THE FEMALE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 481 



frequent passage of probes or syphons of gradually 

 increasing size. 



Relaxation is seen as a result of the practice of allowing 

 over-accumulation of milk. It gives rise to Lactorrh(ea. 

 The mechanism by which the milk is retained in the galac- 

 tophores is variously described as an elastic ring or a 

 sphincter of muscular fibre. The fact that the cow can 

 retain the milk if an attempt be made to remove it by a 

 stranger seems to support the latter opinion. When this 

 muscular substance is disordered a free flow takes place. To 

 palliate this the sphincter has been artificially replaced by 

 an elastic band which compresses the teat enough to close 

 its passage but not to strangulate it. This is removed 

 at milking time, and seems to answer in many cases. 

 Lactorrhoea sometimes results from inattention and want 

 of milking after removal of a calf (' Edinburgh Veterinary 

 Review/ vol. iii^ p. 190). 



Addendum 2. — Milk and its Disorders. 



The milk of the cow has a specific gravity, averaging 

 1030, and contains less fatty matter, albumen, and sugar 

 than that of the human female, but considerably more 

 casein and salines. It varies very much in quality and 

 quantity with the nature of the diet. Is tested by means 

 of a special form of the hydrometer, termed the lacto- 

 meter, and also by microscopical examination. We need 

 not enter into details of this, but simply remark that 

 though under healthy conditions the variations in quality 

 and quantity of this fluid are rather extensive, they are 

 more so as a result of disease. 



Agalactia is the non-production of milk in consequence 

 either of atrophy of the mammary gland, which results 

 from inflammation, or of debility of the system in general. 

 In the former case it is incurable, in the latter, by 

 judicious feeding with highly nutritious diet, the flow of 

 milk may be restored. The value of galactagogues is not 

 quite a matter of certainty. It is said by some that 



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