Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

GARGET, OS. "SORE BAG. 411
in the part. Connected with this last cause is the necessity of the
advice already given, to milk the cow as clean as possible, at least
twice in the day, during the existence and treatment of garget.
Homoeopathic treatment.— 1. Inflammatory tumefaction.—A little
time before and after calving, particularly in the first birth, often too
at other periods, there is observed on the udder a painful inflammatory
swelling : the organ is hard, tense, hot and red ; the entire, or
only a part, is affected with swelling. The animal has rather high
fever, a sharp thirst, the mouth is dry, and there is but little appetite
the secretion of milk is more or less diminished. This disease is
produced by different causes. The most common are contusion,
stings of insects, cold, the too prolonged retention of milk, &c. Some
say it has been occasioned by too little exercise. If it has been
caused by external injury, frequently moistening the part with arnica
water is sufficient to cure it ; a dose of it should also be taken internally
every day. Arsenicum should be employed only when the
disease has been leglected, or when there have supervened gangrenous
"inflammation or ill-conducted ulcerations with hard and
everted edges. After cold, the cure is readily obtained by aconitum
at first, then bryonia ; if the latter does not suffice, dulcamara.
Chamomilla also has frequently proved useful. Belladonna has
been found a specific in the treatment of erysipelatous inflammation.
However, others recommend arnica, camphora, phosphorus and silicea.
In the inflammation which comes on a little before or after calving,
belladonna and chamomilla are specifics ; chamomilla more especially
when nodosities are felt in the organ, without the external integuments
participating in it. If the inflammation passes into gangrene, or
produces malignant ulcers, arsenicum should be~ administered ; if,
gangrene having supervened, the skin readily becomes detached,
secale cornutum should be employed. Silicea also produces good
effects in obstinate ulcers ; asafoetida and mercurius vivus in treating
unhealthy suppuration. We may also in such a case recommend cabor
vegetabilis, calcarea carbonica, and Pulsatilla, the latter more especially
when fistulous sores begin to form.
The abnormal swelling of the udder, especially when caused by
cold or moisture, yields to lotions repeated several times a day with
camphoretted brandy.
2. Induration.—This proceeds from the same causes as inflammation,
and may also result from internal causes. It is or is not
accompanied with pains and suppression of milk : the latter often
assumes a bad color, or undergoes some other change, becomes granular
and puriform. If the indurations are painful and consist of
rounded tubercles, they are resolved in ten or twelve days, either by
bryonia (one dose morning and evening), or by chamomilla, chiefly
when the tumor yields a crackling noise on being touched. If |he
cause has been an external injury, we must have recourse to a few
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