The Nodular Venereal Disease 315 



muco-pus present, so that the vulva of the heifer presents 

 an appearance which shows very definitely the fact that she 

 has copulated. By timely douching, this irritation and ex- 

 plosion of the infection may be obviated. It is quite safe to 

 douche within four or five hours after coitus. The evil ef- 

 fects of coitus may be controlled by douching at any time 

 after the period named up to about twenty-four hours. The 

 control may be rendered more complete by repeating the 

 douche at intervals of twenty-four hours for three or four 

 times. It may then be omitted. The control of the disease 

 at any period in the sexual life of the animal may be brought 

 about in a similar manner. Whenever the irritation is 

 marked, the vagina may be douched with a very mild anti- 

 septic two or three times a week, and such douching may be 

 continued indefinitely. There is an old prejudice, sometimes 

 still revived, against douching the vagina for fear of causing 

 abortion. No reason exists, so far as I know, why such re- 

 sult should follow a vaginal douche. Clinically I have seen 

 no tendency whatever for the douching to produce any ill 

 effects. It is a valuable hygienic and economic measure, 

 when properlly carried out, especially upon cows which are 

 constantly confined in the stable. While douching the va- 

 gina, the operator also washes the exterior of the vulva and 

 keeps the parts clean. 



In douching the vaginae of cows, one must take care not 

 to transmit from one to another some important form of in- 

 fection. Under proper precautions as to cleanliness, no such 

 danger ordinarily exists. Since the infections in a given 

 herd are fairly uniform, there is very little danger that one 

 female has a more serious genital infection than her neigh- 

 bor. There are, however, important exceptions. In a herd 

 where tuberculosis exists and an animal chances to have 

 genital tuberculosis, douching her vagina and then the va- 

 ginae of other females without thoroughly disinfecting 

 would be highly perilous. However, as, under proper veteri- 

 nary supervision, no cow with genital tuberculosis should 

 exist in the herd, such an exposure is unjustifiable. The 

 same conditions apply to the vesicular venereal disease, 



