Acute Mammitis 961 



While the infection has admittedly entered through the milk 

 cistern and the milk canals, nevertheless after the infection has 

 traversed these parts and reached the parenchyma, the import- 

 ance of these canals in the course of the disease has been largely 

 eliminated. 



When considering the symptoms of acute mammitis we have 

 referred to the advent of coma in rare cases, and have stated that 

 in at least one instance the inflation of the udder with oxygen over- 

 came the coma, and apparently at the same time eliminated the 

 infection. In ordinary mammitis it would appear that inflation 

 with air or oxygen would prove valueless. 



As in other infections, so in mammitis, it has been hoped that 

 curative sera may be devised which may be turned to practical 

 account. The uncertain and usually mixed character of the in- 

 fection constitutes a serious obstacle to serum therapeutics. 



Cows which are suffering from mammitis should be milked by 

 a person who does not come in contact with the other cows, or 

 should be milked last, so that the milker may not pass from 

 the diseased cow immediately to a healthy one, with the possible 

 danger of transmitting the disease. The same rule should be 

 applied to the healthy portions of the gland of an animal suf- 

 fering from the disease ; the healthy quarters should be milked 

 first, followed by the milking of the diseased ones. 



Disinfection of the udder externally is of very great impor- 

 tance in the control of the disease. Before beginning to milk an 

 affected gland, the entire udder should be thoroughly disinfected, 

 and after the milking of the diseased gland has been completed 

 it should again receive thorough disinfection. The milker should 

 also very thoroughly disinfect his hands before and after the 

 milking, and especially should always most thoroughly disinfect 

 his hands after having milked a diseased gland before he milks 

 or otherwise handles the udder of a healthy cow. The best dis- 

 infectant for this purpose is i-iooo corrosive sublimate solu- 

 tion, because of its high efficiency and freedom from odor, so that 

 if used in a stable where milking is going on, there is no danger 

 of causing the milk to become tainted. 



In stalls where mammitis exists, great care should be taken to 

 thoroughly cleanse and disinfect the floors and gutters, in order 

 to prevent the spread of the infection from animal to animal. It 

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