INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF CATTLE. 393 



The disease may be defined as a highly contagious eruption situated 

 upon the external genital organs of both sexes and accompanied with 

 little or no general disturbance of health. The contagion, the nature of 

 which remains still unknown, is transmitted mainly during copulation. 

 The bull may have the disease and convey it to all the cows with 

 which he comes in contact; or he may become infected by one cow, 

 and, although not showing the disease, he may transmit it for several 

 days after to all other cows during copulation. Simple contact 

 between one cow and another may convey the disease, or the sponges 

 used in cleaning the diseased may carry the virus to the healthy. It 

 has also been conveyed to healthy cows by these animals lying with 

 their hind quarters against infected wooden troughs. 



Symptoms. — The period elapsing between the infection and the 

 appearance of symptoms is somewhat variable. It is usually given as 

 three to six days. It may be briefer or much longer. In cows the 

 mucous membrane of the vagina and the vulva become swollen, 

 inflamed, very tender, and covered with dark-red spots. The secre- 

 tion is very abundant and consists at first largely of serum and mucus 

 resembling the white of an egg. Small vesicles then appear, which 

 rapidly burst and are converted into excoriations or deeper ulcera- 

 tions. The secretion becomes more purulent and is apt to dry in 

 crusts about the root of the tail. The eruption is accompanied with 

 much itching and difficulty in urinating. The walk may be stiff and 

 awkward. In bulls the eruption is situated on the prepuce and the end 

 of the penis, and consists of pimples, vesicles, and ulcers, as in cows. 

 It is accompanied by a little purulent discharge from the prepuce, 

 itching, and difficulty in urinating. In severe cases the inflammation 

 and swelling may extend backward to the scrotum and forward upon 

 the abdomen. 



The disease lasts from one to four weeks and always terminates 

 in recovery. The acute stage lasts only four or five days, while 

 the complete healing of the inflammation is slow. The eruption is 

 usually accompanied by very little general disturbance. If the pain 

 and irritation are severe, there may be some slight loss of appetite 

 and diminished milk secretion in cows. The disease rarely causes 

 abortion. Chronic catarrh of the vagina and permanent sterility fre- 

 quently follow as sequelas. 



Treatment need not be resorted to excepting in severe cases. The 

 secretion and exudation should be washed off and a mild antiseptic 

 applied, such as a 1 per cent solution of carbolic acid (1 ounce to 3 quarts 

 of water) or 2 per cent solution of lysol or creolin in water. Care 

 must be taken not to carry the disease from the sick to the well by 

 sponges, etc., which have come in contact with the affected organs. 

 These should be destroyed. To prevent the spread of the disease the 

 infected animals should be kept isolated until they have recovered. 



