The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-04-01
Treatment Of Sick Animals.

Treatment Of Sick Animals.
Mr.. T. s. Gold, Secretary of the Con-
necticut State Board of Agriculture, is
not only q man of letters, but one of the
largest farmers in the State, keeping a
hundred or more head of cattle and
other animals upon his 400 acre home
farm. The diseases of animals have
been among his special studies, and
whatever statements he may make can
be considered very reliable. At re-
cent meeting of the New Haven Farm
ers' Club MI. Gold gave the following
short talk upon some of the more COM
mon diseases of our domesticated ami
mails: II propose to give simple talk
on the common diseases of domestic
cattle, explaining their nature and the
treatment of them. One of the most
common and easily remedied ills of
horses is scratches, sometimes called
sore heels. 1t is disgrace to any man
to allow his horses to suffer from these
diseases any length of time. 1t is
caused from cold draughts in stables
and from filthy stables, rather than
from insufficient or improper food. It
is shown in q sore under the fetlOck
Joint of the horse. The cure is cleanli-
ness and in changing an unhealthy sore
into healthy one by rubbing on with
wooden cloth ordinary white lead dis
solved in water. Collie in horses is
caused by feeding or watering them too
soon after they have been hard worked.
Sometimes it is caused by feeding fresh
cut hay, but not always. have seen
horses suffering from collie in some parts
of the State when it was attributed to
hay which had not been perfectly cured
in the NOW. Corn not perfectly
ripened is often the cause Of
collie. The remedy is a plug of moist
ened tobacco used in preference to an
injection. An injection may be used in
case the tobacco process is not success
full. I prefer these methods to the
drenchings given by horse doctors,
which sometimes, as I believe, cause
death. Farmers horses are more liza
BILE to the heaves than any others, be-
cause they are worked hard after hearty
eating and drinking. For this reason
we have very few perfectly sound
horses which have reached maturity.
In the South, where there is different
heard of. Judging from this experience,
l would recommend little or no hay,
and in its place corn fodder. I believe
in feeding horses moderately. Ibelieve
that scratches, collie and heaves are
wholly within our control. I will say
few words on cattle. Milk fever oc-
ours at the time of calving, and has be-
come more prevalent of recent years.
1t occurs in animals which are in full
and healthy condition. Cows which
come in in August or September, after
giving fine supply of milk for a day or
two, stop giving milk. The cow is
down, with eyes, preternaturally bright,
sometimes quiet and sometimes moan
ing. Some claim that milk fever can
not be cured. Il believe it can. would
give two pounds of epson salts, and
repeat the operation in six hours if the
second dose was necessary. IwOuld
even give third dose. 1would give
an injection if the salts proved inef-
fectual, followed by dose of from one
half pint to pint of cider brandy. A
case of my own was treated in this
way, and successfully. I have lost
very few cows, but several of my neigh
bors have lost many. One COW
treated first Thursday was we'll
on Sunday. Some have said
that the physic operated because
the COW got well, but did not cure her.
believe the treatment saved her life.
Every farmer should have a dose of
the salts on hand, for the delay occa-
stoned by sending three or four miles
to drug store may be fatal one.
believe in sailing and small addition
of saltpeter as preventive of milk fe-
yer and murrain or black leg. Surfeit
is another thing which throws cattle
off their feet. Great care should be ex-
ercised in feeding cattle when COM
mencing to feed again. The amount
can he increased gradually, but when I
commence to feed l commence with as
little as a quart at time. Pleuro-
pneumonia is something which we are
not liable to have to deal with, but we
should be informed concerning it. It
shows itself by short breathing, dry
nose, high fever and the peculiar posi-
ton of the animal, with shoulders
thrown out and weak hind legs. There
is a peculiar cough which may be
brought on at any time by irritating the
throat with the hand when the animal
has this disease. 1t is difficult to dis
tinguish this disease from consumption
in single case, but when all these
symptoms show themselves in herd
you may be pretty sure that it is con-
tagious pleurO-pneumonia. The best
thing to be done in case of this kind is
to slaughter the whole herd" -NeO
E,aqlund Farmer.