Every man his own cattle doctor: containing the causes, symptoms, and treatment of all the diseases incident to oxen, sheep, and swine; and a sketch of the anatomy and physiology of neat cattle

Front matter

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Preface

TO THE

SEVENTH ENGLISH EDITION

Since the publication of the last edition of this work, a kind of revolution has taken place in Cattle Medicine. Veterinary practitioners had been strangely forgetful of the proper extent of their professional duty, and the treatment of the diseases of caule had, with few exceptions, (but among which we may justly rank the original author of " Every Man his own Cattle Doctor,") remained in the hands of the uneducated and the ignorant. It has now, however, begun to be understood that all domesticated animals are the legitimate objects of the veterinarian's care ; and veterinary surgeons of no mean eminence do not think it a degradation to practise on the diseases of cattle, and sheep, and dogs, and swine. Public lectures on these subjects are at length delivered, in the University of London, and at Edinburgh, and a knowledge of this branch of veterinary medicine has wonderfully increased.

Lender such circumstances the proprietors of this work have endeavoured to discharge their duty to the public. A new edition being required, they have obtained the assistance of an eminent practitioner of both horse and cattle medicine, who, while he has retained all that was useful in the former edition (and there was a great deal that was truly valuable, and particularly with regard to the symptoms of diseases), has endeavoured to keep pace with the progress of the art. The book is in a manner re-written; and the additions on the diseases of swine, now for the first time thrown into a regular and scientific form, in the English language, will be found peculiarly valuable.

(ix)

PREFACE

TO THE

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION

" There are two great sources of the mortality of cattle and sheep, and the loss of agricultural property; and it is difficult to say which is the worst,— the ignorance and obstinacy of the servant and the cow-leech, or the ignorance and supineness of the owner." Youatt.

The beneficence of an all-wise Providence in so organizing man as to secure him dominion over animals of inferior physical construction, imposes on him the obligation to exercise that eminent advantage in a spirit of mercy, and in mitigation of the pains and disorders of the brute creation ; and both the obligation and the necessity to do so, are enhanced by the consideration,' that in being domesticated and made subservient to our uses, animals lose in a great measure that instinct which enables them to distinguish what is noxious from that which is wholesome, and become, as does the human race in the process of civilization, liable to numerous and complicated diseases to which they are comparatively strangers when roaming in the simple habits and unrestrained freedom of nature.

Assuredly, there is no great charity in the creed which would teach that of all the variety of God's creation that make up his animal kingdom, some of them displaying high culture and fine affections of mind and heart, he should care alone for the present and future happiness of man !

" Know Nature's children all divide her care ; The fur that warms a monarch warmed a bear ; While man exclaims, ' See all things for my use !' * See man for mine,' replies a pampered goose : And just as short of reason must he fall Who thinks all made for one, not one for all."

(xi)

Xll PREFACE.

To the sparseness of our agricultural population, we may probably attribute, in a great measure, the absence of a class of persons, well supported in Europe, who profess to treat scientifically, the diseases of domestic animals. There, the study of comparative anatomy has served to illustrate and improve the science of medicine. More especially was it subservient to that end in past ages of superstition, when the dissection of the human body was regarded as sacrilegious. The discovery, says Doctor Rush, of the salivary glands in an ox — of the fallopian tubes in an ewe — of the thoracic duct in a horse — of the lacteals in a kid — and of the pancreas in a turkey, led to the discovery of the same parts in the human body ; and it is well known that the circulation of the blood and of the peristaltic motion of the bowels, in man, were first suggested by experiments and observations on animals of the lower order. Their physical structure and complaints have, in fact, for years past, been the subject of regular lectures by the ablest Professors in the Universities of London and Edinburgh ; and hence it is, that there, improvements in the veterinary have kept pace with the progress of other useful arts, until it has reached, in practice, a high degree of certainty, and of honour as an intellectual profession. Under such auspices, and assurances of authority and excellence, has this ninth edition of " Clayter's every man his own Cattle Doctor" been published in England — compounded, not by ignorant cow-leeches, and made up of nostrums to be administered without judgment or discretion, but embodying the mature results of careful and scientific research.

