Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-07
(Q(ortcstcr Qallp Spp.


HE CATTLE DISEASE TREATMENT.-The
following letter, from well known gentleman.
who has had much to do with cattle. will he
found interesting and instructive to those who
may have diseased cattle. The treatment
recommended IS good one in any case, for a
disease OF the lungs, and if it does no good, it
can ue no harm The immediate separation
of suspected animal from all contact with
other animals should not be overlooked
toEDHAM, Winchester Co., n. Y. June a. 1860
10 e Eduoro Of tie american AglicldtuiSt =
AT your request give briefly my experience
with the Ptemo' Pneumonia or cattle disease"
'urng many years past | have from time to
ielme had animals affected with disease very
similar IN every respect to that now attracting
SO much attention in Massachusetts and else
where l think the disease has been more or
less prevalent in various parts OF the country
Tor the last fifteen years past-its virulence de-
pending upon local causes, weather, etc.-and
now that the public attention is attracted to the
subject, we shall doubtless hear of it from all
sections, probably in every one of the older
States. Formerly it was confined somewhat
to dairy herds, and it being to the interest of
the miltmen to keep the matter quiet little
was said upon the subject in the public prints
You have doubtless received many individual
letters, describing single animals affected and
asking prescriptions. I'VE have. Ed The
disease appears to be among cattle, what con.
sumption is among men-SmiIar in character
and effects, but less general, and more easily
overcome.
In former years the animals in my own herd
and IN the herds Of my neighbors, rarely re-
covered after the disease became seated upon
them Our treatment then was bleeding and
physlckmg.2 But during the past Winter, Il few
cases OF the disease appearing, we adopted a
different mode of treatment, and though the
animals were as badly attacked as in former
years, We have succeeded in restoring every
one TO perfect health.
Our treatment is this As soon as an an
imal appears diseased, we scperate it from
other animals, and place it where it will have
plenty OF ar, but be sheltered from cold storms
and from hot sun-in short give it plenty of
pure air, and cool but uniform Temperature
No medicine is given internally, except first
rate diet IN small quantity. Ground oats, with
tritle OF good hay or pasture we have found
best. The animal will seldom eat but a small
quantity OF oat meal, and this being nourish-
ing, and not hard OF digestion, gives good
heart, and consequently more ability to resist
and throw off disease.
Externally we get up Contamination over
the region Of the lungs. TO do this, we apply
the common "blister salve," or Spanish flies
1t Is made as strong as possible by the usual
methods of the druggists. The hair is shaved
OIL for about the size of the whole hand on
both sides Of the animal, just back Of the fore
legs-not too high up the sides The blister
salve is then strongly rubbed into the skin
upon the shaven spot. The sores are allowed
to run for day or two, and then dressed with
sweet oil or lard With us, one blistering has
answered in every case, but should an animal
be very bad, l would recommend second
bllstering, if necessary, after the first has COM
menced to heal.
In regard to the disease being contagious,
my opinion is that where animals come direct
~ III contact, as when they stand side by side
in stalls, or come together in yards Or pastures,
the fetid breath from one animal may be in.
hailed by another, and become the seed of dis
ease, if the health and vigor of the animal be
not sufficient to resist and throw off its eff
fects. CHAs. w. BATHGArE.