DISEASES OF COWS. 457 



this accident is popularly kmmi\ as "falling of the 

 withers." It occurs mostly after calving, when the os 

 uteri or opening of the organ is dilated. The malady 

 has heen known for ages and an ancient Roman veterina- 

 rian (Vegetius), writing of it, made the useful sugges- 

 tion to use an inflated pig's bladder as a means of pres- 

 sure to retain the organ after its return to its position. 



The treatment is as follows. The organ is to be care- 

 fully washed with warm water and returned through the 

 orifice gradually by the fingers — the nails having been 

 closely pared to avoid injury. The organ is to be held 

 and supported meanwhile on a sheet held by assistants, 

 and when in a proper position the extremity of it is pushed 

 into the .opening by the closed fist ; the uterus folding 

 in upon itself by the pressure as it is carried into its place. 

 When the uterus has been returned to its position it is 

 held there by means of a bandage across the hind parts, 

 so arranged as to support it without interfering with the 

 evacuations. To repress spasmodic efforts to expel the 

 organ, laudanum is given in doses of two ounces each, re- 

 peated at intervals of two hours if necessary. As the 

 trouble is almost sure to occur with the next calf, cows 

 subject to it should be fattened off as soon as may be. 



RETENTION OF F(ETA.L MEMBRAKES OR AFTER-BIRTH. 



This is a very common trouble in dairies and occurs 

 more frequently with cows than with any other animals. 

 The reason for this is that the foetal membranes of the 

 cow are attached to the surface of the uterus, for their 

 support, by a large number of broad attachments called 

 cotyledons, varying from forty to a hundred ; these at 

 times adhere quite firmly, and some of them do not sepa- 

 rate until after the os uteri has closed and holds the 

 membranes partly ejected and partly retained. The 

 trouble, however, is not serious, unless through some 



