244 " VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 



infection; for parturition certainly predisposes to this, in conse- 

 quence of the favorable condition of the parts, both genital canal 

 and uterus, to come under the influence of septic (poisonous) 

 material; and for this reason the most stringent measures should 

 be adopted to ensure perfect cleanliness both in and around the 

 box in which the mare foals; and further, it is a wise precaution 

 to keep other in-foal mares, whose time for delivery is near at 

 hand as far away from the mare that has just foaled as circum- 

 stances will permit, and that for a sufficient time to be satisfied 

 that the mare has cleansed and is going on satisfactorily; and 

 under no conditions should a man who has assisted in removing a 

 decomposing cleansing be allowed to go near an in-foal mare 

 until he has had a thorough good bath and disinfected his outer 

 clothing; disregard of these precautions is only too often the 

 chief factor in bringing about abortion or slipping foal; neither 

 should any recently foaled mare be allowed to go into a pasture 

 with other in-foal mares; all the litter in the box wherein the 

 mare foaled should be burnt; and if the mare has been the subject 

 of any of the foregoing maladies, the floor of the box should be 

 thoroughly disinfected with quicklime before allowing another 

 mare to occupy it. 



MAMMITIS, INFLAMMATION OF THE UDDER. 



Although this is a form of disease that rarely attacks the mare, 

 --no work on medicine would be complete without reference to it; 

 moreover it is necessary for the horse breeder to be on his guard 

 against any disorganization of this gland lest the milk should be 

 altered in character or the secretion suppressed or only diminished, 

 the consequence of which would fall on the sucking foal. 



In the mare the gland is divided into two partitions thus differ- 

 ing from the cow, whose udder has four divisions. In the mare 

 the whole gland is generally affected, while in the cow only one 

 quarter is, as a rule, the seat of inflammation in the first instance 

 or at one time. 



Symptoms. — The gland is swollen, hard and shiny; the swell- 

 ing extends along the abdomen, on the inside of the thighs and 

 down the legs; the large veins on the under surface of the abdo- 

 men are distended and full; if the teats are squeezed a thick fluid 

 mixed with blood is discharged; or if there is no blood the milk 



