INFECTIOUS ABORTION IN CATTLE 205 
“When the calf is born, it should be taken immediately from the 
cow and not permitted to suck. It should be rubbed dry under 
antiseptic or aseptic precautions and placed in a clean isolated 
stall. 
“In feeding the new-born calf, select the milk of a healthy cow 
which has calved promptly and naturally in thirty minutes or less, 
has expelled her afterbirth quickly and naturally within two hours, and 
has no discharge from the uterus. The milk from cows which have 
aborted or have had retained afterbirth should not be used. The 
milk for the calf should be drawn under strict application of the rules 
for the production of certified milk and fed to the calf from a sterile 
pail. When the calf has reached eight to ten days of age, the milk 
fed may come from any source if it is boiled in a water bath. 
“The control of the infection by copulation must be based upon 
thorough disinfection of all available genital organs. The systematic 
douching of the sheath of the bull and the vagina of the cow is highly 
valuable. It is of still greater value to disinfect thoroughly the 
uterine cavity of a cow which has aborted or has had retained after- 
birth or metritis with a discharge. In such cases, the disinfection 
should be prompt and vigorous and the uterus should be brought to 
its natural state as early as possible. 
“Tf the disease is to be suppressed to the greatest possible degree, 
it is desirable to establish as a rule of practice the douching of the 
uteri of all cows before breeding, beginning three to four weeks prior 
to the time it is desired to breed and repeating at least once a week 
up to within a day or two of the time when it is desired to breed. The 
uterus may be douched with two per cent. Lugol’s solution or its 
equivalent. Just prior to breeding, the vagina may be douched with a 
0.25 per cent. Lugol’s solution or with a normal salt solution.” 
The immunization of cattle against infectious abortion has been 
the subject of much experimental work. Observations pointed to an 
acquired immunity after from one to three abortions. Williams 
attributes the phenomenon that older cows suffer less than young ones 
from abortion to a natural age immunity. M’Fadyean and Stockman 
were unable to secure any evidence that natural immunity to the 
abortion organism is possessed by any individuals of the bovine 
species. They carried out several experiments for the purpose of 
producing immunity. Their results were encouraging and with a 
few animals they seemed to be positive. 
