lo Sept., 1910.] Abortion in Cows. 563 



acid, distributed over a period, liad failed to prevent the animal aborting. 

 Nevertheless, it was admitted that in some experiments made by the 

 Veterinary Department here, under the direction of Dr. Cameron, the in- 

 dications were, that direct injection into the blood stream of small quan- 

 tities of carbolic acid was of some value. So that at present the use of 

 carbolic acid could by no means be condemned. 



Prevention. 



The lecturer was of opinion that those who at present had no ex- 

 penence of the disease, should take every precaution to prevent its intro- 

 duction. This could be best done by being extremely careful in the 

 purchase of bulls and cows. As to those in whose herds the disease had 

 appeared, with his present experience of the disease, he could not, he 

 felt, do better than recommend in their entirety the methods which had 

 been found to be successful in New Zealand, where the disease was 

 reduced to a minimum, although it w^as estimated at one time that the 

 annual loss to dairymen in that country was between ^100.000 and 



;^200,000. 



The treatment recommended had now^ become part of the usual routine 

 of the vast majority of dairy farmers in New Zealand, there being few 

 who do not keep in hand the necessary appliances, and who do not treat 

 — especially all newly purchased cows — in the manner indicated. 



The following is an extract of a leaflet prepared by Profes.sor Gilruth, 

 when Chief Veterinarian in New Zealand : — 



Treatment. 



1. Whenever a cow actually aborts, search immediately for the foetus 

 and destroy it by burning it on the spot where it lies if possible. If this 

 is not feasible it should be buried deeply. 



2. Thoroughly dig up the ground on which the foetus has lain, together 

 with an area of say 3 yards on every side of it, and saturate the surface 

 with a liberal quantity of non-poisonous .sheep dip, or other safe disin- 

 fectant. 



3. Isolate the cow and keep her isolated for at least two weeks, using 

 a temporary bail, if necessary, for milking purposes. Meanwhile remove 

 any remains of cleansings from the womb, and apply treatment by irriga- 

 tion as described hereinafter. 



4. In the case of a cow failing to conceive and returning to the bull 

 after short intervals, treatment by irrigation should be applied, as de- 

 scribed later. 



5. Where several cows in a herd abort, or keep returning to the bull, 

 it is found to be absolutely necessary, in order to prevent the spread of 

 the trouble, and to insure its complete eradication, that not only these 

 cows, but every cow in the herd should be treated. 



6. /;/ all cases the bull shoidd be treated. 



Material Required. 

 From our experience the antiseptic drug, which best combines efficacy 

 with simplicity of application is mercuric chloride (corrosive sublimate). 

 This drug is for such purposes as this put up in flat circular pellets, each 

 containing a definite quantity (8.75 gr.). We have found the " soloids " 

 prepared by Messers. Burroughs, Wellcome, and Co., to be undoubtedlv 

 reliable, having now despatched from this laboratory nearly 100,000 of 

 these, and up to the present the few complaints we have received have 

 been undoubtedly traced to improper or careless administration on the part 

 of the operator. 



