ACUTE, SIMPLE AGALACTIA 121 



in a precarious condition from retention of the urine, 

 so that danger of losing the animal's life were immi- 

 nent, we would recommend tapping the bladder 

 through the rectum as the first procedure. 



ACUTE, SIMPLE AGALACTIA 



In dairy cows a condition frequently occurs which 

 can only be described as an acute, simple agalactia. 



This trouble is usually sporadic in nature, affecting 

 a single cow now and then without any apparent 

 cause. 



The history in these caess is nearly always the same. 

 A cow that is otherwise a good milker suddenly gives 

 only about half the usual quantity and at the very 

 next milking is almost completely dry. In every other 

 respect the animal appears normal; eats well, drinks, 

 appears bright and well. Quite careful examination 

 on the part of the attending veterinarian fails to de- 

 tect any abnormality of value from a diagnostic stand- 

 point. 



It is usual to suspect something wrong with the feed, 

 but this suspicion is discarded because all the other 

 cows in the herd are getting the same feed and are 

 not affected. 



Apparently this is a condition induced by trophic 

 nerve disturbance of an obscure character. It is al- 

 ways a purely functional disease; no inflammatory or 

 congestive signs occur in the udder which can be de- 

 termined clinically. The one and only symptom is 

 the absence of lacteal fluid. 



The treatment of this condition is based wholly on 

 this aspect of the pathology of the disease — namely: 

 that it is a purely functional abnormality, and the 



