PARTURIENT DISEASES. 837 



given rise to abortion. Among these there is no doubt that wet, 

 moldy, and frosted fodder, smutty grain, ergoted corn, rye, and hay, 

 are predisposing causes. So, on the other hand, is the plethoric 

 condition induced by too rich food. If there is reason to think the 

 cause of the epidemic lies in the food, a change in the character or 

 quality of the diet should be made at once. If ergoted hay or 

 smutty corn must be used, feed roots fre'ely at the same time. In 

 order to escape the attacks of ergotism, the selection of pasturage 

 must be carefully made. Wet localities are most liable to ergot in 



Fig. 1100.— Hysterocele. 



the rye-grass. If pastures are grazed, or mown early and allowed 

 to rest until a wet season, they become prolific sources of ergotized 

 grass. When it is difficult to change the pastures, it is a safe pre- 

 caution to mow down the grass, so as to prevent a second crop's 

 going to seed. 



Indigestion, as producing obstinate constipation, diarrhea, 

 hoven, etc., which sometimes cause abortion, must be avoided by 

 care and the observance of the rules of hygiene. 



Give daily doses of one half ounce of chlorate of potash to 

 every pregnant cow, and keep the animals completely isolated, and 

 confined in sheds or stables that have been thoroughly disinfected. 

 If premonitory symptoms appear, large and repeated doses of lauda- 

 num may be given to quiet the system and check the tendency, but 

 if the symptoms increase, isolate the cow at once, for the abortion is 

 probably inevitable. After recovery, a cow should not take the bull 

 until she has run over several periods of heat. If she aborts the 

 second time, there should be no hesitancy iri fattening her, as she 

 will be a constant source of danger to the herd. 



