason 
for  that  refusal,  and  he  may  appeal  to  the  Privy  Council ;  and  the  Privy 
Council,  after  communication  with  the  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College 
and  the  appellant,  may  either  dismiss  the  appeal  or  order  that  Council  to 
register  the  appellant  under  this  section. 

(4.)  No  person  registered  under  this  section  shall  be  deemed  to  be 
a  member  of  the  said  Royal  College  within  the  said  Charters  or  this 
Act. 

16.  If  after  the  passing  of  this  Act  any  person  not  being  a  fellow  or  a 
member  of  the  Royal  College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  takes  or  uses  any 
name,  title,  addition,  or  description,  by  means  of  initials  or  letters  placed 
after  his  name,  or  otherwise,  stating  or  implying  that  he  is  a  fellow  or  a 
member  of  the  Royal  College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  he  shall  be  liable  to 
a  fine  not  exceeding  twenty  pounds. 

17. — (i.)  If  after  the  thirty-first  day  of  December  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  eighty-three  any  person,  other  than  a  person  who  for  the  time 
being  is  on  the  Register  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  or  who  at  the  time  of  the 
passing  of  this  Act  held  the  veterinary  certificate  of  the  Highland  and 
Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland,  takes  or  uses  the  title  of  veterinary 
surgeon,  or  veterinary  practitioner,  or  any  name,  title,  addition,  or  de- 
scription stating  that  he  is  a  veterinary  surgeon  or  a  practitioner  ol 
veterinary  surgery  or  of  any  branch  thereof,  or  is  specially  qualified 
to  practise  the  same,  he  shall  be  liable  to  a  fine  not  exceeding  twenty 
pounds. 

(2.)  From  and  after  the  same  day  a  person  other  than  as  in  this  section 
mentioned  shall  not  be  entitled  to  recover  in  any  court  any  fee  or  charge 
for  performing  any  veterinary  operation,  or  for  giving  any  veterinary 
attendance  or  advice,  or  for  acting  in  any  manner  as  a  veterinary  surgeon 
or  veterinary  practitioner,  or  for  practising  in  any  case  veterinary  surgery, 
or  any  branch  thereof. 

18.  —  (I.)  All  powers  vested  in  the  Privy  Council  by  this  Act  may  be 
exercised  by  an  Order  of  Council  made  by  two  or  more  of  the  Lords  and 
others  of  Iler  Majesty's  Most  Honourable  Privy  Coimcil. 

(2.)  An  order  made  by  the  Privy  Council  under  this  Act  may  be  madi 
conditionally  or  unconditionally,  and  may  contain  such  terms  and  directions 
as  lo  the  Privy  Council  seem  just. 

(3.)  The  Council  of  the  said  Royal  College  shall  forthwith  obey  any 
Order  of  the  Privy  Council  under  this  Act,  and  observe  and  fulfil  all 
conditions,  terms,  and  directions  therein  contained. 


VETERINARY  SURGEONS  ACT  331 

19.  Fines  and  imprisonment  under  this  Act  may  be  recovered  and 
imposed  summarily,  that  is  to  say — 

in  England  in  manner  provided  by  the  Summary  Jurisdiction  Act  1848 
and  the  Summar}'  Jurisdiction  Act  1879  and  any  Act  amending  either 
of  those  Acts  ; 
in  Scotland  before  the  sheriff  or  sheriff-substitute  or  two  justices  in 
manner  provided  by  the  Summary  Procedure  Act  1864  and  any  Act 
amending  the  same  ; 
in  Ireland  within  the  police  district  of  Dublin  metropolis  in  manner 
directed  by  the  Acts  regulating  the  powers  and  duties  of  justices  of 
the  peace  for  such  district  or  of  the  police  of  such  district,  and  else- 
where in  Ireland  before  two  or  more  justices  of  the  peace  in  manner 
directed  by  the  Petty  Sessions  (Ireland)  Act  1851  and   any  Act 
amending  the  same. 
A  prosecution  under  this  Act  may  be  instituted  by  the  Council  of  the 
Royal  College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  but  shall  not  be  instituted  by  a 
private  person  without  the  written  consent  of  the  said  Council. 

20.  Nothing  in  this  Act  shall  affect  the  charter  and  supplemental 
charters  granted  by  Her  Majesty  to  the  Royal  Veterinary  College  in  the 
years  1875  and  1877  respectively,  or  any  of  the  property,  rights,  powers, 
and  privileges  of  that  College  thereunder. 


