DISEASES FOLLOWING PARTURITION. 255 



inflammation developing into a fibrous mass, it softens and breaks 

 down into the white creamy liquid pus (abscess). This abscess may 

 make its way to the surface and escape externally, or it may burst into 

 a milk duct and discharge through the teat. It may break into both 

 and establish a channel for the escape of milk (fistula). In the worst 

 types of the disease gangrene may ensue, a quarter or half, or even the 

 whole udder, losing its vitality and sloughing off, if the cow can bear 

 up against the depressing influence. These gangrenous cases are prob- 

 ably always the result of infection and sometimes run a very rapidly 

 fatal course. I recall one to which I was called as soon as the owner 

 noticed it, yet I found one quarter dark blue, cold, and showing a ten- 

 dency to the formation of blebs containing a bloody secretion. The 

 cow. which had waded through a depth of semiliquid manure to reach 

 her stall, died within twenty-four hours. 



Treatment will vary with the type and the stage of the disease. If 

 is seen in the shivering fit, every effort should be made to cut 

 that short, as the inflammation may be thereby greatly moderated if not 

 cheeked. Copious drinks of warm water thrown in from horn or bottle; 

 equally copious warm injections; the application of heat in some form 

 to the surface of the body (by a rug wrung out of hot water; by hanging 

 over the back and loins bags loosely filled with bran, sand, salt, chaff, 

 or other agent previously heated iu a stove; by the use of a flatiron or 

 the wanning of the surface by a hot-air bath), or by active friction with 

 straw wisp.s by two or more persons; the administration of a pint of 

 strong alcoholic liquor, or of 1 ounce of ground ginger, may serve to cut 

 short i lie attack. After half an hour's sweat, rub dry and cover with a 

 dry blanket. 



I f. on the other hand, there is little or no fever, and only a slight 

 inflammation, rub well with camphorated ointment or a weak iodine 

 ointment, and milk three, four, or six times a day, rubbing the bag 

 thoroughly each time. Milking must be done with great gentleness, 

 squeezing the teat in place of pulling and stripping it, and if this causes 

 too much pain, the teat tube (Plate xxiv. Fig. 4), or the spring teat- 

 dilator (Plato, xxiv, Fig. 3) may be employed. 



In cases in which the fever has set in and the inflammation is more 

 advanced, a dose of laxative medicine is desirable (Epsom sails. 1 to 2 

 pounds, ginger, 1 ounce), which may be followed after the purging haa 

 censed by daily doses of saltpeter, 1 ounce. Many rely on cooling and 

 astringent applications to the inflamed quarter (vinegar, sugar of lead 

 lotion, cold water, ice, etc.), but a safer and better resort is continued 

 fomentation with warm water. A bucket of warm water replenished 

 as it cools, may be set beneath the udder and two IMTSOIIS can raise a 

 rug out of this and hold it against the udder, dipping it anew whenever 

 the lie.it i- somewhat lost. Or a .sheet may be passed around the Imdy 

 with four holes cut for the teats and soft rags packed between it and 

 the udder and kept warm by pouring on water as warm as the hands 



