194 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



lessening the danger of an injury. Very small wounds of the 

 parturient passages may form tlie focus of a fatal infection. 



The after-treatment in such animals is of the greatest im- 

 portance. Whenever possible, the placenta must be removed 

 immediately after parturition, since its decomposition forms an 

 excellent medium for pathogenic micro-organisms. Insufficient 

 contraction of the uterus prevents their manual removal, as all 

 the cotyledons cannot be reached by the hand. In either case 

 antiseptic uterine irrigations must be employed. For that 

 purpose a 1 to 2 per cent, creolin, lysol or alum solution is 

 indicated. 



After removal of the afterbirth, the uterus is thoroughly 

 irrigated with cold water. I have frequently succeeded in 

 lowering the body temperature in one hour one degree by irri- 

 gating the uterus with cold water. This is followed by an 

 irrigation with creoliu solution, which is allowed to run out of 

 the uterus. Should it be impossible to remove the afterbirth 

 by hand, the uterus is to be irrigated twice daily with a 1 per 

 cent, warm creolin solution. After a few days the uterus con- 

 tracts sufficiently so that the cotyledons can be reached and the 

 afterbirth removed. Now the irrigations are continued once 

 daily until the os uteri closes to the extent that the hand cannot 

 be passed any longer and the discharges of the uterine secre- 

 tion have become very limited. Internally, antiseptics are 

 given, camphor with oleum terebinthinia (camphorse, 5.0; 

 olei terebiuthinse, 15.0; pulv. rad. althaese, 40.0; fiat pulvis, 

 dentur tales doses iv.; S. twice daily one powder). The ad- 

 ministration of boras in large quantities (100 g. per day) can be 

 recommended. 



After such a prolonged case of dystokia, leaving the cow 

 more or less soporous, coffee with sether may be given. 



The cords used in this parturition are to be burned to 

 prevent their infecting an animal at another occasion. The 

 iron instruments are to be heated. Simply rinsing them in 

 the creolin or carbolic acid solutions is insufficient ; the many 

 depressions on the filed surface make a thorough disinfec- 

 tion by rinsing them an illusory one. 



