DISEASES OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 169 



suits from their administration, in other instances total failures have 

 been recorded. It appears that the experiments in this line have not 

 progressed sufficiently to justify definite conclusions. 



Prevention consists largely in sanitary measures directed toward 

 the disinfection of premises and animals. For a method for disinfec- 

 tion of premises see page 361. 



The following procedure is advised for the disinfection of animals : 

 To prevent the bull from carrying the infection from a diseased cow 

 to a healthy one, first clip the tuft of long hair from the opening of 

 the sheath, then disinfect the penis and sheath with a solution of 0.5 

 per cent of compound cresol solution, lysol, or trikresol, or 1 per 

 cent carbolic acid, or 1 to 1,000 potassium permanganate in warm 

 water. The only apparatus necessary is a soft-rubber tube with a 

 large funnel attached to one end, or an ordinary fountain syringe 

 and tube would serve the purpose. The tube should be inserted into 

 the sheath and the foreskin held with the hand to prevent the 

 immediate escape of the fluid. Elevate the funnel as much as possible 

 and pour the fluid in until the preputial sac is filled. In addition 

 to this the hair of the belly and inner sides of the thigh should be 

 sponged Avith the antiseptic. This disinfection should invariably pre- 

 cede and follow every service." 



An aborting cow should receive immediate attention, and the ani- 

 mal should be removed to separate quarters where she can receive 

 appropriate treatment. The fetus, membranes, and discharges are 

 particularly dangerous and should be gathered- up and destroyed 

 immediately by burning or by burial in some safe place, followed by 

 thoroughly disinfecting the stall. The uterus should be irrigated 

 daily with one of the antiseptics mentioned for the bull, using the 

 same apparatus, and irrigation should be continued until discharge 

 ceases. In addition, the external genitals, root of tail, escutcheon, 

 etc., should be sponged daily with a solution twice as strong as that 

 used for irrigation; this latter treatment should be given the non- 

 aborters as well. Should the preliminary symptoms of abortion be 

 detected, the animal should be removed from the herd and treated 

 us above. 



After abortion, breeding should not again be attempted within two 

 months, or until the discharge shall have ceased, as the uterus would 

 not be normal, and the animal either would not conceive or would 

 abort again in a short time. 



. Great care should be used in purchasing cattle, and cows not 

 known to be free from the disease should be kept in separate quarters 

 until this point is determmed. If a herd bull is not kept, then great 

 care should be taken to know that the animal used is free of disease 

 and to see that he is properly treated both before and after service. 



