Mr. Stuart has during the course of the last two years, treated as a connoisseur upwards of 180 cows, labouring under the prevalent malady of these 130 were saved. The medicines in general use were ACONITE, the third dilution; BRYONIA, the third dilution; ARSENICUM, the third dilution; RHUS, the third dilution; KALI CARBONICUM, fourth dilution; SQUILLA, sixth dilution; and PULSATILLA, third dilution. Of the medicines the dose generally given was twenty drops to a quart of water, of which a wine glass was taken every four hours.
The Aconite was given when the following symptoms were present; breath hot, breathing heavy, cough dry, general fever.
Bryonia was given in alternation with Aconite, when the cough became more loose.
Arsenicum was given when there was running from the nose, the hairs of the hide standing at an end; intense heat, breathing very hurried, and looseness of the bowels; and also when there was much swelling.
Rhus was used to follow the action of Arsenicum; this was more especially indicated when the animals appeared uneasy in their limbs, and shifted about a great deal.
Kali carbonicum was used when the animals appeared to have great pain in their sides; this was used often in alternation with Arsenicum.
Squilla was used when the cough was shaking, as if the parts of the body would shake to pieces.
Pulsatilla was used when the cows lost their calves, which they invariably did when seized with the malady. The Pulsatilla was immediately efficacious to cleanse the animal, i.e. to effect the removal of the after-birth.
The intervals at which the medicines were given were three or four hours; the animals were kept from all food until symptoms or returning health showed themselves; then a little food was given two or three times a day. Their appetite at this time is very great, and care must be taken, as an overladen stomach invariably brought on a relapse. Aconite, Bryonia, and Arsenicum, given alternately on each day generally effect a cure, if the disease is taken in time, in a few days, especially if the symptoms appear to a casual observer most violent and dangerous. The
medicines must be mixed in new bottles; each medicine in a separate bottle.
The following symptoms generally were present in these cases:- The animals generally, instead of standing straight, gathered their limbs up, i.e. drew their fore and hind legs nearer to each other.
They were generally chilly, horns cold, hoofs cold.
No appetite at all. If milk cows, the milk left them.
The urine was sometimes scanty, hot, and thick.
Great running from the nostrils.
Grunting; short hurried breathing.
They generally stood; and when lying down, it seemed to hurt them.
The cows invariably lost their calves, when attacked with the disease, and the calves were generally born dead.
The cattle sometimes swelled in the body, sometimes at one side, sometimes the other.
The signs of improvement were returning appetite, feet getting warm, horns getting warm. If milk cows, the milk gradually came back again.
It is worthy of remark that those that died under homoeopathic treatment, died apparently without much suffering; the parties, who had cows die under both modes of treatment, expressed their astonishment at the ease with which those died that had homoeopathic treatment, compared with the state of those that died under the other system treatment.
“Nux vomica,” Mr. Stuart adds, “I have found of wonderful efficacy to all animals that have no appetite, and no other symptoms present.