THE    TITLE   'VETERINARY  CHEMIST' 

In  February  1893  '^^  Royal  College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  prosecuted 
Mr.  Richard  Henry  Grover,  pharmaceutical  chemist,  of  Blandford,  for  an 
alleged  infringement  of  the  Veterinary  Surgeons  Act,  sect.  17,  by  having 
published  a  book  or  pamphlet  recommending  certain  veterinary  medicines 
on  which  he  has  described  himself  as  a  '  pharmaceutical  and  veterinary 
chemist.'  Counsel  for  the  prosecution  stated  to  the  magistrates  that  the 
action  had  been  brought  '  to  have  once  for  all  the  important  question 
decided.'  The  College  relied  principally  on  a  judgment  given  in  a 
previous  case  (R.C.V.S.  v.  Robinson)  by  Justices  Hawkins  and  Wills, 
who  had  held  that  in  using  the  description  '  veterinary  forge '  the  de- 
fendant, who  was  a  person  not  qualified  under  the  Veterinary  Surgeons 
Act,  had  professed  to  have  some  special  skill  in  veterinary  surgery,  and 
they  held,  therefore,  that  he  had  infringed  the  Act.  The  Blandford 
magistrates  considered  that  the  case  was  doubtful,  and  they  dismissed  the 
summons,    but   stated    a  case.      The  proprietors  of  '  The  Chemist   and 


332 


VETERIXARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 


Druggist'  had  organised  a  subscription  among  chemists  and  druggists 
interested  in  the  question,  and  the  appeal  came  before  a  divisional  Queen's 
Bench  Court,  and  was  heard  by  Justices  Day  and  Lawrence  on  May  31, 
1893.  A  full  report  of  the  proceedings  before  the  magistrates  appears  in 
'The  Chemist  and  Druggist,'  February  11,  1893,  and  the  arguments 
heard  by  the  High  Court  and  the  judgment  there  delivered  are  reported 
in  '  The  Chemist  and  Druggist,'  June  3,  1893. 

After  hearing  Mr.  Poland  for  the  College,  the  judges,  without  calling 
upon  Mr.  Bray,  who  appeared  for  the  chemist,  dismissed  the  appeal. 
Mr.  Justice  Day  said  :  '  As  far  as  I  can  see,  it  is  competent  for  any 
person,  whether  he  is  a  pharmaceutical  chemist  or  no  chemist  at  all,  to 
publish  his  views  about  animal  diseases,  and  to  make  suggestions  as  to 
what  he  thinks  the  best  mode  of  treating  them.  I  can  see  no  possible 
objection  to  anything  of  the  sort.  ...  I  am  not  at  all  satisfied  that 
because  a  man  happens  to  be  a  chemist  he  is  debarred  from  publishing  a 
book  of  the  kind.  .  .  .  Then  it  is  said  Mr.  Grover  may  not  do  what  he 
has  done  because  he  describes  himself  as  a  veterinar}'  chemist.  From  the 
term  "veterinary  chemist,"  I  should  think  a  man  was  meant  who  laid 
himself  out  for  the  preparation  of  medicines  used  for  horses,  cows,  &c. 
I  am  not  aware  that  that  is  a  part  of  veterinary  surgery,  or  that  that  is 
practising  as  a  veterinary  surgeon.  It  is  quite  idle  to  present  any  argu- 
ment of  the  kind.  This  man  is,  in  my  judgment,  entitled  to  call  himself 
a  veterinary  chemist  in  that  sense,  and  he  is  also  entitled  to  publish  this 
book.  With  reference  to  the  case  that  has  been  cited  about  the  shoeing- 
smith,  the  only  observation  I  shall  make  on  the  subject  is  that  it  is  a 
different  case.' 

Mr.  Justice  Lawrence  concurred,  and  the  appeal  was  dismissed. 


THE   CONTAGIOUS  DISEASES  {ANIMALS)   ACTS 

The  Statutes  and  Orders  of  Council  relating  to  the  contagious  diseases  of 
animals  are  very  voluminous,  and  can  only  be  liriefiy  alluded  to  here.  It 
may  be  mentioned  that  the  Acts  and  Orders,  with  a  very  complete  alpha- 
betical exposition  of  the  duties  arising  under  them,  are  published  officially 
in  a  thick  volume  under  the  title  of  '  Handbook  for  England,  Wales,  and 
Scotland  of  the  Laws  and  Regulations  relating  to  Contagious  and  In- 
fectious Diseases  among  Animals.'  This  work  is  published  by  the 
Government  i)rintcrs  at  2s.,  and  may  be  obtained  through  any  book- 
se'.lcr. 


CCNTAGIOUS  DISEASES  {ANIMALS)   ACTS  333 

The  Acts  apply  to  the  whole  of  the  United  Kingdom. 

The  Acts  and  Orders  formerly  administered  by  the  Agricultural  De- 
partment of  the  Privy  Council  of  Great  Britain  are  now  under  the  charge 
of  the  Board  of  Agriculture  (created  in  1889  by  the  Board  of  Agriculture 
Act,  52  &  53  Vict.  c.  30). 

The  Statutes  comprise  the  Contagious  Diseases  (Animals)  Acts  of  187S, 
1884,  and  1886;  the  Contagious  Diseases  (Animals)  Act,  Transfer  of 
Parts  of  Districts  Act,  1884  ;  and  the  Pleuro-pneumonia  Act  of  1890. 
Powers  are  given  in  the  Acts  to  the  Privy  Council  (now  to  the  Board  of 
Agriculture)  to  make  and  revoke  orders  in  reference  to  other  diseases 
than  those  mentioned  in  the  Statutes  themselves,  and  in  reference  to  the 
importation  of  animals  from  foreign  countries  and  the  removal  of  animals 
in  and  from  special  districts.  The  diseases  which  are  now  legislated  for 
under  the  Acts  and  Orders  are  the  following  : 

Cattle  Plague,  also  known  as  rinderpest. 

