DISEASES OF YOUNG- CALVES. 245 



of elastic tubing one-third of an inch in bore should be kept at hand 

 for sucking and blowing in such cases. 



BLEEDING PROM THE NAVEL. 



This may occur in two conditions — when the cord is cut off too 

 close to the navel and left untied and when it tears off at the navel. 

 (PI. XIV.) It may also bleed when torn across naturally, if it is 

 sucked by the dam or another calf. In an animal with little plas- 

 ticity to its blood it will flow under almost any circumstances. 

 Where any cord is left it is always safe to tie it, and it is only when 

 it is swollen and may possibly contain a loop of the bowel that there 

 is danger in doing so. By pressing upward any bulky contents such 

 danger is avoided. If torn or cut too close to be tied the bleeding 

 may be checked by applying alum, copperas, or for a fraction of a 

 second the end of an iron rod at a dull-red heat. If much blood has 

 been lost it may be requisite to transfuse several ounces of blood or 

 of a weak common-salt solution into the open umbilical vein. 



URINE DISCHARGED THROUGH THE NAVEL (PERSISTENT URACHUS). 



Before birth the urine passes from the bladder by a special tube 

 through the navel and navel string into the outer water bag (allan- 

 tois). (PI. XII.) This closes at birth, and the tube shrinks into a 

 fine cord up to the bladder. It is only in the bull calf that it is likely 

 to remain open, doubtless because of the long, narrow channel through 

 which the urine must otherwise escape. The urethra, too, is some- 

 times abnormally narrow, or even closed, in the male. If part of the 

 cord remains tie it and allow the whole to wither up naturally. If 

 the cord has been removed and the ttibe (urachus) protrudes, dis- 

 charging the urine, that alone must be tied. If there is nothing 

 pendent the urachus must be seized, covered by the skin, and, a 

 curved needle being passed through the skin and above the duct, it 

 may be tied along with this skin. A blister of Spanish flies, causing 

 ' swelling of the skin, will often close the orifice. So with the hot iron. 

 If the urethra of the male is impervious it can rarely be remedied. 



INFLAMMATION OP THE URACHUS (NAVEL URINE DUCT). 



This may originate in direct mechanical injury to the navel in 

 calving, or shortly after, with or without the lodgment of irritant and 

 septic matter on its lacerated or cut end. The mere contact with 

 healthy urine, hitherto harmless, can now be looked on as becoming 

 suddenly irritating. The affection is usually marked by the presence 

 of redness and swelling at the posterior part of the navel and the 

 escape of urine and a few drops of whitish serous pus from the orifice 

 of the tirachus. In those cases in which urine is not discharged a 

 tender swelling, like a thick cord extending upward and backward 



