THE VETERINARIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 907, 19 July 1889, Page 18

THE VETERINARIAN.

Dear Mr Editor,— Many of my neighbours here are dairy farmers, and on several occasions have lost several fine cows owing to milk-fever. Some time ago you published in the Mail an account of a remedy for the cure of such, and A took great interest in reading it, so much so, that I informed some of my neighbours about it. One of them has called to-day and asked me to write, and I respectfully request you to give all information in your next issue as to how the disease is to be treated. In the report I saw the word ‘ aconite ’ was used,—Yours, ate., W. S. Moloney, Native School. Alcaroa, July 12th.

[ fVe have much pleasure in responding to our correspondent’s appeal, and below reprint the article he alludes to, and which first appeared in the Mail of January 18th last We would, however, urge our readers to clip and put by for reference and guidance articles of the kind. We go to the best authorities for them, and are sure of their value.] ACONITE FOR MILK FItVER IN COWS.. . ■ . About a year ago some writer in the Agricultural Gazette respecting this complaint recommended the use of aconite before calving. 1. How much can be safely given at once . 2. How many times ought to be given . d. How How long before calving should the first dose be given ? I have lost twelve co vs from this disease in about ten years, and should be glad to get information upon the subject. A.H. Mr George Simpson, Wray-parlc, favours the Live Stock Journal with the following in reference to the above: —‘We do not now use aconite before calving, but give 10 drops in 2oz of water 20 minutes after calving, and repeat m two hours; then 10 drops of belladona, and keep on giving first aconite and then belladona every two hours for 24 hours, then drop to every four hours till about 36 hours after calving, and then discontinue altogether. We never wait for symptoms, but treat all cows alike, not heifers. If the cow shows sign of mischief, give the medicines every hour, and sometimes even oftener, then we drop the belladona for a hit and give only aconite. After a bad case wo give them Nux every four hours, about three doses in all as a tonic.’ Mr J. W. Young, of Orange County, New York writes as follows to the New York Country Gentleman :—Will you allow me to give my brother dairymen a remedy for that dreadful disease (milk fever) which if properly given will prove effectual ? I have yet to hear of a single case where it has been administered that it did not prove effectual. A week ago my man went after the cows in the morning, and found a cow that had a calf two days before, and could not get up. We rolled her on a stone boat and drew her under shelter. She did not appear very sick, but at 2 p.m. on the same day she grew worse, showing all the symptoms of a severe case of puerperal or milk ' fever. I sent for 2oz of tincture of aconite, gave her a dose of three-quarters of an ounce, and in five minutes by watch she sat up naturally and showed that she was better. Six hours after, which was at 9 p.m., we gave her onehalf as much as the first dose. At 4 o clock the next morning she appeared better; had a passage through the night, and we then gave her a third dose, which was about half the quantity of the second one, and at 7 a -m- found her on her feet and disposed to eat a little hay. We stopped giving her the medicine, and today have turned her out with the rest of the cows. The same thing has been tried about here several times with like results. It is one of the most powerful stimulants known, which is what is needed in such cases.’ ‘R ’ writes the Live Stock Journal on November 16 as follows : —‘ “A.H. ’on page 461, asks respecting aconite for milk fever. Of course it is well to have a remedy in case of necessity ; but I venture to think that in this,

as in everything else, it is best to _ look to preventive measures. The following is the simple plan adopted here, and when used there never been a single case of milk fever : Ihe cows are kept in a natural state up to calving, and allowed the same exercise as other cattle. For two or three days prior to calving (the number regulated by condition) a. bran mash and a teaspoon r ul of linseed oil is given each morning. This keeps open the bowels, has a tendency of cooling the system, decidedly assists parturition, and prevents the flow of milk turning to blood, causing drop. The plan is simple, but decidedly effective.’

