diseases of the digestive organs.

DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 39each dose ten drops of tincture of aconite should be combined. Thefood should be soft and easily digested, such as small quantities ofbran mash and oatmeal gruel. It is also advisable as early as thesecond day of tne animal's sickness to give small quantities of hay orgrass, so as to encourage the animal to ruminate, which it will not do ifkept entirely on very soft and liquid food. Care must be exercised notto give too much of such food as grass and hay, but to gradually increasethe proportion of such diet as the animal's digestive organs seemto be returning to their natural function. Purgative medicine must beadministered only when absolutely necessary, as a restoration of thedigestive organs to their natural functions is desired, rather than toproduce purgation.DISEASES OF THE BOWELS.DIARRHEA.Diarrhea results either from increased action of the muscular coatthe intestines, an unusually liquid state of their contents, or, generally,from both of those conditions combined.Causes.—The exciting causes of diarrhea may be thus arranged: Irritationof the intestines by food taken in excess, or of improper quality,and this especially applies to soft, watery, green food; excessive secretions,especially bile; impure water and water drunk in excess; mechanicalcongestion of the intestinal vessels; acute or chronic inflammationof the bowels. It may be a symptom of other diseases which dependon the presence of an animal poison in the blood, as may be observedin Texas fever and contagious pleuropneumonia. Causes of a moregeneral character, viz., exposure to changes of temperature, eitherexcessive cold or heat may produce it.Symptoms.—The animal is dull, places its feet well under the body,arches its back, and shows thirst. Passages from the bowels are frequent,at firstconsisting of thin dung, but as the disease continues theybecome watery and offensive smelling, and may even be streaked withblood. Frequently this malady is accompanied by fever, great depression,loss of strength, rapid loss of flesh,and it may terminate in death.Treatment.—When the disease depends on irritating properties of thefood which has been supplied to the animal it is advisable to give a mildpurgative, such as a pint of castor or linseed oil. When the secretionsof the bowels are irritating an ounce of carbonate of magnesia and halfan ounce of tincture of opium should be shaken up in a quart of linseedtea and given to the animal three times a day until the passagespresent a natural appearance. When there is debility, want of appetite,no fever, but a continuance of the watery discharges from the bowels,then an astringent may be given. For such cases we have found thefollowing serviceable: Powdered galls, 6 ounces; powdered gentian, 2ounces. Mix and divide into twelve powders. One powder to be given