The Portland daily press., 1878-04-29
AGRICULTURAL.
Water Remedies.

ers, has been too little discussed and encour-
aged. 1t has not received the careful atten-
ton even OF veterinary practitioners that it
deserves, and therefore, was pleased to see
the good word of encouragement given 1t by
DR.. ID. E. Salmon, on page 1872, last vol. His
directions for its use are simple and easily ap-
piled. Ihave used water remedies for both
horses and cattle during 25 years, and found
them quite sufficient when applied in season,
for all the ills my animals have had. To me
they seem most admirably adapted to the pur-
pose. Water is the most universally cooling
agent in nature, is always at hand, and easily
applied. Everything in nature seeks eouilib.
rum. Apply cold to the surface of the skin,
and the hot blood rushes there to resist it,
and to equalize the heat. The tendency to
congestion in the internal organs in levers, is
relieved by an application OF cold to the sur
face. Water not only cools the skin, but
opens the pores and promotes the excretions.
In the way of illustrating some of the points
made by DIR. Salmon, will give few cases
in my own home practice.
INFLAMMATION IN THE FOOT.
Some ten years ago, had very servicea.
BILE mare that became suddenly lame in the
right fore-foot, and being absent from home
at the time, it was neglected for several days.
The foot had swollen badly. A blacksmith
came and removed the shoe and found rus.
ty nail deep in her foot, and the loot in such
an infamed condition that he thought moth.
ing could prevent gangrene and loss of her
foot. But had shallow tub of water,
placed in her stall, and her foot put in it and
held there for short time. So much did the
water relieve her pain, that when the water
was changed, she, voluntarily, replaced her
foot in it. The Inflammation was soon re.
duced, and in three weeks the foot became
sound.
The same mare, while backing out of a tread
power, caught the shoe of her hind foot be-
tween the lags and doubled over her ankle so
as to sprain the pastern joint very seriously.
She could scarcely put her foot to the ground.
But not appearing to be cut of joint, had a
stream of water thrown upon it for about ten
minutes, then brisk rubbing another short
application of the douche, with renewed rub
bling, when heavy water bandage was placed
about the joint with dry one wrapped over
it. This water bandage was renewed several
times, and in two days she was ready for work
again.
APPLICATION FOR collie.
1t is important that we should understand
the cause of this ailment in horses, that its
treatment may be the easier understood.
Prof. Law, than whom there is no better
authority in this country, in his address be.
fore the N. Y. State Agricultural Society,
says: in the case of the horse, it is notorious
how many OF diseases are connected with er-
rors in diet. Collie, blind-staggers, founder,
excessive secretion of urine. and heaves, are
especially of this kind. Coles are mainly
from ever-feedng, irregularities in feeding and
watering, or from putting to work too soon af-
ter having swallowed meal" In farther ex-
PLANTATION Of how collie is produced from errors
in feeding, think the most fruitful cause is
In feeding concentrated food alone, such as
corn meal or other heavy meal without any
admixture of hay, straw, or other coarse feed
The meal goes into the stomach of the horse
in the solid condition of dough. The gastric
juice cannot penetrate and circulate through
this mass, and thus Indigestion, and collie, and
fever, and blind staggers. These risks are
avoided when the meal is ted with at least
twice its bulk of cut hay or straw, moistened
slightly before the meal is mixed with it. SO
that the particles of meal will adhere to the
hay, and both be eaten together. Now the
meal goes into the stomach separated by the
coarser particles of hay, and the gastric juice
can saturate every portion of the mass at
once. With this plan colts may be fed fine
meal with perfect safety. And when this
method has been strictly adhered to, have
never had a case of collie, although using many
horses for the last 25 years. Yet from. the care
lessness, if nothing worse, of my teamsters in
neglecting orders, have had several cases of
severe collie In my team horses.
Decentralization these cases of collie have
occurred, first give copious injections of SIM
pie warm, soft water. Any farmer can get a
syringe made by good timer. Have straight
tube, 21 inches in diameter, and Is inches
long, made with smooth, even seam on the
inside put nozzle on one end, tapering
down TO half-inch. with an oval point, hav.
ing quarter or five-sixteenth inch hole.
Make piston or plunger of Eastwood or pine,
about one-quarter of an inch smaller than the
barrel of the syringe; cut notch three
fourths of an inch wide near the end, and
wind yarn around this notch until it is large
enough't to fill the barrel snugly. 1t will then
be ready for use. This will hold little over
one quart, and will cost but a trifle. To pre-
vent the introduction of air in its use, after
filling the syringe with water, turn up the
nozzle, move up the piston slowly till the wa
ter runs over, excluding all air, and then in.
treduce it carefully. The liquefying, solvent
and soothing action of tepid water upon the
large intestines is very great. In many cases
this alone will produce relief.
The next important thing to do is an appli
cation of water to the abdomen or chest.
Place thick wooden blanket under the abdo-
men and chest, reaching to the forelegs, bring
it up over the back, and pour moderately
cool water between the blanket and skin, so
dS W wei tu6 WuOic SuTldCe. his Will pro-
duce evaporation over and cool the whole sur.
face, and cause relief from pain in few min
utes. In the summer the application may be
made with several thicknesses of cotton or
linen, to absorb and hold the water; but in
cold weather, it requires wooden covering in
a warm stable, to prevent too rapid evapora-
ton. This simple remedy have successfully
applied in many cases besides those occurring
on my own farm; and to try the instinct OF
the horse, have in several cases in warm
weather, while under an attack ofcolic, taken
him TO stream OF water several feet deep,
and he lies down at once and finds relief in
the bath. This application of water will op-
crate the same upon the human subject as
upon the horse. The pain in the most ex-
cruciating collie will yield to the sitz bath in
less than five minutes. The relief, however,
will be only temporary, requiring one or more
repetitions, but 1t very soon subdues the worst
COLLECTOR. Country Gentleman.