Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

GARGET, OR SORE BAG. 409
character : it attacks the internal substance of the udder—one of the
teats or the quarters becomes enlarged, hot, and tender—it soon
begins to feel hard, it is knotty ; it contains within it little distinct
hardened tumors or kernels. In a short space of time, other teats
or other quarters probably assume the same character. The milk
has coagulated in the bag to a certain degree, and it has caused local
inflammation where it lodges. This occurs particularly in young
cows, after their first calving, and when they are in a somewhat too
high condition, and it is usually attended by a greater or less degree
of fever.
The most effectual remedy for this; in the early stage of the complaint,
is a very simple one ; the calf should be put to the mother,
and it should suck and knock about the udder at its pleasure. In
most cases this will relieve her from the too great flow of milk, and
disperse all the lumps.
If the inflammation continues or increases, or the bag should be
so tender that the mother will not permit the calf to suck ; and
especially should the fever evidently increase, and the cow refuse to
eat, or cease to ruminate, and the milk become discolored, and mixed
with matter or with blood, the case must be taken seriously in hand.
The cow should be bled ; a dose of physic administered ; the udder
well fomented ; the milk drawn gently but completely off, at least
twice in the day, and an ointment, composed of the following ingre-
dients, as thoroughly rubbed into the bag as the cow will permit.
(R\>b down an ounce of camphor, having poured a tea-spoonful of
spirit of wine upon it ; add an ounce of mercurial ointment, and half
a pound of elder ointment, and well incorporate them together.) Let
this be applied after every milking, the udder being well fomented
with warm water, and the remains of the ointment washed off before
the next milking.
If the disease does not speedily yield to this treatment, recourse
must be had to iodine, which often has admirable effects in diminishing
glandular enlargements.
The only objection to iodine, and which
renders it advisable to give the camphoretted mercurial ointment a
short trial, is that while, by its power of exciting the absorbents of
the glands generally to action, it causes the dispersion of unnatural
enlargements, it occasionally acts upon and a little diminishes the
gland itself. This, however, rarely happens to any considerable
degree, and will not form a serious objection to its use when other
means have failed. It should be applied externally, in the form of an
ointment, (one part of the hydriodate of potash being saturated with
seven parts of lard,) one or two drachms of wjjjch should be rubbed
into the diseased portion of the udder, every morning and night. At
the same time the hydriodate may be given internally, in doses gradually
increased from six to twelve grains daily.
The udder should be frequently examined, for matter will soon be-
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