diseases of the digestive organs.

DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 37rupture of a part of the small intestine. In both of those cases thmals were compelled to trot forward and back, and it seems reasonableto infer that this treatment was the cause of their death.INDIGESTION IN CALVES—GASTRIC CATARRH—DIARRHEA—WHITESCOUR.Sucking calves are subject to a form of diarrhea to which the abovedesignations have been applied.Causes.—Calves which suck their dams are not frequently affectedwith this disease, though it may be occasioned by their sucking at longintervalsand thus overloading the stomach and bringing on indigestion.Calves which are separated from their dams and which receive considerablequantities of cold milk at long intervals are liable to contractthis form of indigestion. Calves fed on artificial food, which is sometimesused as a substitute for milk ; also frequently contract it.Symptoms.—The milk which passes into the fourth stomach becomescurdled and acts as an irritant on the surface of the stomach and bowels,so that a catarrhal condition of their mucous surface is set up. Thepassages have a thin, yellowish-white appearance and become very frequent.The calf becomes dull, whisks its tail as if in pain wheneverthere is a passage from the bowels, loses its appetite, becomes weak,and unless the disease is checked dies in a few days from exhaustion.Treatment.—The calf should have from 1 to 2 ounces of castor oiland a tablespoonful of laudanum. A mild dose of purgative medicineis given to remove the curdled milk from the stomach and bowels.The object of the subsequent treatment is to allay the irritation of thestomach and bowels and to restore the digestive functions. We recommendthe following to be compounded and divided into twelve powders:Powdered rhubarb, 1£ ounces; carbonate of magnesia, 3 ounces.One of these powders should be given four times a day; each powderto be shaken up with two wineglassfuls of new milk, to which two teaspoonfulsof whisky should be added. A little fresh milk should begiven fiveor six times a day, or the calf allowed to suck about six timesa day, but the quantity should be limited. In applying treatment themother should always be examined as to the condition of her health,diet, etc., as the disorder may sometimes be traced to some disease ormismanagement affecting the mother.GASTROENTERITIS.This consists of an inflammation of the mucous surface of the fourstomach and of the bowel. The inflammation is seldom limited to themucous surface of the fourth stomach, but almost always involves themucous surface of the bowel to a greater or less extent.Causes.—Long intervals between times of feeding; sudden checkingof perspiration; putting working oxen to severe work immediately