Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

344 CATTLE.
once an astringent and an anodyne—an astringent, because it is an
anodyne—and he«determines to give it in doses of half a drachm,
and in the best form in which it can be administered) namely, in that
of powder, mixed with thick gruel. He likewise adds it to the gruel
of the injection, either under the form of powder, or he boils a few
poppy-heads in water, and then causes
the decoction.
the gruel to be made with
Here all practitioners seem to agree. Whether they prepare the
way for the opium by the administration of an aperient, or whether,
deceived by the state of purging, they give it at once, they are all
anxious to try the power of this drug ; but too many of them, either
forgetting or not knowing the nature of the disease, add medicines of
an opposite character, and that cannot fail of being injurious. They
administer astringents and tonics, which are useful and indispensable
in a later stage of the treatment, but, while the inflammation remains
unsubdued, are only adding fuel to fire. There are too many
practitioners who scruple not to give alum and sulphate of zinc as
soon as they are called in to such a case, and before the lining
membrane of the intestines is prepared for their action. These drugs
are acrid—they are caustic as well as astringent—they are astringent
because they are caustic, and they too frequently set up another
and destructive inflammation.
It is usual, however, to add something to the opium, in order to
increase or to regulate, or to modify its power ; and that which is
without comparison the most serviceable is one of the mild prepara-
tions of mercury, viz., calomel, or the blue pill,- or mercury triturated
with chalk. Mere theory might induce the fear that mercury would
add to the irritation already too unmanageable, and' so it would, if
given alone ; but, combined with and guarded by 'the opium, it has
the most beneficial effect : the opium does not produce costiveness
the calomel does not gripe and purge, but irritation is allayed, while
the natural action of the bowels is promoted.
In order that this mode of treatment may have a fair chance, the
beast should be housed and fed on bran-mashes, a little hay, and
plenty of well boiled gruel. While the patient continues at grass,
the practitioner has no chance, however skillful in other respects his
treatment may be. So much depends on the avoidance of all green
and succulent food, that many a beast, from whom every symptom of
dysentery had disappeared, has relapsed, and been lost, from having
been- turned out too soon. The green food of one day has produced
irreparable mischief.
There are other auxiliary measures which- deserve consideration.
Setons in the dewlap have been strongly recommended. They may
be useful when much fever accompanies the early stage of dysentery,
for they will, in some measure, divert the current of blood from the
inflamed and irritated part, and thus lessen the local inflammation
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