128 SPECIAL CATTLE THERAPY 



point of sequelifi, of wliicli mastitis is the most im- 

 portant. 



The vai".' us operations which have been recom- 

 mended and quite thoroughl}^ tried out, as well as the 

 different typ^s of bistuories and dilators, have not 

 proven of much value in general practice. It is al- 

 most an absolute, necessity to have hospital facilities 

 for the proper and conscientious performance of the 

 measures required to correct a high stricture in the 

 lacteal duct. It is decidedly humiliating for the vet- 

 erinarian in general practice to see a severe mastitis 

 succeeding manipulations for the correction of a con- 

 dition which, to the farmer, seems a trivial matter. 



In our practice we refuse to treat a high stricture 

 of the teat until we have clearly explained to the owner 

 what the chances are. We make it clear to him that 

 rarely is any form of interference attended with re- 

 sults which are so satisfactory as to warrant the at- 

 tempt; that in many instances a severe mastitis, which 

 will probably destroy the quarter, Avill supervene. If, 

 after this warning, he is still willing to submit the cow 

 to treatment, we attempt dilatation, and in some cases 

 incision of the stricture. AVe have not enough faith in 

 any procedure for the correction of this condition, 

 with which we are familiar, to give it space here. 



In those cases which involve the apex or distal end 

 of the duct we can obtain good results with fair regu- 

 larity. "We have met with two forms of the condition 

 in this part of the duct. One form is a true stricture 

 or narrowing of the lumen of the duct, probably as the 

 result of infectious or other inflammatory processes. 

 In this form we are able to obtain good results from 

 dilatation. It is not very important how this dilata- 

 tion is accomplished, so that it is done aseptically and 

 bloodlessly. We use an ordinary teat dilator, repeat- 



