666 THE DISEASES AND DISOEDERS OF THE OX. 



Injuries and Obstructions in the Teats. — There may 

 be tumours in the teats of the size of a pea which may be felt 

 by compressing the teat between the finger and thumb. There 

 may, too, be lacteal calculi or milk-stones. A silver probe 

 should be passed up the teat. A probe or knitting needle may 

 also be frequently passed, in case there should be a stricture of 

 the teat. Warts also are occasionally found at the end of a 

 teat. They may be removed by means of a ligature of fine silk 

 being tied firmly round, every day a new ligature being applied. 

 This causes the warts to slough off. Sore or chapped teats are 

 best treated by the application of the ointment of turpentine. 



ABORTION. 



When delivery takes place prematurely, abortion is said to 

 have occurred. Dr. Fleming considers as cases of abortion 

 all those instances in which expulsion is achieved thirty-five 

 days before the normal period of about nine and a half months. 

 It is apt to occur rather frequently in the case of the cow, 

 and may happen at almost any period of pregnancy, the most 

 usual time, however, being between the fourth and the seventh 

 month. According to Earl Spencer^ no calf can be born alive 

 before the 220th nor after the 313th day, and it is impossible 

 to rear calves born before the 242nd day. The general average 

 is a period of about 270 days. 



Abortion in cows, or premature expulsion of the foetus, may be 

 due to innumerable different causes; for instance, to all kinds of 

 unsanitary conditions, to mechanical injuries, over-driving, innu- 

 tritions and badly-prepared food, perhaps to certain kinds of 

 fodder — e.g. to ergotised grain, to the administration of catliar- 

 tics, as a consequence of exposure to cold, or of debility, or of 

 tubercular affection of difierent organs, also in cases of hernia, 

 or as a result of sympathy with other cows which have aborted 

 near at hand. Occasionally it may seem to be epizootic in 

 character, entire herds and even the cattle of whole districts 

 being afi'ected. 



There maybe an incompatibility betwixt the foetus and the dam 

 either on the side of the dam or on that of the offspring. For 

 example^ there may be malformations, and, occasionally, inju- 

 ries resulting from accidents. These might, perhaps, amount to 



