Milk Fever and other Calviny Trouhlrs. 99^{ 



the rectum. Two quarts at a time will suffice for an eueina at a 

 temperature of not more tlian 100 degrees Falir. Remove any milk 

 wbicli may be in the teats^ and having washed the udder first with 

 soap and lukewarm water and afterwards with a, 2 per cent, solution 

 of lysol, inject the following- in equal portions into each quarter of 

 the udder, kneading it vigorously to allow of the ei(ual distrihution 

 of the fluid throughout the gland : — 



Iodide of potassium . . ... 2 drachms 



Boiling water ... .1 (|uart. 



Dissolve the iodide of potassium in the boiling Avater, and when it 

 has cooled to 100 degrees Fahr., with an Arnold's milk fever syringe 

 inject one quarter of the mixture into each quarter of the udder. 

 Before placing the nozzle of the syringe into the passage of the teat 

 it should have been inserted into a 2 per cent, solution of lysol in order 

 to disinfect it. If necessary, repeat the injection in six hours. J t 

 may be mentioned in passing, this treatment is known as the Schmidt- 

 Kolding, and its efficacy has been amply demonstrated in such portions 

 of the world where it has been tried. With each syi'inge full directions 

 as to usage are issued and the operation is a simple one, all that is 

 necessary being not to push the nozzle into the lumen (passage) of the 

 teat roughly, nor attempt to force the fluid too vapidly into the udder. 

 The rapidity with which nature reasserts itself after the injection of 

 the iodide is in every case marvellous. Strip the udder frequently 

 and do not drench. 



Oausk. 



Many predisposing causes have been cited by various authorities, 

 but that of Yucker is, I think, the most probable. He attributes milk 

 fever to the development of a toxalbumin in the udder, a view further 

 shared by many other authorities. Lower organisms, he says, still 

 unrecognised and unknown may gain access to the udder by the teat 

 passage or lumen and set up decomposition of the colostrum (first 

 milk in the udder after calving). Upon these organisms iodide of 

 potassium acts as it does upon actinomyces in a s])ecific fashion. A 

 certain quantity of the salt will be absorbed, and this may neutralize 

 that portion of the toxin that has already gained the circulation. This 

 last explanation may be offered for the rapid disap])earance of 

 the graye symptoms established tlirough paralysis of the pneu- 

 mogastric nerve, due to the actionof the toxin upon the nucleus of 

 origin of the nerve within tlie medulla oblongata. 



Others attribute the disease to accumulation of milk producing 

 elements in the blood giving rise to fever, to sudden overloading of 

 the system witli blood causing nervous disorder. In su])port of this 

 latter theory it is alleged that as milk fever invariably succeeds easy 

 parturition a large excess of blood is thrown upon the system ; either 

 some excretory organ exerts its powers of action (vicarious) or there 

 is a sudden increase in blood pressure and congestion and apoplectic 

 lesions take place. Normally the mannnary gland becomes very 

 active and removes the excess of nutritive blood constituents, while 

 waterv matters are also removed bv the organs of excretion. 



