Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

370 CATTLE.
comes exhausted, the commencement of purging will be the signal of
recovery.
It, nevertheless, too often happens, that the constipated state of
the . bowels cannot be overcome, but the animal becomes rapidly
weaker, while the blood assumes a darker; and sometimes a purple
or even a black color. The danger is now increased, and probably
death is not far distant. In many cases, however, the beast not being
too much exhausted, the dark and coffee-colored urine is a favorable
symptom, especially if it be discharged in evidently larger quan-
tities, and not so frequently.
The appearance of the darker fluid, and even the continuance of
the florid red urine, when the fever has subsided to a considerable
degree, will indicate a different mode of treatment. The haemorrhage
will have become passive. The blood will flow because the vessels
have lost their power of contracting on theircontents. It has then
been usual to give astringents ; but this is dangerous practice, for
the constipation, which is the worst symptom of the disease, and which
immediately preceded the red-water, and was, probably, the exciting
cause of it, may be confirmed or recalled. Stimulants, and those
which act upon the kidney, will be most likely to have beneficial
effect. The common turpentine, the balsam of copaiba, or even
spirits of turpentine, especially if it be guarded by the addition of a
few drachms of laudanum, may be given with advantage. The
weakened vessels of the kidney may occasionally be roused to close
on their contents, and the haemorrhage may be arrested.
Chronic red-water is more prevalent than that which is acute, and,
in its first stage, is far more a disease of the digestive organs, and
especially of the liver, than of the kidney. The urine is observed to
be of a brown color, or brown tinged with yellow—the beast feeds
nearly as well as before, bjit ruminates rather more lazily. In a few
days a natural diarrhoea comes on, and the animal is well at once
or a purgative drink is administered, and a cure is presently effected.
This occurs frequently in cows of weak constitution^ and in calves.
At other times there is manifest indisposition ; the animal is dull,
heavy, languid—the ears droop—the back is bowed—she separates
from the herd—she refuses her food—she ceases to ruminate.
Presently she gets better—she rejoins her companions ; but this is
only for a little while. The urine, which at first was brown, with a
tinge of yellow, has now red mingling with the brown, or it is of the
color of porter. It is increased in quantity—it is discharged some-
times with ease, at other times with considerable straining— in little
jets, and with additional bowing of the ..back. The milk diminishes
—it acquires a slight tinge of yellow or brown—the taste becomes
unpleasant—it spoils all that it is mingled with. The pulse is accelerated—it
reaches to 60 or 10. If blood be drawn, the serum
which separates from it is brown. The skin is yellow, but of a
;