In the hands of the American Editor, the work now presented has undergone no alteration of matter or arrangement. He has not presumed to disturb what he could not hope to amend ; but some additions have been made in the confident hope of rendering this edition more acceptable by making it more useful to the American reader. These additions will be found to consist of essays and illustrations intended to diffuse such information on

PREFACE. XU1

the general subject, as may well be coveted by every Gentleman Farmer, and to lead to important practical reforms. He has endeavoured particularly to impress his own persuasion, that a more general use of oxen in place of horses, would be highly expedient and economical, accompanying his reflections on this topic with ample instructions as to breeding, breaking, and gearing them.

« Deeming familiarity with the names of every part of the animal frame essential to an intelligent treatment of accidental injuries or disorders to which it is constantly exposed, anatomical delineations have, for that purpose, been introduced, which are not given in the English work. For the same purpose, and illustrated in like manner, certain instruments and contrivances there only referred to, as necessary in the administration of relief in certain dangerous cases of common occurrence, will be found in this American edition — viz : the stilet probang, for relieving cattle that are choked, and Read's Patent Veterinary Syringe or Stomach Pump, to be used for the extraction of gas, when cattle get hoven, as often happens, by over-feeding on green and wet clover, or other deleterious substances.

To the medical part of the work in the shape of notes, some recipes have been appended, consisting of elements more simple or more easily procured than those prescribed in the text ; but only such have been thus inserted as seemed to be either innocent in themselves, or recommended on alleged experience and respectable authority.

To say nothing of the duty which common humanity enjoins on every one, to be prepared with common medicines, and directions for the use of them, which may enable him to extend prompt relief to speechless suffering ; on the sordid score of selfinterest alone, the most calculating, it may be supposed, will not hesitate to provide himself with a book which in teaching him 2

XIV PREFACE.

to be his " own Cattle Doctor," may enable him to save the life even of the meanest animal on his estate. In a word, the want of some such work would be an obvious defect in every farmer's library, however small it may be, and this one is of the highest and most recent authority in a country where the subjects of which it treats have been most carefully investigated and are best understood. To have been revised and sanctioned by Mr. Youatt, as it is believed to have been, is of itself a sufficient title to public confidence.

J. S. S.

Washington, April, 1844.

Contents

Advertisement to the ninth English edition, - - - Page vii Preface to the seventh English edition, ------ ix

Preface to the first American edition, by J. S. Skinner, Esq. xi

CATTLE.

Chapter I. Inflammation, -----------40

II. Bleeding, its utility ■ — and in what cases neces-

cessary, 42

III. On Physic, 43

V. Cold— Cough— Hoose, 46

VI. Inflammation of the Lungs, ------ 50

VII. Rheumatism, or Joint Fellon, 51

VEIL Inflammation of the Liver, ------ 53

IX. The Yellows, or Jaundice, 55

X. Inflammation of the Brain, ------ 56

XI. Inflammation of the Bowels, with Costiveness, 59 XII. Diarrhoea, or Purging, --------61

XIII. Dysentery, Slimy Flux, or Scouring Rot, - 62

XIV. Red-water, 65

XV. Garget, or the Downfall in the Udder of Cows, 68

XVI. Treatment of the Cow, before and during

XVII. The Milk Fever, or the Drop, 76

XVIII. The Brain, &c, 80

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XVI CONTENTS.