VETERINARY EDUCATION. A question was asked some time ago as to what has become of the old-fashioned veterinary practitioner, who was always ready to take off his coat, turn up hissleeves, and do for himself any and all kindsof rough work whch came to hand, with a oertainty, rapidity, and ease which may be looked for in vain in the modern outcome of veterinary colleges. The certified member who adds letters to his name wears a black coat and gloves, which he does not take off, and looks on while someone does the rough work under his direction. This not in precise words, which we do not remember, but in substance and effect, is the charge against the veterinary of the schools ; and it is one which, in the interest of the stock-owners of the country, it is worth while to examine, and, if it should turn out to be a * true bill,’ to inquire whether or not the public are gainers by the change. Dr G. Fleming, in his recent lectures on shoeing at the Royal Veterinary College, informed the students that the art was one which kings and nobles has practised in hygone times ; and suggested also that the presence ot the horseshoe on the arms of Church and State dignitaries was a fact in history which goes far to elevate the art of shoeing from the undignified place to which it has been relegated by the advance of veterinary science. In former times the farrier was also the horse and cattl6 doctor. Even now his living representative may be found in remote parts of the country with all his appliances oomplete —to wit, his leathern wallet, supplied with remedies for disease, and instruments for rough surgery and the application of the shoe to the horse’s foot. Even among modern veterinarians the combination of the surgery and the forge is commonly maintained ; but year after year it is becoming le3S and less fashionable, and no one now expects a college man to put on a leathern apron and do the farrier’s work on the foot. It is considered to be a sufficient concession for him to supervise and direct the workman in the exercise of his craft.

Education must take all the responsibility of the change which has happened. The modern physician is the lineal descendant of the barber surgeon, and the modern veterinarian is the outcome of the natural process of evolution from the farrier and horse doctor of a former time.

No question can arise as to the different values of the two products. Unless education and scientific advancement are delusions, the experts of to-day must be better than the most accomplished of the old-fashioned practitioners of the past. Modern educational systems do not escape criticism, and at the last meeting of tbe Central Veterinary Medical Society, Mr W. Hunting read a paper on the subject of veterinary teaching and examinations on which some important suggestions were made. At the commencement of his thesis, the point in reference to whioh the members of the profession are moit interested, because most powerful, was distinctly set forth ; they were told iD plain terms that in their decision lay the results of teaching and examining—that it was for them to determine what quality of men should enter their rank. Their representatives ou the council were directed to arrange as to the nature and extent of the examination. The schools must teach what the examiners demanded that the candidate should know. By a recent Act of Parliament the name and title of veterinary surgeon is made a right and a privilege which, no one may assume. The State having conferred the title, the profession is required to see that the standard of knowledge and intelligence among the members should be kept up. Mr Hunting arrives at the conclusion that the present plan of testing the knowledge of candidates foi the diploma requires considerable modification, and he suggests that a written examination should form part of the test. His arguments in favour of this system are clearly stated in the following quotation. ‘ A written examination is the surest and safest of thoroughly testing a man’s knowledge. It gives him time to collect his thoughts, and opportunity for accurate expression of what he knows. No parrottaught man makes a mark at a written examination, whiLt the slow or nervous man is not flurried. A written examination might bo limited to half an hour for each subject, and if the students commenced their papers two hours before the examiners commenced the oral, no difficulty would be found in getting through the work. 1 am convinced that the average student who works fairly will never have justice done him until a written examination is adopted, and I believe that such a test would do more. to ensure really sound education, in contradistinction to “ cramming/than anything we could adopt. If I am right, would not the end justify the means? I ask this because there are difficulties of detail which may be suggested with great plausibility. A written examination would require more time, it would cause more trouble, and possibly more expense. If, however, it be expedient, we must not let these obstacles prevent us from doing right.’ Further changes are suggested in regard to the division of subjects for examination,

