332 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



.AIILK FEVER. 

 (By Dr. J. \\'. Connaway, Veterinarian of Missouri Experiment Station.) 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Association : 



I shall give most of the time that has been alloted me to the con- 

 sideration of prevention and treatment of the disease mentioned in the 

 program, and especially to a demonstration of some of the practical 

 methods employed. Most of you have been in the dairy business or 

 have handled cattle a sufficient length of time to scarcely make a mistake 

 in the diagnosis of milk-fever ; for this reason and for lack of time I 

 shall touch only briefly upon the causes and symptoms of tliis malady. 



Alilk-fever, or parturient paralysis, as it is often called, occurs as a 

 rule only in heavy milkers or those in high condition — the attack occurs 

 in the majority of cases a few hours after calving (in rare instances pre- 

 vious to calving or even several days after). The parturition has been 

 easy and the after birth passed entire. The first symptom the attendant 

 is likely to notice is a staggering gait from weakness of the posterior 

 limbs — later the animal goes down, may rise but soon falls again, later 

 becomes delirious and unconscious ; there is also a loss of vision, the 

 eyes have a glassy stare and the power to swallow is also diminished. 



As a preventive measure it is well to put the cow on short rations 

 for a week or two before calving, and return to the customary ration 

 gradually. In some cases the udder is so greatly distended before calving 

 as to. give much discomfort, and this condition should be relieved by 

 withdrawing some of the milk. 



In regard to treatment the methods one pursued were very un- 

 satisfactory, a large percentage of the animals succumbed to the disease. 

 A new treatment has been introduced, however, which is almost a spe- 

 cific against this disease. I refer to the treatment introduced by the 

 Danish Veterinarian, C. Schmidt, and commonly called the "Schmidt 

 treatment.'' This method has been used extensively in the dairy dis- 

 tricts of European countries with the best of results. The veterinarians 

 of our own country who have given it a fair trial give good reports 

 concerning it. I have tried it in a number of cases and found it sat- 

 isfactory except in cases where the treatment had been greatly delayed. 

 iTo those of you who have available a veterinary adviser I say by all 

 means secure him as early as possible after you have noted the symp- 

 toms. His experience will enable him to give the treatment more quickly 

 and more efficiently than you will be able to do. He is prepared for 

 such emergencies, he lias tlic i)roper drugs at hand and the instruments 



