700 



ACUTE INFLAMMATION OF THE UDDER. 



the wound are carefully disinfected and sutured. It must not be 

 forgotten, however, that during lactation milk nstulse often resist 

 the most careful treatment, though they readily heal when the 

 animal becomes " dry." The gaping of wounds of the teats and 

 escape of milk can sometimes be prevented by applying a well-fitting 

 rubber ring, which, however, must not be too tight ; adhesive plaster, 

 collodion or wound gelatine may be employed for the same purpose 

 on the hairless or previously-shaven udder. Hertwig recommends 

 a liniment of alum and albumen, which should be applied to the 

 thickness of an eighth of an inch or more. During lactation, however, 

 every means may fail, because the udder is continually filling and 

 emptying, and the skin changing in tensity. The use of a milk 

 catheter, by allowing the milk to discharge from the affected section, 



Fig. 447. — Milk fistula). 1, deep suture— schema showing the course of the 

 suture ; FL, base of the fistula ; S, suture ; 2, superficial interrupted suture. 



often gets over the difficulty and ensures healing by primary 

 intention. If immediate healing be no longer possible, treatment 

 must follow general principles. By observing careful relative 

 antisepsis, extension of infection, pus formation and cellulitis can 

 be prevented. Closure of fistulse may be sought by using caustics 

 or by inserting deep as well as superficial sutures ; during treatment 

 a milk catheter should be used. All other methods failing, the end 

 of the lactation period must be awaited, when the fistula can 

 generally be closed by cauterising the edges with nitrate of silver 

 or by suturing. 



Bruises, accompanied by the passage of blood-stained milk, 

 require the udder and the teats to be kept clean, so as to prevent 

 infection. The removal of the blood and milk is best effected by 

 catheter. Moist warmth in the form of poultices assists resorption. 

 So-called resorbent applications like mercurial ointment rarely effect 



