Treatment. Prophylaxis. 789 



The Schmidt procedure — including its modifications — has proved a trustworthy 

 causal and strikingly effective treatment of milk fever. INIany weighty reasons may, 

 however, be adduced to the effect that the supposed cause of the disease is not removed 

 by this method. Above all it must be considered that some authors (Mobius, Meyer 

 and others) have recorded considerable losses (up to 60%) in spite of the empfoy- 

 ment of this treatment. But the fact that the most varied materials introduced into 

 the udder — potassium iodide, disinfecting solutions, neutral fluids and gaseous sub- 

 stances — in general all give the same favoral)le results, and that further potassium 

 iodide when introduced by other channels into the sj'stem, likewise has a favorable 

 effect, makes one have .i^istifiable doubts whether all these materials were actually 

 suitable to check the formation of the harmful toxins and to neutralize that portion 

 of them that has already become absorbed. It must be recollected, also, that a part 

 of the sick animals recover in so quick a time after treatment (after a few hours, 

 in some cases after a few minutes), that the period would be too short for the 

 inhibition of the presumable toxin formation and the neutralizing or elimination of 

 the absorbed toxin. 



If it is further considered that the method of treatment which, depending upon 

 the inflation of air, permits a greater tension of the udder tissue, has yielded 

 a better percentage of cures, it becomes more reasonable to assume- that the inflation 

 of the udder (which is very sensitive shortly after parturition) acts solely as 

 an intensely irritating agent. In this mann'er it would on the other hand contribute 

 to relieving the unconsciousness, and on the other hand stimulate the vasomotor 

 nerves which in their turn are capable of producing a more decided emptying of 

 the abdominal vessels or of raising the blood pressure. In contrast to this view 

 many authors assume a mechanical action, namely, thus that the blood is believed to 

 be pressed out of the udder, the tissue of which is put on a tension by the injection 

 or the insufHation of air, and that the further flow of blood into the organ is inter- 

 fered -with, which then is supposed to lead to a removal of the supposed cerebral 

 anemia. 



As long as the nature of the disease remains obscure, it is self-evident that 

 the manner in which Schmidt's treatment produces its effect cannot be definitely 

 stated. 



In a consideration of the curative results it must be remembered that, since 

 the introduction of Schmidt's method in which the administration of medicines by 

 the mouth is obviated, complicating inflammations of the lungs have become less 

 frequent, and that, encouraged by the favorable results, owners do not slaughter the 

 animals as readily as formerly. Many older records testify that similar and, indeed, 

 more favorable curative results were observed before the application of the Schmidt 

 treatment. Thus Kruyt records 20% of losses, Porter about 19%, Black about 17%, 

 Ajolfi about 10%, Breckbohm about .5. .5.5%. (among 72 cases 4 deaths), Harms about' 

 2.7% and Biot in 200 cases about 2% of losses. 



Prophylaxis. Considering tlie predisposing factors in the 

 disease it seems advisable to give cows daily exercise during 

 the period of pregnancy. Towards the end of gestation, es- 

 pecially if they are dry for a long time before calving and 6 to 

 8 days after calving, they shonld he fed more sparingly. De 

 Brnin suggests that the cow be allowed to calve in the open in 

 Slimmer. 



Albrecht noticed the disappearance of this oft recurring and serious disease on 

 an estate, when the above mentioned prophylactic procedure had been carried out. 



Literature. Albrecht, W. f. Tk., 1904, 48.— Bredo, Bull., 1909, 228.— Delmer, 

 Bull., 1906, 417.— Gebauer, B. t. W., 1906, 377.— Habicht, B. t. W., 1907, 502.— 

 Harms, Mag., 1891, 3S8.— Hess, Sehw. A., 1905, XLVII, 279.— Hooper, Ann., 1905, 

 510.— Jensen, Z. f. Tm., 1898, III, 1.— Keim, Zur Atiol. d. Gebarparese, Diss., Leip- 

 zig, 1909 (Lit.).— Mathe, Eec, 1884, 658.— Meier, B. t. W., 1907, 103.— Nelke, Uber 

 d. Kalbefieber d. Eindes usw.. Diss. Bern, 1909 (Lit.).— Porcher, Eev. gen., 1903, II, 

 479._-Reinhardt, B. t. W., 1907, 150.— Salvisberg, Scliw. A., 1908, L, 230.— Schmidt, 

 W. f. Tk., 1905, 21.— Schmidt, Monh., 1898, IX, 241; B. t. W., 1902, 497.— Sonnen- 

 berg, B. t. W,, 1907, 283.— Stahn, Z. f. Vk., 1906, 214.— Zehl, Die Gebarparese d. 

 Eindes, 1905 (complete Lit.) ; B. t. W., 1908, 117. 



Diseases Similar to Milk-fever. Diseases occur occa.sionally, in 

 dependently of parturition, although clinically they are more or less lik 



