386 CATTLE. 



Should, however, the discharge be fetid, the conclusion will be 

 that the foetus is dead, and must be got rid of, and that as speedily 

 as possible. Bleeding may even then be requisite, if much fever 

 exist ; or, perchance, if there be debility, some stimulating drink 

 may not be out of place. In other respects the animal must be 

 treated as if her usual time of pregnancy iiad been accomplished. 



Much may be done in the way of preventing the formation of this 

 habit of abortion among cows. The fcxtus must be got rid of im- 

 medialchj. It should be buried deep and far from the cow-pasture. 

 Proper means should be taken to hasten the expulsion of the placen- 

 ta. A dose of physic should be given ; the ergot of rye, as hereaf- 

 ter to be described, should be administered ; the hand should be in- 

 troduced, and an effort made, cautiously and gently, to detach the 

 placenta : all violence, however, should be carefully avoided, for 

 considerable and fatal hcemorrhage may ]je speedily produced. The 

 parts of the cow should be well washed with a solution of the 

 chloride of lime, and this should be injected up the vagina, and also 

 given internally. In the mean time, and especially after the expul- 

 sion of the placenta, the cow-house should be well washed with the 

 same solution, in the manner that was recommended when the treat- 

 ment of the malignant epidemic was under consideration. 



The cow, when beginning to recover, should be fattened and sold. 

 This is the first and the grand step towards the prevention of abor- 

 tion, and he is unwise who does not immediately adopt it. All 

 other means are comparatively ineflScient and worthless. Should the 

 owner be reluctant to part with her, two months at least should pass 

 before she is permitted to return to her companions. Prudence 

 would probably dictate that she should never return to them, but 

 be kept, if possible, on some distant part of the farm. 



Abortion having once occurred on 'the farm, the breeding cows 

 should be carefully watched. Although well fed, they should not 

 be suffered to get into too high condition. Unless thev are deci- 

 dedly poor and weak, they should be bled between the third and 

 fourth months of pregnancy, and a mild dose of physic should be 

 administered to each. If the pest continues to reappear, the owner 

 should most carefully examine how far any of the causes of abortion 

 that have been detected may exist on his farm, and exert himself 

 in carefully removing them. 



llomoeojyatkic treatment. — xvbortion seldom takes place suddenly ; 

 in general it is announced by several symptoms, among which maj 

 be noticed great disturbance, anxiety, depression of the mother, 

 sudden diminution of her milk, ana the escape by the vagina of a 

 fetid mucous fluid. If these precursors have been themselves pre- 

 ceded by any external violence, abortion is but still more probable, 

 and we must hasten to prevent it. This is the reason why, after a 

 blow, or a fall, ther« should be given without delay one or two 



