212 DISEASES OF THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



consisting of a rubber bulb and tubing, a chamber containing sterile 

 cotton through which the air is filtered, and a milking tube for in- 

 troduction into the teat. If one of these is not at hand a bicycle 

 pump may be employed to inflate the udder, air being forced through 

 a wash bottle containing 5 per cent, carbolic acid into a rubber tube 

 connected with a milking tube. The preparation for the use of 

 either of these methods should be as advised above; removal of 

 milk from the cow and cleansing of the hands and udder, and boil- 

 ing of the milking tube for five minutes. 



The milking tube is then introduced into one of the upper teats, 

 as the cow is lying, and the air is allowed to flow into the teat until 

 the corresponding quarter of the udder is tense and well distended. 

 While pinching the teat, to prevent the escape of air, the milking 

 tube is withdrawn and a strip of tape is bound about the lower part 

 of the teat to retain the air. This is said to be unnecessary if the 

 teat is compressed for a short time with the fingers, as the sphincter 

 muscle will then prevent its escape. The same procedure is re- 

 peated in each of the remaining teats. The ligatures are removed 

 in an hour or so. 



No milk should be removed for twelve hours, nor should the 

 udder be manipulated so that the air will escape, and it is well that 

 the udder be only partially emptied for several days. Otherwise all 

 the severity of the original condition may suddenly recur, when the 

 inflation will have to be repeated. The rapid curative effect of 

 inflation of the udder is wonderful, the patient often getting up and 

 eating within a few hours. 



The subcutaneous injection of ^2 grain of strychnine nitrate, 

 the emptying of the bladder with the catheter, the bowels by ene- 

 mata, and propping the patient up in a comfortable position should 

 not be neglected, however. The therapeutic action resulting through 

 distension of the udder by fluids or gases in this disease has not 

 been satisfactorily accounted for. According to Schmidt's theorry, 

 the compression may lessen the blood supply and functional activity 



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