too great force has been used. If it is immediately and carefully returned, there will be little danger; but if considerable straining should continue after the womb. is returned, a bandage must be contrived to press upon the external orifice, or a stitch must be passed through the lips of the vulva.

After the bitch has pupped, she should be left as much as possible to herself; for she will then be far more likely to do well than when disturbed by the kindest nursing. She may be suffered to eat and drink as usual, for it is rare that, even in petted bitches, any fever ensues, except from two causes.

If her young ones, or all except one, are cruelly taken from her, because there may perchance be a stain in their pedigree, nature will continue to secrete milk enough for the whole litter, and this will accumulate in her teats, and cause local swelling and inflammation: it will likewise be a frequent source of general fever, that cannot easily be subdued.

Physic, the cough-balls (Recipe No. 20, p. 187), little food, and frequent fomentations with warm water, wi be most likely to afford relief.

Sometimes, however, a contrary course is pursued. The owner sets great value on the breed, and is anxious to save every puppy; and, instead of finding out a fostermother for some of them, he suffers the whole litter to suck and exhaust her. A bitch that is used to hardship, and whose constitution has not been impaired by foolish fondness, will not be hurt by this; but a spoiled and petted bitch is rarely capable of suckling with safety more than half of her produce.

If too many remain with her, she, after a while, becomes somewhat stupid, and inattentive to her young

ones; she rapidly, loses flesh; she will not eat; and she has a wild yet sunken look: then all at once she will lay herself down, and begin to pant dreadfully, as if she was about to die in a few minutes; or strong yelping fits come upon her.

This is the consequence of extreme irritability, produced by exhaustion and debility; and every thing that would tend to weaken the bitch would increase that irritability, and aggravate every symptom. It would, therefore, be bad practice to bleed her. The best allayer of irritability is a warm bath, into which she should be put, and kept ten minutes or a quarter of an hour; and if, after that, a physic-ball is given her, and half her puppies taken from her, she will do very well.

Sometimes a bilious diarrhoea will come on from the same cause. The same means must be pursued, with this difference, that a dose of the aperient mixture (Recipe No. 29, p. 198), must be given instead of the aloetic ball, and followed by the astringent balls (Recipe No. 23, p. 192).

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

DISEASES OF THE SKIN.

THERE is scarcely a keeper, or a whipper-in, who has not an infallible specific for the mange; and one or two applications are to perform a complete cure. I know nothing of these wonderful ointments, or lotions; and if I did I would not use them, because I should be sure that so sudden a revulsion from the skin would be very likely to produce other and worse diseases.

If the mange, whether red mange, or that of the common scabby kind, is derived from either of the parents, no power on earth will cure it; nor can the periodical mange, which has returned in the spring and he autumn for a few years, be ever eradicated from the blood. Mange caught on ship-board, and where the dog has had much salted meat, is very obstinate. The red mange, also, is difficult to cure; but patience and perseverance may conquer that.

Itching, although it may exist to a considerable degree, and even with some redness of the skin, will sometimes yield to medicine, and bleeding, and a little starvation. A physic-ball (Recipe No. 1, p. 138) should be given every fourth day, and an alterative ball (Recipe

No. 3, p. 147) on each of the intermediate days, and blood should be abstracted, according to the size of the dog.

If, however, a week should pass, and the itchiness and redness continue, the mange ointment (Recipe No. 2, p. 146) must be resorted to. The hair must be carefully parted, and a little of it gently but well rubbed into the skin, wherever the disease appears. This should be continued daily for a week, the physic and alterative balls being given as before. At the expiration of a week the dog may be washed, in order to ascertain the progress of the cure, and to open the pores of the skin, for the better effect of the ointment. The proof of cure will be the cleansing away of all the scabs, the wholesome and natural appearance of the skin, and the cessation of the itching. The medicine should be continued at least a week after the mange has seemed to disappear.

In red mange there is seldom any scabbiness, but intense redness, and heat, and itchiness of the skin on various parts, and particularly on the belly, the flanks, and the inside of the thighs. Here also the physic and the application of the ointment should be preceded by bleeding. The same medicine must be given, and oneeighth part of mercurial ointment added to the common mange ointment. Care must be taken that the dog does not lick it off, for if he does he will soon become salivated; and in order to prevent this, if he will not otherwise let it alone, a little powdered aloes should be mixed with the ointment.

Should little or no progress be made after a month's trial has been given to this treatment, the following lotion may be used.

RECIPE (No. 37).

Wash for Red Mange.

TAKE-Corrosive sublimate, a scruple; dissolve it in

Spirits of wine, two drachms; add

Milk of sulphur, an ounce; and gradually pour upon this,
well stirring the whole together,

Lime-water, half a pint.

This may be applied to, or rubbed on, the affected part by means of a bit of sponge or clean rag, the liquid being kept well stirred. There is little or no danger of salivation from the use of this liniment, unless it is used in great quantities or continued very long.

If the disease should still be obstinate, local applications may be altogether omitted, and the following alterative powder given daily.

RECIPE (No. 38).

Alterative Medicine for Red Mange.

TAKE-Ethiop's mineral, from two to five grains, according to the size of the dog;

Cream of Tartar, from four to ten grains; and
Tartrate of iron, from one to three grains:

Rub them well together.

I have known some sportsmen continue to give this for five or six weeks, and at length succeed; but even this will sometimes fail. Should purging, or a slight soreness of the mouth, occur at any period, the medicine should be discontinued for a week, and then given again as before.

I have said nothing of tobacco water, hellebore, or the tan-pit; they are "kill or cure" things, and better let alone.