68 SPECIAL CATTLE THERAPY 



prophylactic standpoint. Pregnant cows should not 

 be permitted to give birth in infected stables and 

 all calves born on premises where the disease has been 

 known to occur should at once be submitted for Dre- 

 ventive inoculation. For all purposes of prevention 

 the serums now in use appear to be reliable. 



We are not acquainted with any form of curative 

 treatment which we can recommend. 



MUSCULAR RHEUMATISM 



This is by no means a rare affection in dairy cows. 

 It is seen quite frequently in cows housed in cemented 

 stables, not so frequently in cows stabled on ground or 

 wood floors, and almost never during the months when 

 the cattle are on grass. 



Most attacks are of a sub-acute character. Both 

 young and old cows are affected, and in rare instances 

 even calves have been seen thus afflicted. An attack 

 of muscular rheumatism appears in cattle in a grad- 

 ual manner. Usually a single animal is affected, but it 

 is nothing unusual for several cows to develop symp- 

 toms at the same time. 



There is at first a general stiffness, shown by very 

 limited flexion of the extremities, especially the hind 

 extremities, and a disinclination to move about. If 

 the animal is confined in a stanchion she has some 

 difficulty in getting up after she has been lying down 

 for a time; there is no struggling or flopping about 

 fis in cases due to weakness or paresis, but the at- 

 tempt to arise partakes more of the nature of hesi- 

 tancy. The animal seems afraid to undergo the ex- 

 ertion required to assume the standing position. When 

 the standing position is finally acquired the cow 

 "stands in a bunch," swaying backward and forward 