Pleuro-pneumonia — that  is  to  say,  contagious  pleuro-pneumonia  of  cattle. 

Foot  and  Mouth  Disease. 

Sheep  Pox. 

Sheep  Scab, 

Glanders. 

Farcy. 

Swine  Fever  -  that  is  to  say,  the  disease  known  as  typhoid  fever  of 
swine,  soldier,  purples,  red  disease,  hog  cholera,  or  swine  plague. 

Anthrax— that  is  to  say,  the  disease  known  as  anthrax,  splenic  fever,  or 
splenic  apoplexy  of  animals  {i.e.  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats,  and  all  other 
ruminating  animals,  and  swine). 

Rabies. 

Sarcoptic  mange  of  horses,  asses,  and  mules.  [This  applies  only  to  the 
Shetland  Isles.] 

The  Acts  are  administered  in  Ireland  by  the  Lord-Lieutenant  and  Privy 
Council  of  Ireland. 

Local  authorities  are  required  to  appoint  inspectors  under  the  Acts,  and 
the  Board  of  Agriculture  also  provides  its  own  inspectors.  Owners  or 
persons  in  charge  of  animals  affected  with  any  of  the  diseases  named  above 
are  required  to  give  notice  to  a  constable,  who  informs  the  inspector.  The 
latter  gives  notice  to  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  and  also  serves  certain 
notices  on  the  owners  or  occupiers  of  the  place  where  the  disease  occurs, 
and  for  a  mile  around.  The  Board  of  Agriculture  can  accept  the  notice 
from  the  local  inspector,  or  can  satisfy  itself  further,  and  then  can  make 
orders  for  slaughter  and  for  compensation  within  certain  limits  ;  for  pro- 
hibiting and  regulating  the  movements  of  animals  in  the  district  ;  for  disin- 
fection, <S:c.  The  owner  of  animals  not  only  must  give  notice  when  he 
knows  them  to  be  a^ected  with  any  of  the  diseases  named  above,  but 


354  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

may  give  notice  when  he  only  suspects  the  existence  of  such  a  disease  ;  and 
it  then  becomes  the  duty  of  the  inspector  to  ascertain  for  himself  what 
steps  are  necessary.  The  regulations  enforced  vary  in  different  diseases, 
but  generally  it  may  be  said  that  treatment  is  forbidden  and  slaughter  is 
insisted  upon  in  all  cases.  The  regulations  as  to  importation  and  transfer 
of  animals  are  very  voluminous,  but  need  not  here  concern  us. 


SALE   OF  HOFSES 


The  law  affecting  the  sale  of  horses  (so  far  as  it  differs  from  the  law  con- 
cerning the  sale  of  goods  generally)  has  been  digested  as  under  by  Judge 
Chalmers  from  the  statutes,  '  Act  against  the  Buying  of  Stolen  Horses  ' 
(2  &  3  Phil.  &  Mar.  c.  7),  and  'Act  to  avoid  Horse-stealing'  (31  Eliz. 
c.  12). 

1.  The  sale  of  any  horse,  whether  in  market  overt  or  otherwise,  shall 
be  void  as  against  the  true  owner  thereof,  unless  such  sale  be  made  in 
accordance  with  the  following  rules. 

2.  When  a  stolen  horse  has  been  sold  in  market  overt,  and  in  accord- 
ance with  these  rules,  the  true  owner  may  recover  the  same,  if  he  make 
claim  thereto  within  six  months  of  the  theft,  on  tendering  to  any  person 
who  may  have  bought  it  in  good  faith,  the  price  which  he  gave  for  the 
same. 

3.  The  market  authority  in  every  horse  fair  or  market  shall  cause  a 
special  open  place  to  be  marked  out  for  the  sale  of  horses. 

4.  There  shall  be  a  toll-keeper  appointed  for  such  place,  who  shall  take 
tolls  and  keep  the  place  from  ten  before  noon  until  sunset  of  each  market 
day,  and  no  tolls  shall  be  taken  except  between  the  aforesaid  hours. 

5.  No  horse  shall  be  sold  or  otherwise  transferred,  unless  it  has  been 
exposed  in  the  place  of  sale  for  one  hour  at  least  during  the  hours  aforesaid, 

6.  When  the  toll  is  taken  the  parties  to  the  sale  or  transfer  shall  be 
present  before  the  toll-keeper,  and  the  toll-keeper  shall  enter  in  a  book, 
to  be  kept  for  that  purpose,  the  names,  surnames,  and  address  of  the 
parties,  together  with  the  colour  and  one  special  mark  at  least  of  the  horse 
so  sold  or  transferred. 

7.  The  toll-keeper  shall  not  enter  the  sale  or  transfer  in  his  book  unless 
he  will  take  upon  himself  perfect  knowledge  of  the  name,  surname,  and 
address  of  the  person  selling  or  transferring  the  horse,  or  unless  the  person 
so  selling  or  transferring  the  horse  is  vouched  for  by  a  sufficient  and  credible 
person  known  to  the  toll-keeper,  who  is  personally  acquainted  with  him, 
.nnd  knows  his  name,  surname,  description,  and  address.     In  the  latter 


SALE    OF  HORSES  335 

case  the  toll-keeper  shall  enter  in  his  book  the  name,  address,  and  descrip- 
tion of  the  seller  or  transferrer,  and  of  the  person  who  vouches  for  him, 
and  also  the  price,  if  any,  given  for  the  horse. 

