DISEASES FOLLOWING PARTURITION. 261 



SUPPRESSION OF MILK. 



The absence of milk in the udder may result from ill health, debility, 

 emaciation, chronic disease of the bag, wasting of the gland from pre- 

 vious disease, or insufficient food, but sometimes it will occur suddenly 

 without any appreciable cause. The treatment will consist in remov- 

 ing the cause of the disease, to feed well on rich albuminoid food made 

 into warm mashes, and to give ounce doses of aromatic carminatives, 

 like anise-seed, fennel-seed, etc. Rubbing and stripping the udder are 

 useful ; and the application of oil of lavender or of turpentine, or even 

 a blister of Spanish flies, will sometimes succeed. 



BLOODY MILK. 



Blood may escape with the milk when the udder has been injured by 

 blows, also when it is congested or inflamed, when the circulation 

 through it has been suddenly increased by richer and more abundant 

 food, or when the cow is under the excitement of heat. The milk froth- 

 ing up and assuming a pink tinge is often the first sign of red- water, and 

 it may result from eating acrid or irritant plants, like the rauunculacea?, 

 resinous plants, etc. Deposits of tubercle or tumors in the udder, or 

 induration of the gland, may be efficient causes, the irritation caused by 

 milking contributing to draw the blood. Finally there may be a reddish 

 tinge or sediment when madder or logwood has been eaten. 



In milk which becomes red after it is drawn it may be due to the 

 1 11 seiu-e in it of the micrococcus prodigiosus. This also grows on bread, 

 and is the explanation of the supposed miracle of the "bleeding host." 



The treatment will vary with the cause. In congested glands give 1 

 pound of epsom salts, and daily thereafter 4 ounce saltpeter, with a 

 dram of chlorate of potash; bathe the bag with hot or cold water, and 

 rub with camphorated lard. If the food is too rich or abundant it must 

 be reduced. If from acrid plants these must be removed from pasture 

 or fodder. Induration of the udder may be met by rubbing with a com- 

 bination of iodine ointment 1 part, soft soap 2 parts; or mercurial oint- 

 ment and soap may be used. Careful milking is imperative. 



BLUE MILK. 



Watery milk in blue, but the presence of a germ (Jlacillux ci/tntogcnm) 

 causes a distinct blue shade even in rich milk and cream. It may reach 

 the milk after it has been drawn, or it may find its way into the open- 

 ing of the milk ducts and enter the milk as it is drawn. In the latter 

 case, frequent milking and the injection into the teats of a solution of 2 

 drams of hyposulphite of soda in a pint of water will servo to destroy 

 them. 



STRINGY MILK. 



This may be caused by fungi developing in the liquid, and that the 

 spores are present in the system of the cow may IMJ safely inferred from 