XIX. The Blood, Blood-striking, Black-leg, Quarter

Evil, or Black-quarter, 82

XX. Murrain, or Pestilential Fever, 85

XXI. The Epedemic of 1840 and 1841, - - - - 91

XXII. Inflammation of the Bladder, 94

XXIII. Stone in the Urinary Passages, or Bladder, - 96

XXIV. Diseases of the Eye, 97

XXV. The Hoove, Hoven, or Blown, 101

XXVI. Choking, 108

XXVII. Locked Jaw, 110

XXVIII. Poisons, 112

XXIX. Wounds, 113

XXX. Strains and Bruises, 114

XXXI. Cancerous Ulcers, 121

XXXII. Angle'Berries, 122

XXXIII. The Foul in the Foot, 123

XXXIV. To Dry a Cow of her Milk, ------ 124

XXXV. The Mange, 125

XXXVI. To produce Bulling in the Cow, and Treatment of Bull-burnt, -------- 127

XXXVII. The Cow-pox, 128

XXXVIII. Clue-bound— Fardel-bound, 130

XXXIX. Rabies— Hydrophobia, 130

XL. The Diseases incident to Young Calves, - - 131 Postscript to the Diseases of Cattle, by J. S. Skinner, Esq. 138 Essay on the advantages of the Use of Oxen in the Husbandry of the United States, by J. S. Skinner, Esq., - 142

SHEEP.

Sheep Husbandry- — Diseases of Sheep, by J. S. Skinner, Esq., -------- 169

On the Diseases of Sheep, ------ 193

Sect. I. The Lambing Season, 194

II. The Diseases of Young Lambs, ----- 198

IE. Red-water, 202

CONTENTS. Xvii

IV. The Blood, 203

V. Sturdy, Giddiness, or Water in the Head, - - 204

VI. Inflammation of the Brain, 206

VII. Cold — Inflammation of the Lungs — Influenza, - 207

VIII. Blown, or Blast, 209

IX. The Yellows, or Jaundice, 210

X. The Rot, 211

XI. The Foot Rot, 218

XII. The Scab, 223

XIII. Lice, Ticks, and Flies, 228

XIV. Sore Heads, 232

XV. Diarrhoea, or Purging, --------- 233

XVI. Indigestion and Debility, -------- 234

XVII. Blindness, 235

XVIII. Fractures, Wounds and Bites, 237

XIX. General Cautions, ---------- 239

SWINE.

On the Diseases of Swine, --- 241

Apoplexy and Inflammation of the Brain, 242

Measles, 243

Mange, 244

Sore Ears, 244

Pigging, 244

Quinsy, 245

Inflammation of the Bowels, 246

2*

Introduction

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

OF

NEAT CATTLE.

The term Neat Cattle comprehends all the varieties of the Ox. This animal belongs to that numerous order termed Ruminants, from their singular property of bringing back their food into the mouth, after the first swallowing of it, in order that it may undergo a second and more perfect mastication.

Their distinguishing characteristics are the absence of front teeth in the upper jaw, whose place is supplied by a callous pad ; the division of the stomach into four distinct compartments discharging essentially different functions ; and the feet being cloven.

The ox, whether domestic or wild, and varying materially in appearance from difference of breed and climate and food, possesses certain characteristics, which separate him from all other ruminants : these are the strength and squareness of the skull — the horns, where there are any, invariably growing from the crest or ridge of the forehead, projecting first laterally, and being composed of a horny case covering a porous or cellular bone — the muzzle being broad, and devoid of hair, and moist — no mane on the neck — the dewlap generally deep — only thirteen pairs of ribs — the tail reaching down almost to the heels, and the udder containing four teats, forming a kind of square. It will be advantageous to take a rapid view of the different parts of the structure of the ox.

The bones are the most solid portions of the frame : they sustain the soft parts, give shape to the animal, and protect the most important organs, as the brain, lungs, &c, from injury.

The bones, although solid, are perfectly organised, having blood-vessels, absorbents, and nerves : they are composed of a gelatinous matter, in which an earthy substance, phosphate of lime, is deposited, and to which they are indebted for their hardness.

The centre of almost all the bones is more or less hollow, and contains marrow. This substance seems to be necessary to the health of the bone, and it may be a reservoir of nutriment in case any particular state of the constitution should require it.

The bones are covered by a membrane called the periosteum, which gives attachment or hold to the muscles by which the bones are moved. The erfds of the bones, forming the joints, are tipped with cartilage, which is a polished elastic substance, facilitating the motions of the heads of the bones upon each other, and preventing bad effects from concussion. Still more to avoid friction or concussion, these cartilages are lined by a membrane, which secretes an oily fluid, — the joint oil or synovia. The heads of the bones are held together by ligaments, and thus joints are formed. These ligaments are white, fibrous, and tough ; possessed of sufficient elasticity to accommodate themselves to the various motions of the joints, but not enough to endanger their strength.

