INFECTIOUS ABORTION 475 



in the food. In ten days the dose can be increased to sixteen 

 or even twenty-four ounces daily provided this quantity is 

 given in two or three feeds.^ 



The fundamental principles underlying the control of in- 

 fectious abortion are the same as for the eradication of any 

 infectious disease, viz.: (a) The separation of the sick from 

 the healthy. (6) The disinfection of the premises including 

 the safe disposal of the dead, (c) The care of the sick. 



(a) Cows which are about to abort or have aborted should 

 be removed from the rest of the herd and placed in maternity 

 stalls. 



(6) The premises should be thoroughly cleaned and dis- 

 infected and the dead fetuses and . afterbirths rendered 

 innocuous by burning, boiling, or deep burial. 



(c) As the herd bull may be a transmitter, it is advisable to 

 disinfect his genital organs before and after each service by 

 flushing out the sheath with some antiseptic (lysol 1 per cent.). 

 The long hairs at the end of the sheath should be cut away 

 and the hair around and in front of the sheath's opening' 

 removed with clippers. Bulls should be allowed contact with 

 cows only at time of service. Permit service only on neutral 

 ground, ground ordinarily not occupied by cattle. 



(d) Cows which have aborted and are still discharging 

 should be treated by irrigating with an antiseptic solution 

 (lysol 1 per cent.; creolin 2 per cent.). At first this may 

 be done every other day, later every third day and afterward 

 once or twice a week until all discharge ceases. The cow 

 should not be bred for about ten weeks after she has aborted 

 and not then if still discharging. It is usually advisable to 

 flush out her genital passages just before service, with a 

 bicarbonate of soda solution (2 per cent.) . 



Prevention. — To prevent the introduction of the disease 

 from the outside all newly purchased, pregnant animals 

 should be isolated until after calving. No cows should be 

 added to the herd with any abnormal vaginal discharge. 

 No bull should be patronized unless he is known to be clean. 



1 If gradually brought up to it cattle will stand enormous doses of phenol. 

 A thousand pound bull was given without injury in one day nearly 2 pounds 

 of phenol divided into four doses. 



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