136 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



of the surrounding mucosa. In cases where so great irritation 

 is present the granules stand out prominently. They are espe- 

 cially prominent in virgin heifers. 



This disease is of great importance to the dairymen of this 

 country and generally there are few farmers who realize how 

 widespread it is in this country and how many thousands of ani- 

 mals you lose each year by this disease, so it is very important to 

 fight it with vigor. 



The diseased cows should be separated from the healthy 

 cows and heifers and given new quarters. The old quarters must 

 be very carefully and thoroughly disinfected. It is best to have 

 a separate attendant for the two sections. If the same person 

 attends both sections he should use a full set of clothing while 

 among the diseased ones and remove it before going among the 

 healthy ones. To adequately treat the cows which have vaginitis 

 it seems to be necessary to disinfect the external genitals and sur- 

 rounding skin and hair for a considerable distance with a strong 

 disinfectant, as creolin, carbolic acid or corrosive sublimate; also 

 to inject into the genital passage a disinfecting solution, prefera- 

 bly a .75 to 1.0 per cent solution of carbolic acid crystals. Such 

 washing and injection should be repeated daily for a few days, 

 then every two or three days for about three weeks and finally 

 once weekly. On account of the recognized value of carbolic 

 acid in the treatment of this disease it is probably a good prac- 

 tice, although largely empirical, to inject under the skin every 

 two or three days a small dose of carbolic acid and to feed this 

 drug once every day in the food. The dose for subcutaneous 

 injection may be ten grains and for feeding twenty grains. In 

 either case it should be made into watery solution of about five 

 per cent strength with hot water. The diluted carbolic acid given 

 with the food should be well mixed with it. 



Cows which have vaginitis should certainly not be bred un- 

 til they have been treated for a period of from four to six months. 

 I am not sure that this is really long enough. In a cow that has 

 vaginitis conception is almost impossible while she is suffering 

 from the disease, and if conception does occur, abortion is almost 



