TREATMENT OF MILK FEVER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1250, 13 February 1896, Page 7

TREATMENT OF MILK FEVER.

In prevention and treatment of the disease we offer the following skilled | advice. The methods at the command of the farmers are as follow : “In the case of cows which have already suffered from a previous attack, and even in the case of others which present, conditions very favourable for the disease, such as already described, preventive treatment should be commenced before parturition. This consists in limiting the supply of food during the time that the cow is dry, and keeping the bowels open by one or more doses cf salts. The most suitable purgative for a cow is one to one and a half pounds of Epsom or Glauber salts, with an ounce of ginger, and about a pint of molasses in a large quantity (two quarts or more) of tepid water. “ After calving a free flow of blood to the udder should be encouraged by frequent milking, even if the calf is allowed to suck, and the animal of course, should be protected from exposure to severe weather or to unusual cold or heat, although a certain amount of daily exercise is desirable. If the first symptoms of the disease should appear the purgative medicine should be given again at once. The further medicinal treatment of the case is more difficult to prescribe in a positive manner, as the conditions are not alike in all cases. As a rule, it will be found that in this stage of active cerebral congestion the best results will be obtained by the use of aconite, of which the tincture should be given in the dose of twenty to thirty drops, and repeated in doses cf half that quantity every three hours till four or five doses have been given. “ Before drenching, especially when large doses such as the purgative mentioned above are given, it is necessary to see if the animal retains the power of swallowing perfectly, which may be done by drenching with a small quantity of water."