V80 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



which there were a total of 1,206 pregnancies show 17 per cent to have been the 

 annual rate of abortions. 



The investigations have led the author to the following general conclusions: 

 "Abortion in cattle is essentially always the result of a chronic infection within 

 the utero-chorionic space, revealing itself post-mortem by the presence of the 

 •so-called abortion exudate, which contains generally, if not always, the abortion 

 bacilli. The granular venereal disease of cattle is, so far as known, universally 

 distributed. From clinical observation it has a vital relation to contagious 

 abortion. It is incurable in the present state of our knowledge, but may be 

 greatly decreased in virulence. Contagious abortion of cattle has attained an 

 essentially universal distribution, frequently present merely as an unrecognized 

 infection of the genital organs, not inducing actual abortion but causing prema- 

 ture birth, retained afterbirth, and sterility. 



" The ordinary if not sole avenue of the entrance of the infection of contagious 

 abortion is the genital canal, and the invasion antedates the sealing of the 

 uterus, which ordinarily occurs within 30 days after conception. When concep- 

 tion has occurred and the cervical canal has been sealed, the fate of the fetus 

 is settled. If a suflBciently virulent and voluminous infection exists in the 

 utero-chorionic space, abortion may result; if such infection does not exist 

 within the sealed utero-chorionic space when the formation of the seal is com- 

 pleted, it will not enter thereafter during pregnancy. 



" In the present state of our knowledge little or nothing can be done to pre- 

 vent abortion once the pregnant uterus is sealed and the infection of contagious 

 abortion exists within the hermetically sealed cavity. By systematic disinfec- 

 tion of the genitalia immediately following abortion or premature birth, and 

 also in retained afterbirth and kindred infections of the uterus, the affected 

 animals may be largely guarded against future sterility and abortion. It is 

 even more important that the vaginie of heifers, whether virgin or previously 

 bred, and cows shall be systematically disinfected for a period before and after 

 breeding, until conception is assured. It is equally important that the genital 

 organs of breeding bulls be kept clean by regular disinfection, including washing 

 immediately prior to and after service. Most important of all, breeders of 

 valuable cattle should institute definite, energetic, and permanent efforts to 

 guard new-born calves simultaneously against the three great dairy scourges — 

 calf scours and pneumonia, abortion and sterility, and tuberculosis." 



The curative treatment of hemorrhagic septicemia in cattle by the admin- 

 istration of iodin, J. D. E. Holmes (Vet. Jour., 70 U91Jf), No. 468, pp. 277- 

 280). — Of a large number of drugs tested In the laboratory, iodin was the only 

 one found to have any action on the course of this disease. When administered 

 either by mouth or subcutaneously as late as 16 hours after the inoculation of 

 the virus, about one-half of the cases so treated recovered. At 16 hours after 

 inoculation susceptible animals generally show a rise in temperature, uneasiness, 

 and loss of appetite, and death follows in from 24 to 36 hours after inoculation. 



" In laboratory experiments when an animal inoculated with hemorrhagic 

 septicemia shows a decided rise of temperature or other symptoms of dis- 

 turbance he rarely survives, unless he has received antiserum treatment. In 

 many of the cases treated with iodin the animals passed through a fairly severe 

 attack of the disease and recovered. In other cases which ended fatally death 

 was delayed by one to two days." 



Warble flies, a danger with imported cattle, C. P. Lounsbuby (Agr. Jour. 

 Union 8o. Africa, 8 {191J,), No. 1, pp. 61-64, fig. i).— The author calls attention 

 to the fact that since warble flies do not occur in South Africa it Is of consid- 

 erable importance that the maggots in Imported cattle be destroyed. 