The Head. — The head, comprehending the skull and face of the animal, is composed of numerous bones closely united to each other. The skull contains and defends from injuries that important organ, the brain ; and in it are found four of the organs of sense, which minister so much to the enjoyment of the animal, viz. those of hearing, sight, taste, and smell.

The Teeth. — Neat cattle have eight fore teeth in the lower jaw, and none in the upper one : twelve grinders in the lower jaw, and as many corresponding ones in the upper one. Each tooth has its body and root : the body is all that part appearing without the gum, the root or fang is covered by the gum, and lies deep in the bony socket. The front teeth are composed of two substances, — the internal bony part, and its covering, the enamel. This latter is exceedingly hard, and gives to the front teeth their cutting edge. The sides of the backteeth are also covered with enamel, and columns of enamel are let down into the body of these teeth. While the bone is gradually worn away, the enamel is scarcely touched, and so there is formed a rough and uneven surface on the top of the grinders, admirably adapted for breaking down the. food.

The teeth, although of firmer structure than the rest of the bones, are also plentifully supplied with nerves and blood-vessels.

How to ascertain the Age of Neat Cattle by their Teeth. — The calf is usually born with two'fore or cutting teeth, and at a month old the whole eight are cut. The age is then guessed at by the wearing down of these teeth until the calf is eight months old, when they be° gin to become narrower and smaller. At eight months the two centre teeth are smaller than the rest; and from that time until eighteen months the others gradually diminish, until the w r hole are very considerably lessened in size and stand apart from each other.

At two years old the two middle teeth are pushed out, and succeeded by two permanent ones ; at three there are four permanent teeth ; six at four years ; and all the eight at five, when the animal is said to be full-mouthed ; but he i3 not actually so until six years old, when all the eight are level.

A good judge of cattle will generally determine the age with considerable accuracy for many years after that. From six to nine he will be guided by the wearing down of the teeth, and after that by the diminution in their bulk, as in the milk teeth. At nine the two middle fore teeth are evidently smaller and narrower than the rest; at ten the two next are so ; and so on until twelve, when, as in the steer of two years old, the teeth again begin to stand singularly apart from each other.

Age by the Horns. — The surface of the horn continues nearly smooth until the expiration of the second year of the animal's life, when a wrinkle or circle of thicker horn begins to be formed around the base. This is fully completed in a twelvemonth, and another ring then begins to appear, so that if the perfect rings or circles are counted, and two added to them, the age of the beast is supposed to be ascertained. These rings, however, are not always clear and distinct, and it is very easy to remove one or two of them with a rasp, at least to the unpractised eye, when the animal begins to be unmarketably old. In addition to this a well-known fact should be stated, that if a heifer takes the bull at about two years old, the first ring is formed a twelvemonth before its usual time, and, consequently, she would always appear to be, reckoning by her horns, a twelvemonth older than she really is.

After all, the age, as denoted by the horn, can only be calculated in the cow : these rings do not begin to appear in the ox or bull until the animal is five years old, and then they are frequently too confused to be accurately counted.

Young Cattle are, for the most part, best understood by the following names : — The Bull, while sucking, is called a Bull-Calf; and from one to two years old a Stirk or a Yearling Bull ; every year afterwards he is called a Bull of three, four, five, and six years old, beyond which period he becomes aged. A young castrated male, after the first year, is called a Slot-Calf ox Slirk-Stot, and then a Steer.- at four years old he receives the name of a Bullock. A female is at first called a Quey-Calf, and then a Heifer until the age of four years : she afterwards takes the name of a Cow, which is retained as long as she lives.

The Neck of the ox is comparatively shorter than in the horse. It consists of seven bones, each of which, although widened, is shortened and roughened, for the accumulation of more flesh and fat.

