3 16 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



which has been described previously. Careless douching 

 would spread this infection rapidly throughout the entire 

 herd. As with tuberculosis, this is wholly unjustified, be- 

 cause the animal with vesicular venereal disease should be 

 in strict quarantine. 



Perhaps the greatest danger involved in the general 

 douching of a herd is from those animals which may have a 

 very virulent infection of the genital organs, as retained 

 afterbirth or pyometra. Here again the prudent veteri- 

 narian places the seriously infected animal under efficient 

 quarantine and before an apparatus is used for douching 

 virtually sound animals, except for moderate nodular vene- 

 real disease, it is to be thoroughly disinfected by boiling. 



The best method for douching the vagina and washing 

 the exterior of the vulva is by means of a gravity apparatus 

 suspended from an elevated track behind the row of cows. 

 Depending upon the size of the herd and the surroundings, 

 one may use a five-gallon pail with a faucet or a barrel of 

 the most convenient size, attaching to it a soft rubber horse 

 stomach tube. The vessel is filled with the desired solution 

 and elevated upon the track approximately two or three 

 feet above the backs of the cows, the tube is inserted into 

 the vagina for a sufficient distance, and the fluid is per- 

 mitted to flow in rapidly until the vagina fills and the wall 

 contracts and expels the fluid. Before inserting the tube 

 into the vagina, the exterior of the vulva should be washed 

 with sufficient care to avoid dragging any large particles of 

 dirt into the vagina. By such a plan, the breeder or dairy- 

 man has it in his power to mitigate and control the severity 

 of the nodular venereal disease. With proper equipment, 

 the application of these hygienic measures is neither diffi- 

 cult nor expensive. One man can readily douche the vagi- 

 nae of forty to sixty cows an hour, and do it reasonably well. 