8.  A  note  of  the  entry  in  the  toll-keeper's  book  shall  be  given  to  the 
buyer,  who  shall  pay  the  sum  of  twopence  therefor. 

9.  Not  later  than  the  day  after  the  conclusion  of  the  fair  or  market  the 
toll-keeper  shall  deliver  his  book  to  the  market  authority,  who  shall  cause 
a  note  to  be  made  of  the  true  number  of  all  horses  sold  at  the  said  fair  or 
market. 

10.  In  these  rules  the  term  '  horse  '  includes  mare,  gelding,  colt,  and 
filly  ;  and  '  toll-keeper  '  includes  deputy  toll-keeper,  or  book-keeper,  when 
by  usage  no  toll  is  taken. 

11.  ^Yhen  according  to  the  usage  of  the  market  no  toll  is  taken,  the 
book-keeper  shall  be  entitled  to  one  penny  for  each  sale  or  transfer  entered 
in  his  book. 


THE    VETERINARY  CURRICULUM 

All  persons  who  practise  as  'veterinary  surgeons'  must  be  registered  as  such 
by  the  Royal  College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  ;  and  the  only  course  open 
for  persons  entering  the  profession  now  is  to  study  at  one  of  the  veterinary 
colleges  and  pass  the  examinations  of  the  Royal  College,  which  is  not  itself 
an  educating  body. 

A  student,  before  presenting  himself  for  the  first  professional  examina- 
tion, is  required  to  pass  the  preliminary  examination  of  the  General 
Medical  Council,  or  one  recognised  by  that  body,  and  this  should  be 
passed  before  he  begins  his  professional  studies. 

The  shortest  period  of  study  necessary  to  obtain  the  diploma  is  four 
sessional  years,  which  implies  that  a  student  must  attend  the  classes,  &c. , 
of  one  or  more  of  the  recognised  colleges  during  a  session  of  not  less  than 
thirty  weeks  in  each  of  the  four  years. 

There  are  four  professional  examinations,  one  at  the  end  of  each 
sessional  year,  conducted  by  the  Examining  Board  of  the  Royal  College  of 
Veterinary  Surgeons.  Examinations  are  held  three  times  during  the  year, 
one  in  March,  April,  or  May,  one  in  December  or  January,  and  a  third  in 
July,  provided  that  not  less  than  eighteen  candidates  in  any  one  class  are 
presented  for  examination. 

The  fee  for  each  professional  examination  is  5/.,  and  for  re-cxamination 
after  rejection  3/.  35. 

In  addition,  on  passing  the  final  examination  a  registration  fee  of  i/.  is 
demanded. 


335  VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 

The  subjects  of  the  professional  examinations,  which  are  both  'vritten 
ami  oral,  are  as  follows  :  — 
first. — Examination  A. 

1.  Anatomy  of  domesticated  animals  [Bones,  Ligaments,  Joints). 

2.  Chemistry  and  Elementary  Physics. 

3.  Biolog)'  (Elementary  Zoology  and  Botany). 
Second. — Examination  B. 

1.  Anatomy  of  domesticated  animals. 

2.  Histology  and  Physiology. 

3.  (Oral only.)  Stable  management  and  manipulation  of  domesti- 
cated animals ;  principles  of  shoeing. 

Third. — Examination  C. 

1.  Morbid  Anatomy,  Pathology,  and  Bacteriology. 

2.  Materia  Medica,  Pharmacy,  Therapeutics,  and  Toxicology, 

3.  Veterinary  Hygiene  and  Dietetics. 
Fourth.—  Examination  D. 

1.  Principles  and  Practice  of  Veterinar)-  Medicine  and  Surgery  ; 
Clinical  Medicine,  Surgery,  nnd  Obstetrics  (horse). 

2.  Principles  and  Practice  of  \'eterinar)'  Medicine  and  Surgery  ; 
Clinical  Medicine,  Surgery,  and  Obstetrics  (other  domesticated 
animals)  ;  Meat  Inspection. 

All  letters  in  regard  to  the  exam.inations  should  be  addressed  to  the 
Secretary,  R.C.V.S.,  10,  Red  Lion  Square,  London,  W.C. 


METHYLATED    VETERINARY  PREPARATIONS 

There  is  an  impression  which  is  largely  prevalent  that  methylated  spirit 
may  legally  be  used  in  the  preparation  of  veterinar)'  medicines.  This 
is  not  the  case,  and  indeed  a  good  many  fines  have  been  imposed  on 
chemists  who  have  had  some  methylated  veterinary  preparation  in  stock. 
In  Alpe's  '  Handy  Book  of  Medicine  Stamp  Duty,'  the  following  useful 
advice  on  this  subject  is  given. 

The  Commissioners  of  Inland  Revenue,  by  a  circular  to  chemists  and 
druggists,  in  1891,  intimated  to  the  trade  that  methylated  spirit  might  be 
used  in  the  preparation  of  the  following  articles  :  Hydrate  of  chloral, 
soap  liniment,  compound  camphor  liniment,  aconite  liniment,  belladonna 
liniment. 

