192 Oattle Problems. 



traordinary abortion in dairy cows, is that the malady is 

 not distinguished by, and presents no marks or symptoms 

 of, disease or injury, other than those of starvation of the 

 embryo — as shown by several dissections — and the con- 

 sistent result that nearly all the embryo calves are dead 

 when aborted; while ordinary old-time abortions result 

 from causes that leave no evidence of starvation, nor do 

 the cows sustain impairment of their breeding power ; but 

 many cows affected by this modern kind of abortion, cer- 

 tainly lose the power to breed in many instances. 



This modern variety of abortion is also peculiar in an- 

 other feature : In occurring in numbers or clusters of cases 

 together, goffering — in this sole and accidental circum- 

 stance, but in no other — one suggestion of an epidemic. 

 It is not, however, epidemic in any degree. 



Another peculiar feature of the malady is, it intermits 

 farms, herds, and localities that fit in between or adjoin 

 affected herds, the cows in some cases bringing their heads 

 and their expired breath into near contact, which would 

 certainly lead to the spread of contagion, if there were 

 any, but not infecting the proximate or exempted herds, 

 by such close contact, which shows clearly that this new 

 kind of abortion is not epidemic. 



These and other peculiarities, particularly the established 

 fact that it " does not result from any of the known causes 

 of abortion in the human subject, or in animals," entitle 

 this malady to be classed as " Extraordinary," and we so 

 name_it accordingly. 



Its recent origin, at least on a noticeable scale on this 

 continent, is also remarkable, as it seems to have first ap- 

 peared in clusters of cases together, about the year 1856, 

 or soon after cheese-factory dairying commenced. 



In 1 86 1 -2., abortion increased considerably in the then 

 leading dairy counties of New York. The increase con- 

 tinued forward till, in 1867-8, it prevailed so intensely — 