The Chest is the large bony cavity containing and defending from injury the heart and lungs. It is formed of the thirteen rack bones of the back, thirteen ribs on each side, and the breast-bone below and before. The ribs are so articulated with the spine as to allow of some little motion in respiration. It is of much importance that the chest should be wide and full, and at the same time deep in the girth, otherwise there will not be sufficient space without for the attachment of flesh, or room within for the heart and lungs to play. It is very desirable that the chest shall not be drawn up immediately behind the elbow. The accumulation of fleshy and fatty substance under the chest, and projecting before it, and which is called the brisket, is also an important point — is an earnest of a propensity to accumulate flesh and fat everywhere.

Breadth across the loins is a valuable conformation, and more particularly length in the quarters, leaving space for plenty of muscle and fat being put on these places, where the meat is of the finest grain and fetches the highest price.

The Fore Legs.— The Shoulder Blade is a broad, flat, and triangular-shaped bone, situated on the outside of the fore ribs. It is comparatively larger and more upright in the ox than in the horse. It is, however, a fault when the shoulders are too heavy; for there is then generally a deficiency about the choice parts.

The Shoulder Bone is a short and very strong bone extending from the cup of the shoulder blade to the fore arm.

The Leg Bone, or Fore Arm, is situated between the shoulder bone and knee, and it is the longest bone of the fore extremities. At the upper and back part of it is the process called the elbow. The fore arm should be large and muscular, and regularly tapering towards the knee.

The Knee consists of two rows of small bones, forming a compound joint of considerable strength, and allowing likewise of extensive motion.

The Fore Leg, or Shank, reaches from the knee to the upper pastern bones. It is of much consequence that it should be clean, fine, short, and small.

The leg is divided at the bottom of the shank-bone, and there are two sets of pasterns, and two hoofs, to each leg. The pasterns should be small, and not too long : the feet, especially in working oxen, should point straight forward, and should be sound ; and they should not be too close to each other, for this would indicate a narrow chest, that would be unfavourable to speedy fattening.

The Hind Legs. — The Thigh Bone is a large and rather short bone, extending from the cup-like cavity of the hip-bone to the stifle. It is inclined obliquely forwards, and its lower end articulates with the leg bone at the stifle. This part constitutes the quarters, which should be deep and large. The longer the thigh bone is, compared with those below it, the better; indeed, it is of advantage that the flesh should extend down even to the hocks.

The Leg Bone reaches from the stifle to the hock, inclining obliquely backwards.

The Hock is a compound joint, being, like the knee of the fore extremities, composed of two rows of small bones. The hocks naturally approach each other much nearer in the ox than in the horse, and the hind legs diverge from each other below the hock, and stand considerably apart. In some cattle this is carried to such an extent as to become a great deformity — it indicates weakness and unthriftiness.

It will be unnecessary to describe the remaining bones of the hind leg and foot, as they closely resemble those of the fore leg, and have also the same names.

The Skin. — The hide or skin consists of three layers ; the first and outermost called the scarf skin, the central mucous substance, and the innermost or true skin.

The Scarf Skin is the outermost layer. It is thicker on some parts than on others, as on the back and legs, and, being insensible, it defends the true skin from much injury. The scarf skin is separated from the parts beneath in the act of blistering.

The Mucous Substance is thin, delicate, and soft, resembling in texture fine net-work. It is this that gives colour to the skin in the human subject; but it is precisely of the same hue in all oxen, whatever be the colour of the hair. It adheres more firmly to the scarf skin than to the true skin, and separates with it, when the hide is prepared by the tanners.

The True Skin is a thick, dense, and elastic substance, and is that from which leather is made.

The Hair. — The skin is covered with hair, which is not only an ornament to the beast, but tends to keep the body warm. The hairs arise from bulbous extremities in the skin, and receive their nourishment from these roots. The feeling of the skin, and the appearance of the hair, should be carefully observed. A softness and suppleness of the skin, and a kind of glossiness in the coat, not only indicate present health, but a disposition to thrive ; while a hard dry skin, clinging to the ribs, and a coat staring in every direction, show that there is something wrong in the constitution, and that it will belabour in vain to attempt to fatten such a beast. The eyelashes and the hair within the ears seem principally designed to protect those parts from insects, moisture, or cold. The hairs at the end of the tail are longer than those of the rest of the body, in order the better to drive insects away from the skin.

