9^6 Veterinary Obstetrics 



and measures taken to protect the sutures during milking. It 

 is highly important that strict antiseptic rules should be followed 

 in order to prevent infection of the gland. It has been sugges- 

 ted that the danger of disturbing the sutures should be overcome 

 by the use of the milk tube, under very strict antiseptic precautions. 

 Vennerholm advises that a rubber band may be placed over the 

 suture to afford pressure, being careful not to apply it so tightly 

 as to cause a disturbance of the circulation. One may do much 

 also to prevent the tearing out of sutures, or even to overcome 

 the necessity for their in.sertion, by applying a strip of adhesive 

 plaster carefully to the part. T&e strip should be long and nar- 

 row, and applied by encircling the teat several times, each course 

 overlapping the preceding one, the whole forming a solid encase- 

 ment, insuring the accurate and secure closure of the wound. 



In chronic fistula, in which the walls are covered over with ep- 

 ithelium, it is essential that the protective epithelial layer be 

 destroyed before adhesion can take place. The epithelium of 

 the fistula may be most readily destroyed with a fine thermocau- 

 tery point, by inserting it well into the fistulous tract and con- 

 tinuing the cautery until the epithelium has been completely 

 destroyed. In place of the thermocautery one may use a caustic, 

 especially the nitrate of silver. If the fistula is at the apex of 

 the teat and near by the normal opening, it may sometimes be 

 best handled by the amputation of the teat just above the fistula. 



It is usually desirable that any interference with chronic milk 

 fistula should be deferred until the cow is dry, in order to avoid 

 as far as possible the danger of infection of the gland as a result 

 of the injuries to the tissues during the operation. 



Supernumerary teats sometimes exist in a manner to con- 

 stitute an annoyance in milking, because they are constantly in 

 the way of the milker. Sometimes they act as fistulse, through 

 which milk escapes while the milking process is going on with 

 the normal teats. Should they prove annoying, it is best to 

 amputate them during the dry period, when the healing of the 

 wound will usually cause an obliteration of the duct or cistern of 

 the supernumerary nipple. 



When heifer calves are born with supernumerary teats, which 

 may later prove annoying or unsightly, they may readily be re- 

 moved by clipping them off with scissors. The teat should be 

 well drawn out, and excised close against the gland. In healing, 