The  Commissioners  also  allow  methylated  spirit  to  be  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  horse  and  cattle  medicines  so  compounded  as  not  to  be 
<■<?/«/'/<;  of  l)eing  used  internally  as  medicines  by  human  l)eings.  In  each 
case  a  special  ajiplication  must  be  made,  and  the  formula  of  composition 
staled,  and  methylated  spirit  may  not  l)e  used  in  the  manufacture  of  such 


iMETHVLATED   VETERINARY  PREPARATIONS      337 

preparations  until  the  special  permission  of  the  Commissioners  has  been 
obtained,  and  such  security  given  (usually  by  bond)  as  they  may  require 
for  the  proper  use  of  the  methylated  spirit.  Such  preparations  as  mustard 
liniment,  iodine  liniment,  tincture  of  arnica,  tincture  of  benzoin,  &c., 
which  contain  drugs  commonly  prescribed  for  internal  use  by  human 
beings,  are  not  allowed  to  be  prepared  with  methylated  spirit  ;  and  cattle 
medicines,  if  reasonably  capable  of  being  used  for  human  beings,  fall  under 
the  same  category.  Permission  would  be  denied  with  regard  to  tincture 
of  aloes  or  of  camphor,  but  it  would  probably  be  granted  in  the  case  of 
blisters,  Leeming's  Essence,  strong  opium  draughts,  corrosive  sublimate 
applications,  &c.  Formulas  of  preparations  which  would  be  allowed  are 
quoted  in  the  book  named. 


ADMINISTRATION  OF  POISONOUS  DRUGS  TO 
HORSES  ACT  OF  1876 

This  Act  renders  any  person  liable,  on  conviction,  to  a  penalty  of  5'.,  or 
one  month's  imprisonment,  for  administering  or  causing  to  be  administered 
to  or  taken  by  any  horse,  cattle,  or  domestic  animal  any  poiscnou'.  or 
injurious  drug  or  substance.     Applies  to  England  and  Wales  only. 


INDEX 


Abscesses  (see  Wounds,  &c.) 
Alteratives,  balls  and  powders, 

Anaesthetics,  how  to  give,  1 1 
Arsenic  for  horses,  29 ;  for  dogs, 
29 

Bleeding,  method  and   effect 

of,  8 
Blisters,  37,  308,  309 
Bran  mash,  309 
Broken  knees  [see  Horse) 

Cai.f  meal,  310 
Calves,  cordial,  40 

—  diarrhoea,  159,  314 

—  hoose  or  husk,  184,  318 

—  lice,  191 

—  meal  or  milk  substitute,  310 

—  scours  or  skit,  40 

—  thrush,  198 
Canadian  oil,  310 
Canaries,  asthma  cure,  308 

—  bright  plumage,  301 
Castration  oil,  310 
Cataract,  264 

Cats,  to  kill,  13 
Cattle,  al)ortion,  176 

—  -  abscesses  (sec  Wounds,  &c.) 

—  administration   of  medicine, 
&c.,  3,  157 

—  black  log,  S-^,  308 

—  bleeding,  8 


Cattle,  brain,  inflammation,  194 

—  bronchitis,  182 

—  bull-burnt,  181,  309 

—  calving  drench,  310 

■ —  cancer  ointment,  310 

—  carbuncle  powder,  310 

—  chloroform  administration,  1 1 

—  cleansing,  38,  177 

—  colchicum  poisoning,  312 

—  cold,  194 

—  constipation,  154 

—  cordial  drench,  40 
-—  cough,  195 

—  counter-irritant,  313 

—  cow-pox,  167 

—  cud  balls,  313 

—  diarrhoea,  40,  159 

—  draughts,  use  and  preparation 

of,  3 

—  drenches,  38,  40 

—  dr)ing  off,  1S2 

—  epizootic  aphthre,  185 

—  eye  diseases,  259 

—  fardel-bound,  154 

—  fellow-chine,  316 

—  fever,    (milk)   169,   (parturi- 
ent) 174 

—  food,  310 

—  foot  and  mouth  disease,  185 

—  fouls,  lotion  for,  320 

—  garget,  179  ;  oils,  317  ;  oint- 
ment, 317 

—  gripe  drench,  318 

—  hoose  (see  Calves) 


INDEX 


339 


Cattle,  hoven    or     tympanites, 
162,  318 

—  intestinal  tubercle,  197 

—  jaundice,  161 

—  joint  ill,  1S3 

—  kidneys,  inflammation,  194 

—  lice,  52,  191 

—  lumbago,  316 

—  mammitis,  179 

—  milk,    (blue)     197,    (bloody) 
197 

fever,        169;       powder, 

320 
suppression  of,  167,  198 

—  murrain,  184 

• —  parturient  fever,  174 

—  piles,  315 

—  placenta,  retention  of,  177 

—  pleuro-pneumonia,  188 

—  pulse,  6 

—  purgatives,  321 

—  red-water,  150 

—  rheumatism,  183 

—  ringworm,  53,  193 

—  scours  or  scouring  {see  Calves) 

—  spice,  310 

—  stoppage,  154 

—  tapeworm,  198 

—  temperature,  5 

—  thrush  {see  Calves) 