Immediately under the skin is the fleshy panicle, or rhine. It is a thin muscle, extending over the whole of the trunk, and partly down the extremities. It is well supplied with* nerves, and capable of very extensive motion ; and its chief use is to corrugate the skin for the purpose of shaking oil flies, or anything that may annoy the animal.

The Fat. — On removing the hide and fleshy panicle, the fat comes into view, which is sometimes in considerable quantity, particularly on the rump, loins, and ribs. There are also layers of it, in beasts in good condition, not only between the muscles, but the fibres of the same muscle, giving a peculiar marbled appearance to the flesh.

Within the belly the kidneys are chiefly surrounded with it; the omentum, or caul, contains a large quantity of it ; and there is, also, a great deal about the intestines. It guards many parts that would be injured by pressure : it fills up a variety of interstices, and forms a reservoir of nutritive matter for the support of the animal under any accidental want of nourishment.

Connected with the fat is the cellular membrane, formed likewise of membranous cells, but which communicate with each other through the whole of the body. There is sufficient but disgusting proof of this in the blowing up of the calf just killed. The crackling heard when the skin of cattle labouring under inflammatory fever is pressed upon, is another proof, for the gas which was produced by the commencement of putrefaction is forced into the neighbouring cells.

The cellular membrane is the connecting medium between almost all the component parts of the frame.

The Muscles. — The muscles are accumulations of fibres or cords, running parallel to each other, and bound together by cellular membrane, and by the tightening or contraction of which the various parts of the body are moved. They arise from some fixed point, and are inserted either by a diminution of their substance, or in the form of a tendon, into a bone or part that is movable. Nervous fibrils are sent to all these muscles from the spinal cord, by the influence of which they contract or shorten, and the bone or movable part into which the tendon is inserted is acted upon; and if both the parts from which they arise, and into which they are inserted, are movable, both change their place.

There are other muscles, as those of the heart and the intestines, which are moved by nervous influence not arising from the spinal cord and the brain, and not under the influence, of the will. It is proper that the powers of circulation and digestion should be perfectly independent of the will. The sources whence these powers are derived will be presently spoken of.

The Brain. — The brain is a pulpy substance contained in the cavity of the skull. By means of the spinal cord (which is a continuation of its substance), and the nerves which proceed from the spinal cord, it holds correspondence with the whole frame, imparting sensibility everywhere, and giving motion to every part that is capable of voluntary action.

The five senses, viz., vision, hearing, feeling, lasting, and smelling, so necessary to the animal's existence and well-being, are all situated in the head, and not far distant from the brain. The organs of these senses are the eyes, ears, lips, tongue, and the internal parts of the nose. These have nerves sent to them from the brain, by which the impressions made upon them by external objects are immediately communicated to that important organ, and the animal is rendered conscious of surrounding objects, and their forms and qualities.

Nine pairs of nerves arise from the base of the brain, and proceed, through holes in the skull, to the face and head principally; but some of them wander farther, for the purposes of feeling and motion. The jirst pair are the nerves of smelling; they pursue a short course to the nose. The second pair go to the eyes, and are the nerves of vision : the third and fourth pairs are distributed to the muscles that moVp the globe of the eye. The fifth pair are very extensive nerves : they divide into three separate branches, which ramify into numerous filaments or twigs, and are distributed over the whole of the face, and in some degree give the various muscles the power of motion, but more particularly confer on the parts to which they go the faculty of feeling. The sixth pair go to the muscles of the eye. One division of the seventh pair is distributed over the internal parts of the ear, and on it depends the sense of hearing : the other portion is that from which the muscles of the face mainly derive their power of motion. The eighth pair are principally distributed over the organs contained in the chest and belly : they give the power of motion, but motion altogether independent of the will ; and they have nothing to do with sensation. The ninth pair go to the tongue, and give it the faculty of taste.