Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-01-25
Charcoal a Good Farm Medicine.

Nearly all sick horses or cows are
made so in the first place by eating I'M
proper food or too much of it. AS soon
as the owner finds any OF his animals
sick, it is the common custom to begin
dosing with medicine. We mustn't
leave the animal 10 die; we must do
somethingm--and so all manner OF hurt
full drugs and poisons are thrust down
its throat-saltpeter, copperas, turpentine,
etc, quite sufficient to make any well an
imal sick, or to kill sick one. GU
don't give the poor thing enough-you
should have given it oftener-you can't
expect your beast to get well if you don't
do more for it. F."
Our rule has always been to give nothing
unless we knew exactly what to do; and
in the meantime attend to every exterior
comfort practicable. If the weather is
cold, place it in warm quarters, avoid all
exposure, and attend to pure air and strict
cleanliness. But there is one medicine
that can never do harm, and is commonly
beneficial. This is pulverized charcoal.
AS we have just remarked, nearly all SICK
horses become so by improper eating, in
the first place. Nine cases out OF ten the
digestion is wrong Charcoal is the most
efficient and rapid corrective. 1t will cure,
in majority of cases, if promptly adj
ministered An example of its use. The
hired man came in with the intelligence
that one of the finest cows was very sick,
and a kind neighhor proposed the usual
drugs and poisons. The owner being i'll,
and unable to examine the COW, con-
cluded that the trouble came from some
overeatng, and ordered a teacupful of
pulverized charcoal given in water. 1t
was mixed, placed in a junk bottle, the
head held upwards, and the water with
its charcoal poured downwards. In five
minutes improvement was visible, and in
few hours the animal was in the pasture
quietly eating grass. Another instance of
equal success occurred with a young heifer
which became badly bloated by eating
green apples after hard wind The bloat
was so severe that the sides were almost
as hard as barrel. The old remedy, sal
eratus, was tried for the purpose of cor
recting the acidity. But the attempts to
put it down always caused coughing and
it did little good. Half teaspoonful of
fresh powdered charcoal was next given.
In six hours all appearance of bloat had
gone and the heifer was well.
We disapprove of quackery, where,
ease, powerful remedies are given at ran
dom, and Unfortunately. We can only
compare such practice to that of the
teamster who as soon as he finds his
wagon broken, Immediately procures
quantity of nails, spikes, screws, etc, and
Immediately begins to drive them into all
parts of the vehicle at random, in the
hope of hitting the right place. The sci
cntific practitioner first asceltains what the
trouble is, and then goes at once to apply
the remedy to that particular point. The
objection of quackery cannot extend to
the use of charcoal, for it can do no HARM
never makes well animal sick, nor kills
sick one, and goes directly to the seat
of the trouble in most sick animals, and
if timely applied effects cure. What
are commonly termed colds" in domestic
animals nearly always originate in the
first place from deranged digestion, and
in connection with cleanliness, pure air
and warm quarters, charcoal will accom-
plish what is desired if used IN time. It
may be prepared on the spot by pounding
up fresh burned embers from wood fire,
in an iron kettle; this will make better
and fresher article than old charcoal
Country Gentleman.