DISEASES OF YOUNG CALVES. 269 



In those cases in which urine is not discharged a tender swelling, like 

 a thick cord extending upward and backward from the navel into the 

 abdomen, may be identified. The navel enlargement may be consider- 

 able, but it is solid, does not gurgle on handling, and can not be done 

 away with by pressing it back into the abdomen as in a case of hernia. 



In cases at first closed the pus may burst out later, coming from the 

 back part of the navel and the swelling extending backward. In other 

 cases whitish pus may pass with the urine by the ordinary channel, 

 showing that it has opened back into the bladder. In other cases the 

 umbilical veins become involved, in which case the swelling extends 

 forward as well as backward. Thus the disease may result in destruc- 

 tive disorders of the liver, lungs, and, above all, of the joints. 



The disease may usually be warded off or rendered simple and com- 

 paratively harmless by applying antiseptics to the navel-string at 

 birth (carbolic acid 1 part, water and glycerine 5 parts each, or wood 

 tar). Later, antiseptics may be freely used (hyposulphite of soda 4 

 drams, water 1 quart) as an application to the surfa.ce and as an injec- 

 tion into the urachus, or even into the bladder if the two still commu- 

 nicate. If they no longer communicate, a stronger injection may be 

 used (tincture of perchloride of 'iron 60 drops, alcohol 1 ounce). Sev- 

 eral weeks will be required for complete recovery. 



ABSCESS OF THE NAVEL. 



As the result of irritation at calving or by the withered cord, or by 

 licking with the rough tongue of the cow, inflammation may attack the 

 loose connective tissue of the navel to the exclusion of the urachus 

 and veins, and go on to the formation of matter. In this case a firm 

 swelling appears as large as the fist, which softens in the center and 

 may finally burst and discharge. The opening, however, is usually 

 small and may close prematurely, so that abscess after abscess is 

 formed. It is distinguished from hernia by the fact that it can not be 

 returned into the abdomen, and from inflammations of the veins and 

 urachus by the absence of swellings forward and backward along the 

 lines of these canals. 



Treatment consists in an early opening of the abscess by a free incision 

 and the injection twice a day of an astringent antiseptic (chloride of 

 zinc dram, water 1 pint). 



INFLAMMATION OF THE NAVEL VEINS UMBILICAL PHLEBITIS. 



In this affection of the navel the inflammation may start directly 

 from mechanical injury, as in either of the two forms just described, 

 but on this are inoculated infective microbes, derived from a retained 

 and putrefying afterbirth, an abortion, a metritis, a fetid discharge 

 from the womb, an unhealthy open sore, a rase of erysipelas, from over- 



