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NOTES ON SOME DISEASES. 



ABORTION. Of all diseases or troubles to afflict the dairyman 

 abortion is undoubtedly the most to be feared. The loss of the 

 fioetus, or abortion, is sometimes due to a blow, a prod from another 

 cow, or some other more or less severe injury. The more common 

 cause is, however, the presence of a germ disease in the womb. 

 Abortion, when due to this disease, is contagious and difficult of 

 cure or eradication. 



Contagious Abortion is, undoubtedly, a curable disease; it is, 

 however, at the same time most difficult to control and almost 

 impossible to completely eradicate, once it gets into a district or 

 neighbourhood. Preventive or precautionary measures can scarcely 

 be too sti'jingeiit. The observance of strict quarantine against 

 animals of any age or either sex from infected herds is absolutely 

 necessary. 



If, however, in spite of all efforts at prevention, the disease 

 should get a foothold, no time should be lost in the inception of 

 most energetic and thorough measures of control and eradication. 

 The first animal to be affected in a herd usually drops a dead calf 

 or foetus. The fact of the cow aborting from no apparent cause and 

 giving birtih to a dead foetus, should excite suspicion and lead to 

 immediate precautionary action. The things to do are: 



(1). Isolate the cow or cows, burn the foetus and afterbirth, etc., 

 also all litter soiled with the fluids escaping at time of birth. Clean 

 out the whole barn and burn the refuse. Whitewash the walls, 

 floors, stall divisions, etc., with a solution of corrosive sublimate, 

 one ounce in 8 gallons of lime wash ready for application. Apply 

 freely. 



(2). Wash off the tail and all adjacent parts of all animals in 

 the stable with a solution of carbolic acid, 5 per cent, or a' solution 

 of creolin, zenoleum or phenol, aboiut three per cent, in water. The 

 uterus should be irrigated with a similar solution, kept well mixed. 

 A funnel and a bit of hose 5 or 6 feet long will prove satisfactory 

 as apparatus for this operation. The washing and irrigating treat^ 

 incut had better be repeated every second day for ten days or a 

 fortnight. 



(3). The isolated or aborted animals should be washed and 

 irrigated every day for two or three weeks and then every other day 

 278SD 9 



