MASTITIS— MAMMITIS 125 



no generally practiced or accepted method of treat- 

 ment. Nearly every veterinarian has his own ideas 

 and method of treating this condition. In our own 

 practice we have had recourse to a considerable num- 

 ber of therapeutic measures such as have been recom- 

 mended from time to time, and we confess that we 

 have not been very successful in treating mastitis with 

 any of them. Neither have we been able to work- 

 out a uniformly successful treatment of our own. 

 While we are able to obtain moderately satisfactory 

 results in most cases, we can not say that w^e have a 

 treatment for this disease which is equal to the de- 

 mands made upon it by the condition. We mean by 

 this that we are not quite sure of our success in pre- 

 venting interference with the function of the gland. 

 It is by this success — namely: that the cow may be as 

 good a milk producer after the attack as before — that 

 the real value of treatment is measured. 



As we said in beginning, mastitis is important from 

 an economic standpoint chiefly because it has a tend- 

 ency to permanently interfere with the output of milk. 

 It is not an exceptionally difficult matter to subdue 

 the acute manifestations of the disease; but it is a 

 very difficult matter to so conduct the treatment that 

 the gland may escape permanent impairment of func- 

 tion. 



The method of treatment which has given us the 

 best results begins with a cathartic dose of arecolin 

 or eserin. The earlier in the attack this cathartic is 

 given the more gratifying the results. 



Following on this, hot fomentations are ordered ap- 

 plied to the affected gland, at least fifteen minutes 

 out of every hour, for twelve or fifteen hours. The 

 affected quarter is to be gently milked out each time 

 before applying the hot water. Also, during the same 



