696 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



of pregnancy have genital discharges. After abortion in 

 advanced pregnancy, and after calving at full term, asso- 

 ciated with retained afterbirth and metritis, the discharges 

 of highly virulent pus are very voluminous, reaching quarts 

 and even gallons daily. If such cows are kept in stanchions 

 in the milking stable, the discharges largely drop into the 

 gutter and go out with the manure. However, they are not 

 wholly disposed of in this safe manner. Portions of the 

 discharges reach the udder of the affected cow or various 

 portions of her body and of the bodies of adjacent cows and 

 may in part, as dust or otherwise, reach the milk, or the 

 feed and water of the cows. It is yet worse when the af- 

 fected animal is at pasture and the discharges contaminate 

 the food of other animals. While I hold it has not been 

 shown that the eating of such discharges by pregnant cattle 

 can cause interruption of the existing pregnancy, I regard 

 it nevertheless as unhealthy and not without peril. I con- 

 sider it of far greater peril to a young calf which may eat 

 such contaminated food. 



The maternity stable provides greater security against 

 errors with milk. A conscientious dairyman does not wish 

 to sell milk from a sick cow, but when such an animal is in 

 the dairy stable her milk is liable to be sent to market 

 through error. Sometimes drugs, such as iodoform, which 

 taint the milk repulsively are being used in uterine dis- 

 eases, and by error the milk is included with that of the 

 herd and is sent to market. This would generally be pre- 

 vented by the use of an adequate maternity stable. The 

 chief purpose served by such a stable is that it offers the 

 best possible facility for giving to a puerperal cow that at- 

 tention which will most safely and promptly restore her 

 genital health if diseased, and best guard it if well. There 

 is no time in the life of a cow when care and skill can ac- 

 complish as much as during the first few days following 

 the termination of pregnancy. 