and especially with reference to the practical examination, which is now conducted by examiners different from those who examine the pupil vivS voce, who consequently are ignorant of the amount of theoretical knowledge which he may possess when they submit him to practical tests. On this subject Mr Hunting remarks :• The practical test which now forms part of our final examination is necessary and right, but I do not see why it should be conducted by separate men. I think it k would be as well done by the examiners who conduct the oral, and the candidate would then have the advantage of being tested all through by the same men. Now that he has to satisfy two groups of examiners—one in the room and the other in the yard or stable—his chances of failure are increased. Both examinations are on the principles and practice of medicines and surgery—one is the complement-of the other, and it seems a very arbitrary division which requires two sets of examiners to complete it. The question of the preliminary educational test is next considered. The critic is not satisfied with the present standard, and advises that it should bo raised. It must be an advantage to the student of science to have had a good preliminary drilling in general scholarship, but advance in this direction must of necessity ba slow. An intending candidate will always ask what are the prizes in view before he determines to enter a particular profession, and the higher his rank as a scholar the more exacting and fastidious he is likely to be in regard to the opportunities to be given to him to make the best use of his educational advantages. NEPHRITES IN LAMBS. As the yeaning season of 1889 is approaching, it appears an opportune moment to lay before your readers a comparatively new disease in lambs, and one that is misunderstood by many flock-owners, viz., Nephritis. The history of the disease is but a short one, and is briefly defined as follows : —ln 1883 a farmer in Warwickshire, occupying lands adjacent to the wiiter’s, sustained heavy losses from a disease supposed at first to be rickets, but afterwards found to be acute nephritis. The discovery of the true malady was due to the indefatigable exertions of Dr Unwin, a resident in the neighbourhood. He called the attention of Dr W. Roger Williams, Surgical Registrar to the Middlesex Hospital, to the suffering animals, and through the able assistance of the latter the real nature of the disease was traced out. Being a large breeder of lambs myself at the time, and living in a pastoral locality where the flocks form one of the principal industries, numerous cases were frequently brought to my notice, and thus 1 had every opportunity of proving the truthfulness of the statements made by the two doctors in question. I found out further that cure for the disease there was none, but prevention lay to a certain extent within the power of the intelligent flookmaster. Albeit, before any useful ends oan bo attained by tbe public, it is necessary that the cause and symptoms of the malady should be fully understood. These I will endeavor to make plain in a few words. THE cause. Weakness or ill-health in the rams or ewes at mating time ; putting the ram with the ewes after they have travelled a long distance ; giving a two large number of ewes to each ram ; too abrupt crosses, and too old or too young sires ; wintering the animals on bleak exposed pasture land, or cold clays where the herbage is innutritious. In the case I first alluded to the ewes had come from Scotland, were at once mated, and a large number put to a ram, while the land was of a poor middling quality on which they were grazed. A few rested ewes were put to a healthy ram, and no oase of nephritis occurred among the lambs, though there were many cases in the larger flock which was mated straight from the journey. In my own flocks I found far more attacks of the malady during the very unhealthy season when the sheep rot prevailed than I have done since, although'there are few shepherds but have oases every year. The lambs, in many cases, quickly die, and no questions are asked as to the cause. SYMPTOMS. Having given the cause of this troublesome malady I will now define the symptoms. Immediately the lambs are born Ihev lose vitality, indeed many are attacked before they see tbe light. In the latter case death quickly follows, but in the former the lambs wi|l live for weeks. They are very feeble, and the flookmaster is under the impression that the disease is rickets. There is, however, such a difference between acute nephritis and rickets that he who runs may read. In the first the lambs seldom walk, and never for very long, the whole of the joints and muscles being out of order. In rickets only the hind-quarters are usually effected, and such lambs often follow' their mothers and get sufficiently fat for the butcher. A striking feature in nephritis is that the animals take milk from the bottle in the most ravenous manner, yet it does them no good. I have had them lie for three weeks, but death has always carrried them off sooner or later. Trembling fits usually immediately precede death. Many shepherds rub the joints of the patient with warming oils, treating for rheumatism. They might as well dress the hurdles that surround the invalid for all the good the application does. The kidneys are the seat of the disease, and so farno cure has been found. If some of the flockmasters will report cases through Sheep and Wool as they occur in the approaching yeaning time, and give the condition under which the ewes have been treated in autumn and winter, they will be onferring a boon of magnitude on brother flookmasters.