84 MASTITIS OF THE COW 



usually perceives a great number of Gram positive pyog- 

 enes bacilli outside of the cells. 



When uncomplicated the condition is free from fever, 

 but passes on to chronic emaciation with leather-like thick- 

 ening of the skin and roughened hair coat. In complica- 

 tions with secondary infections or (and) with gangrene 

 fever develops which may be high and continuous. 



The above mentioned case with localization of the in- 

 fection principally in the cisterns and milk-ducts presents 

 a somewhat diverging picture. The affected quarter is 

 uniformly swollen and hard. The milk is perhaps of 

 normal appearance or may show fibrin flakes. The quan- 

 tity of milk decreases somewhat slowly and tends to ter- 

 minate after one to two months, or longer, by complete 

 suppression of milk secretion. 



Prognosis is always unfavorable. Healing of this 

 udder condition is possible but very infrequent. A pro- 

 gressive destruction of the organ is the rule. The affection 

 predisposes to fatal complications with secondary infections 

 and gangrene. With manifestation of such conditions, 

 high fever and red-stained or stinking milk, the prognosis 

 is unfavorable. 



Treatment. — Prophylaxis is the most important. If 

 a stable of cows contains one case of udder-pyobacillosis one 

 should slaughter the affected cow in order to prevent fur- 

 ther spreading of the infection. If the owner will not con- 

 sent to this the animal must be strictly isolated. She is 

 milked last and the infected milk must be so treated with 

 disinfectants that the living infectious organisms cannot be 

 further distributed. For prevention of a possible trans- 

 mission of the infection by means of flies, the teats and 

 wounds, if wounds be present, of the affected cow may be 

 smeared with creolin-petrolatum, which the flies avoid 

 because of its odor. 



By actual treatment one endeavors, when possible, to 