—  tonics,  26,  39 

—  tuberculosis,  195 

—  tympanites  or  hoven,  162 

—  udder,  inflammation  of,  179 

—  ulcers  {see  Wounds,  &c. ) 

—  warbles,  55,  323 

—  warts,  321 

—  wounds,  oil  for,  37 

—  yellows,  161 
Charges,  38 

Cheshire  red  bottle,  311 
Chlorodyne  (veterinary),  311 
Chloroform,   administration   of, 

10 
Cleansing  drinks,  179 
Colchicum  poisoning,  312 
Colic  {see  Gripe) 
Condition  powders,  22 
Contagious  Diseases  (Animals) 

Acts,  332 


Cough  balls,   powders,   &c.  {see 

animal) 
Counter-irritant,  313 


Demedox  foHiculorum,  50 
Devonshire  oils,  313 
Diapente,  314 
Diuretics,  24 

Dogs,  abscesses  and  ulcers  {see 
Wounds,  &c.) 

—  administration  of  medicine, 
&c. ,  4,  228 

—  alterative,  41 

—  astringent,  42 

—  bleeding,  10 

—  canker,  251 

—  cataract  {see  Eye) 

—  chloroform,  administration 
of,  II 

—  chorea,  236 

—  constipation,  242 

—  cough,  42,  313 

—  deafness,  253 

—  dentistry,  256 

—  distemper,  41,  229,  314 

—  eclampsia,  242 

—  eczema,  239 

—  eye  diseases,  260 

—  fits,  250 

—  gastritis,  246 

—  holding,  227 

—  hot  feet,  254 

—  influenza,  247 

—  jaundice,  244 

—  killing,  13 

—  lungs,  inflammation,  254 

—  mange,  237 

—  pills,  alterative,  41  ;  as- 
tringent, 42 ;  cough,  42  ; 
purgative,  42  ;  tonic,  42  ; 
worm,  42 

—  pneumonia,  254 
■ —  rabies,  254 

—  rheumatism,  245 

—  sickness,  226 

—  tears,  overflow  {see  Eye) 

—  teeth  extraction,  256 

—  temperature,  5,  227 

—  thermometer,  use  of,  227 


340 


VETERINARY  COUNTER  PRACTICE 


DOG 

Dogs,  tonic,  42 

—  wash  for,  314 

—  worms,  248 

—  wounds      and      sores       {see 
Wounds,  &c.) 

Dose  table,  302 
Drenching,  157 
Driffield  oils,  315 


Elliman's  horse-balls,  18 
Eye  diseases,  259 

—  cataract,  264 

—  eyeball,  dislocation,  265 

—  eyelid,  torn,  262 

—  grape  or  staphyloma,  263 

—  humours  of,  diseases,  264 

—  inflammation,  259 

—  tears,  overflow  of,  265 

—  water  for  horses,  316 


Fellow-chine,  316 
Fleming's     tinct.     of    aconite, 

316 
Fly  and  maggot  oils,  316 
—  powder,  317 
Foot    and    Mouth   disease   {see 

Cattle) 
Foot-rot  applications,  317 
I""ormulre,  miscellaneous,  308 
Fowls  {see  Poultry) 


("lADKLY,    113 

Gapes,  300,  317 
Geese,  297 

Gripe  medicines,  33,    163,   318 
{see  under  various  animals) 


Hf.alino  lotion,  318 
Heaves  remedy,  318 
Hoof  ointments,  43 
Horse,    abscesses     and     ulcers 
{see  Wounds) 

—  acne,  109 

—  administration  of  medicine,  I 

—  age  and  the  teeth,  147 

—  alteratives,  23 


Horse,  appetising  powder  for, 

308 
- —  balls,  2,  31S  ;  (condition)  19, 

321 

—  bladder,  inflammation  of,  ic6 

—  bleeding,  8 

—  blisters,  37,  308,  300 

—  bog-spavin  {sec  Spavin) 

—  bots,  113 

—  bran  mash,  309 

—  broken  knees,  36,  315,  320 

—  broken  wind,  91 

—  bronchitis,  83,  309 

—  canker,  135 

—  capped  hock,  143 

—  catarrh,  'j'j 

—  charges,  38 

—  chloroform,  administration, 
II 

—  cold,  77 

—  colic,  59,  65,  3x2 

—  condition  powders,  22,  312 

—  condition,  show,  20 

—  constipation,  69 

—  cordial  balls,  25 
- —  corns,  126 

—  cough,  79,  (balls)  31,  313, 
(electuary)  33,  (draughts)  313, 
(powders)  313,  (tonic)  26, 
(treatment  for),  31 

—  cracked  heels,  43,  125 

—  curb,  136,  314 

—  cystitis,  106 

—  dentition,  147 

—  diabetes  insipidus,  118 

—  diapente,  314 

—  diarrhcea,  40,  70 

—  draughts,  use  of,  I 

—  eczema,  107 

—  emetic,  non-use  of,  2 

—  enteritis,  76 

—  eye  disease  {see  Eye) 

—  eye  water,  316 

- —  false  quarter,  133 

—  farcy,  115 

—  fever,  97,  (balls)  26,  316, 
(draught)  316  {sec  Laminitis 
and  Mud-fever) 

—  fistula,  277 

—  flies  on,  46 


INDEX 


341 


Horse  founder,  142 

—  galls,  saddle  and  harness,  36, 
278 

—  gastritis,  76 

—  glanders,  114 

—  grease,  ointment  for,  317 

—  gripes,  33 

—  harness  galls,  36 

—  heels,  stopping  for,  324 
cracked,  43,  125 

—  hoof,  ointment,  43 

—  impaction    of     the    bowels, 
70 

—  influenza,  89,  319 

—  jaundice,  74 

—  knees,  36,  315,  320 

—  lameness  in,  119  ;  liniments, 

3^9  .  .  . 

