668 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



every way handled alike except that the second group was 

 more carefully handled and was healthier during the nur- 

 sery period. Everywhere that I have been able to observe, 

 this view is supported by clinical facts. It is a principle 

 which has an application in other species, and parallel evi- 

 dence is submitted in connection with the disease interfer- 

 ing with reproduction in swine. Consequently I hold that, 

 in handling the congenital infections of calves, the conser- 

 vation of life should not be regarded as an end in itself, but 

 merely as an essential pre-requisite to guarding the sexual 

 health and vigor of the future adult. 



The handling of dysentery must be founded upon certain 

 well established basic facts. Since the infections under dis- 

 cussion are primarily intra-uterine, intelligent endeavor 

 should be made to prevent or to minimize such invasion. 

 This is to be accomplished by securing, as far as possible, 

 the mating of sexually sound animals by such means as have 

 already been advised in the preceding pages. If conception 

 occurs in a clean uterus, as the result of coitus with a sexu- 

 ally sound bull, the calf will be born without serious infec- 

 tion in its alimentary tract. If the uterus or cervix is badly 

 infected prior to conception, or if the bull is suffering from 

 serious genital infection, which is ejaculated with the semen, 

 the calf when born will be critically infected. During preg- 

 nancy no remedy now known can ameliorate the infection. 

 No known substance administered in any manner has been 

 shown to invade the utero-chorionic cavity and disinfect it, 

 or to pass through the placental filter and destroy bacteria 

 in the fetal alimentary tract or other organ. Vendors of 

 biologies have offered alleged cures or preventatives to be 

 given pregnant cows, but I know of no ground for asserting 

 that they have value. 



Although the precautions advised in the preceding para- 

 graph are of great value and are to be urgently recom- 

 mended, they arc imperfect. Generally no thought is given 

 to such care until the storm breaks. .Many of the cows are 

 pregnant and the fetuses critically infected, and the termina- 

 tion of pregnancy must lie awaited before the infection in 



