Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

460 CATTLE.
chest. Alone, or in combination with some greasy matter, it is used
to defend sore diseased feet from becoming wet or bruised.
Pitch is the principal ingredient in plasters.
Common Liquid Turpentine is useful as a digestive, or to produce
a healthy, appearance or action in wounds, and dispose them to heal.
For this purpose it is added to the linseed poultice or to the simple
ointment. Some practitioners administer it as a diuretic, and with
good effect.
Oil, or Spirit ot turpentine, is applied as an external irritant,
either alone, or in the form of a tincture of cantharides. It is administered
internally in colic; and some give it in red-water with a view
to cause the debilitated blood-vessels to contract, and thus arrest the
passive haemorrhage which they imagine is then taking place. From
the rapidity and great extent with, which it is taken up by the absorb-
ents, and carried into the circulation, and the destructive effect
which it is known to have on intestinal worms when otherwise
brought into contact with them, the trial-of its power would be justi-
fied in bronchitis, the too frequent and fatal concomitant of which isthe
presence of thousands of worms in the air-passages.
Resin is often used to give consistence- to plasters, where the
degree of irration which it might produce is not regarded, or would
be benejicial.
Vinegar.—This used to be considered almost a specific in disten-
sion of the rumen with gas, but on what principle it would be difficult
to explain. It has also been given with manifest impropriety in cases
of fever. On the thick skin of the ox it can have little preference to
hot water as a fomentation, and may with no great loss be erased
from the list of medicines.
Wax.—Its only use is to give consistence to ointments and plasters.
Zinc. Native Carbonate of Calamine.—This is the basis of an
ointment which, from its soothing, and, at the same time, drying
qualities, is termed, in various parts of this work, " the healing ointment."
It is useful in superficial wounds, and in deeper ones when
they have been brought to a healthy character.
White Vitriol;—This is a useful tonic application to the eyes,
when the inflammation has been subdued, and debility of the vessels
alone remains. It is particularly useful after inflammation of the haw
of the eye. Some administer' it in red-water, and others in dysentery
As a general caustic it is superseded by many
very improperly. ,
others. .