—  laminitis,  142 

—  legs,  swollen,  31 

—  liniments,  35 

—  liver,  inflammation  of,  72 

—  lungs,  congestion  {see  Pneu- 
monia) 

■ —  mallenders,  107 

—  mange,  48 

—  megrims,  104 

—  mud-fever,  99 

—  navicular  disease,  135 

—  nettle  rash,  1 10 

—  physic     mass,     preparation, 
&c. ,  16,  324 

—  pink  eye,  89,  319 

—  pityriasis,  108 

—  pleurisy,  86 

—  pneumonia,  84-95 

—  poisons,  administration,  337 

—  poll-evil,  277 

—  polyuria,  1 18 

—  prurigo  or  pruritus,  108 

—  purgative  powders,  321 

—  quittor,  274 

—  rheumatism,  141 

—  ring-bones,  128 

—  ringworm,  53 

—  roaring  and  whistling,  93 

—  saddle  galls,  36,  278 

—  sale  of,  334 

—  sallenders,  107 

—  sandcracks,  134 


Horse,  seedy-toe,  135 
■ —  shivering,  104 

—  show  condition,  20 

—  side  bones,  131 

—  sitfasls,  279 

—  sore  shins,  143 

shoulders,  2S0 

throat,  105 

—  spavin,  132 

—  splints,  143 

—  sprains  and  bruises,  35,  137 

—  staggers,  105 

—  stomatitis,  75 

—  strangles,  loi 

—  surfeit,  iio 

—  tail,  itchy,  109 

—  teeth,  &c.,  147 

—  temperature,  5 

—  thoropin,  136 

—  throat  liniment,  322 

—  thrush,  138 

—  tice  or  entice,  318 
- —  tonics,  26,  315 

—  tread  or  over-reach,  133 

—  ulcers,  272 

—  warbles,  55,  323 
■ —  warts,  44 

—  water  farcy,  115 

—  whistling,  93 

—  white-bottle,  35 

—  white  oils,  35 

—  wind -galls,  140 

—  worms,  52,  III,  323 

—  wounds,  37 

Huish's  milk-syphon,  179 


Lambing  {see  Sheep) 

Leeming's  Essence,  319 

Leg,  black,  53 

Legs,  swollen,  31 

Lice  {see  Cattle,  Sheep,  «S:c. ) 

—  oils,  52 

Liniment,  whitestimulating,  322 

Lotion,  sedative,  54 


Maggot  oils,  316 
Mallein,  1 15 
Malt  mash,  320 


342 


VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 


Mange,  48,  320 

Mashes,  bran,  309  ;  malt,  320 

Methylated  preparations,  336 

Milk  substitute  (calves),  310 

—  syphon,  179 

Mtthridate,  320 

Mud-fever  i^see  under  animal) 

Newmarket  Physic  Paste,  324 


Oatmeal  gruel,  320 
Oil,  Canadian,  310 

—  castration,  310 
Oils,  Devonshire,  314 

—  Driffield,  315 

—  fly  and  maggot,  316 

—  white,  35,  317 
Ointment,  blistering,  30S 

—  for  grease  in  horses,  320 

—  green,  317 

—  horses'  knees,  320 

—  for  sores,  chafes,  320 

—  for  warts,  321 
Oxen  {see  Cattle) 

Pheasants,  cold  and  roup,  300 

—  gapes,  300,  317 

—  scrofulous  diseases,  301 
Pigeons,  canker,  298 

—  diarrhoea,  298 

—  moulting,  298 

—  parasites,  &c. ,  298 

—  pouters,  29S 

—  roup,  298 

—  scouring,  298 

—  scrofula,  298 

—  sore  eyes,  298 

—  spice  bails  for,  300 

—  swelling  of  the  crop,  297 

—  tonic  pills  for,  322 

—  vertigo,  298 

—  wasting,  298 

Pigs,  abscesses  {sec  Wounds,  &c. ) 

—  administration   of  medicine, 
&c.,3 

—  antiirax,  222 

—  blaine  or  stye,  224 

—  bleeding,  10 


Pigs,  bruises,  sores,  224 

—  catarrh,  nasal,  224 

—  cod-liver   oil    for    fattening, 
225 

—  colic,  222 

—  cough,  220 

—  cramp,  322 

—  diarrhoea,  220,  322 

—  evil,  217 

—  eye  diseases,  222 

—  fattening,  225 

—  fever,         parturient,        216, 
(swine)  216 

—  gripes  or  colic,  222 

—  joint-ill,  217 

—  loss  of  tail,  220 

—  lung,  inflammation,  220 

—  maggots  in  the  ear,  222 

—  nasal  catarrh,  224 

—  parturient  fever,  216 

—  powders,  321 

—  protruded  rectum,  217 

—  quinsy  or  strangles,  222 

—  rheumatism,  217 

—  scours,  220 

—  sniffles  or  snufiles,  224 

—  sprains,    sores,  and    bruises, 
224 

—  strangles  or  quinsy,  222 

—  stye  or  blaine,  224 

—  swine  fever,  216 

—  tail,  loss  of,  220 

—  ulcers  {see  Wounds,  &c.) 

