GRANULAR VENEREAL DISEASE AND ABORTION IN CATTLE. 57 

 CONCLUSIONS. 



1. Abortion in cattle is essentially always the result of a chronic 

 infection within the utero-chorionic space, revealing itself post- 

 mortem by the presence of the so-called abortion exudate, which 

 contains generally, if not always, the abortion bacilli. 



2. The granular venereal disease of cattle is, so far as known, 

 universally distributed. From clinical observation it has a vital 

 relation to contagious abortion. It is incurable in the present state 

 of our knowledge, but may be greatly decreased in virulence. 



3. Contagious abortion of cattle has attained an essentially uni- 

 versal distribution, frequently present merely as an unrecognized 

 infection of the genital organs, not inducing actual abortion but 

 causing premature birth, retained afterbirth, and sterility. 



4. The ordinary if not sole avenue of the entrance of the infection 

 of contagious abortion is the genital canal, and the invasion antedates 

 the sealing of the uterus, which ordinarily occurs within 30 days after 

 conception. . 



5. When conception has occurred and the cervical canal has been 

 sealed, the fate of the fetus is settled. If a sufficiently virulent and 

 voluminous infection exists in the utero-chorionic space, abortion 

 may result; if such infection does not exist within the sealed utero- 

 chorionic space when the formation of the seal is completed, it will 

 not enter thereafter during pregnancy. 



6. In the present state of our knowledge little or nothing can be 

 done to prevent abortion once the pregnant uterus is sealed and the 

 infection of contagious abortion exists within the hermetically sealed 

 cavity. 



7. By systematic disinfection of the genitalia immediately follow- 

 ing abortion or premature birth, and also in retained afterbirth and 

 kindred infections of the uterus, the affected animals may be largely 

 guarded against future sterility and abortion. It is even more im- 

 portant that the vaginse of heifers, whether virgin or previously bred, 

 and cows shall be systematically disinfected for a period before and 

 after breeding, until conception is assured. 



8. It is equally important that the genital organs of breeding bulls 

 be kept clean by regular disinfection, including washing immediately 

 prior to and after service. 



9. Most important of all, breeders of valuable cattle should insti- 

 tute definite, energetic, and permanent efforts to guard new-born 

 calves simultaneously against the three great dairy scourges — calf 

 ecours and pneumonia, abortion and sterility, and tuberculosis. 



