Diagnosis. Treatment. Prevention. 169 



chapter there exists a possibility that both diseases have an 

 identical etiological basis.) 



Treatment. The inflammation of the umbilicus should be 

 treated according to the 'rules of surgery, by disinfection of the 

 wounds, and if necessary by opening of the swellings. The 

 commencing inflammation of the joints may be treated in colts 

 by inunctions with gray mercury ointment. However, if the 

 joint contains a great quantity of exudate, this should be re- 

 moved by puncturing or incising the joint, and by subsequent 

 disinfection of the joint cavity. This course is particularly 

 indicated when the inflammation exists only at one place, and 

 the internal organs are not affected. If the contents of the 

 joint prove to be serous or sero-fibrinous, recovery not infre- 

 quently takes place in from one to two weeks after a single 

 puncturing. In the presence of a general infection the treat- 

 ment can only consist in the systematic internal administration 

 of stimulants; further in controlling the gastro-intestinal 

 catarrh which may be present. At the same time appropriate 

 nutrition should be provided for the patient, such as milk, eggs, 

 wine-soup, or nutritive enemas. The affected animals should 

 be kept in a moderately warm, clean, and airy place. Grott 

 recommends for colts intravenous injections of collargol (80 g. 

 of a y2°/o solution, for three days successively), while Bernhardt 

 recommends ichthargan (according to Ziirn it should not be 

 used in stronger solutions than 1/10 to 1/5^, on account of the 

 destructive action on the blood corpuscles). 



Prevention. The infection of sucklings may be successfully 

 controlled by scrupulous cleanliness in the stables. For this 

 purpose disinfection of the stables at intervals of one to two 

 months is recommended; but even with such precautions it is 

 advisable to place the highly pregnant animals shortly before 

 giving birth, in a stable' or in a parturition box. stall kept only 

 for such purposes. Such places should be thoroughly disin- 

 fected before the pregnant animal is installed in them, and at 

 the same time provision should be made that the newborn 

 animal may be received on fresh straw or on a clean sheet. 

 Animals affected with suppurating wounds should be kept away 

 from the places used for parturition, as well as frorn. the stalls 

 of the sucking animals. Operations (opening of abscesses) 

 should not be undertaken in these quarters. Satisfactory ven- 

 tilation and dry stable air also deserve especial consideration. 

 These measures should of course be carried out with increased 

 vigilance when the disease has already appeared, that is, when 

 the stable or the parturition stand are proved already infected. 

 Cleaning of the external genital organs of the mother animals, 

 as well as irrigation of the vagina with a disinfecting fluid, 

 for instance with 2% lysol or creolin solution, aid also in the 

 prevention of suckling infection. 

 . In places where the veterinarian is present, disinfecting 