—  worms,  224 

—  wounds,  <.Vc.  {see  Wounds) 
Pills  {see  various  animals) 
Posological  table,  302 
Poultry  {sec  names  of  birds) 

—  abortion,  286 

—  apoplexy,  28 

—  baldness  and  whitecomb,  2S7 

—  black  rot,  287 

—  bronchitis,  287 

—  bumble  foot,  287 

—  canker,  288 

—  catarrh,  2S8 

—  cholera,  2S8 

—  cramp,  2S9 
^|crop-bound,  289 

—  crop  soft  or  swelled,  289 


INDEX 


343 


Poultr)',  croup,  2S9 

—  debility,  290 

—  diarrhoea,  290 

—  Douglass  mixture,  290 

—  dysentery,  290 

- — ■  egg-bound,  290 

—  elephantiasis,  290 

—  feather  eating,  291 

—  gapes,  291 

—  giddiness,  292 

—  indigestion,  292 

—  leg  weakness,  292 

—  lice,  296,  297 

—  liver  disease,  292 

—  loss  of  feathers,  292 

—  moulting,  mixture  for,  290 

—  paralysis,  293 

—  parasites,  293 

—  pip,  293,  296,  297 

- —  rheumatism  in,  293 

—  roup,  293,  322 

—  soft  eggs,  294 

—  thrush,  294 

—  tuberculous  diseases,  295 

—  vertigo,  295 

—  worms,  296 

Pulse,   how    to   take,    varying 
conditions,  &c.,  6 

QUITTOR,  274 


Restitution  fluid,  319 
Ringworm  ointment,  54 
Rowels,  7 


Setons   and    rowels,    use    of, 

7 
Sheep,  abscesses  and  ulcers  {see 
Wounds,  &c. ) 

—  administration  of  medicine,  3 

—  anremia,  199 

—  anthrax,  200 

—  antiseptic  lotion,  315 

—  bleeding,  1 1 

—  blood  diseases,  199 

—  bots,  200 

—  consumption,  212 


Sheep,  cough,  212,  322 

—  diarrhoea,  213 

—  dips,  formula,   &c.,  56,  206 
-  fever,  322 

—  flukes,  210 

—  fly,  20S,  316 

—  foot-rot,  48,  214 

—  garget,  212 

—  giJ,  213 

—  giddiness,  212 

—  grub  in  the  head,  200 

—  hoven,  213 

—  husk,  201 

—  lambing,   202,   (drench)  319, 
(oils),  319 

—  lice,  204 

—  parasites,  204,  208 

—  poke  or  chocker,  199 

—  pox,  211 

—  red  water,  213 

—  ringworm,  53 

—  rot,  flukes,  189 

—  scab,  203 

—  soothing  mixture,  315 

—  stimulating  mixture,  315 

—  sturdy,  213 

—  thrush,  202 

—  ticks,  204 

—  turnsick,  213 

—  udder  (swollen),  212 

—  worm  oil,  323 

—  wounds  {see  Wounds) 
Sprains  and  bruises,  35,  137 
Spring  medicines,  51 

Temperature,   how  to  take, 

range  of,  &c.,  5 
Tinct.  opii  aquosa,  322 
Tuberculosis,  195,  212 
Turkeys,  295 
Tuson's     horse-balls,     formula, 

17 

UlXERS,  272 

Veterinary    Chemist,     title, 

331 

—  curriculum,  335 


344 


VETERINARY  COUNTER   PRACTICE 


VET 


Veterinary  Surgeons  Act  (44  & 
45  Vict.  c.  62),  325 

Warbles,  55,  323 
Warts,  ointment  for,  321 

—  treatment  of,  45 
White  flaw,  53 

Worm    balls,    &c.,      52,     "i. 

323 
Wounds,  sores,  &c.,  267 

—  abscesses,  271 

—  balsam  for,  324 

—  collar  galls,  278 

—  dusting  powder,  324 

—  fistula,  277 

—  fractures,  28 


Wounds,     galls,     saddle,     and 

harness,  36,  278 
grease  in  horses,  282 

—  incised  wounds,  268 

—  lacerations,  269 

—  open  joints,  281 

—  poll-evil,  277 

—  quittor,  274 

—  sinus     ulcers,      or     fislulse, 
274 

—  sitfasts,  279 

—  sore  shoulders,  280 

—  stone,  324 

—  ulcers,  272 

woundstone  for,  324 


rniNTEO  nv 

SrOTTISWOODE    AND    CO..     NEW-STRI-ET    SQUARB 
LONDON 


/^^niversity  of  British  Columbia  Library 

M*0k%  DATE  DUE 


DEC  1 

^     .  -  .    V 

\^ 

f     ^co 

w-"^' 

^iZ  ».  -J- 

FORM  No.  310