THE HEALTH OP THE HERD 101 



membranes, and some of the best students of the 

 question insist that this condition can occur only 

 as the result of a specific germ. The owner wUl 

 find abundant discussion and advice available, and 

 he may at least rest assured that if he will keep up 

 his courage, care well for his animals and feed 

 abundantly, he will gradually gather a herd that is 

 at least partially immune so that a premature calf 

 will be the exception instead of the rule. The 

 writer has had considerable experience as a lay- 

 man in the effort to control this disease, and he 

 has no desire to offer specific advice or to combat 

 any system of treatment. 



Milk fever or parturient apoplexy, while a 

 once dreaded scourge, may now be fairly described 

 as of mainly historical interest. The simple and 

 remarkably efficient method for its cure is the one 

 great outstanding triumph of veterinary medicine. 

 Until less than a generation ago, the cow just 

 easily delivered of a calf, more especially if she 

 was a heavy milker and in the best condition, 

 would be noticed to stagger, within a few moments 

 go down, throw her head around against her side, 

 breathe slowly and noisily, become unconscious 

 and in the greater number of cases die within 

 twelve to thirty-six hours. Every dairyman who 

 had good well-fed cows came to know these ^mp- 

 toms only too well. Of course we called the cow 

 doctor and, according to the rules, he poured down 

 the unconscious animal purgatives and aconite, but 



