THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL CONVENTION 115 



pointed to the contagiousness of this affection. He was the first 

 to study carefully the exudate from affected animals in order 

 to discover, if possible, the true and exciting cause. From that 

 time the cause of this disease was attributed to the discharge of 

 aborting cows, this discharge being carried on the straw and litter 

 to the other animals, and this to a certain extent is true. 



It was in 1897 that Bang verified the idea that this disease 

 is contagious and demonstrated how the bacillus could be culti- 

 vated on artificial media and described the organism in detail. 

 It was also thru Bang's investigations that the real cause of this 

 disease was discovered and the fact determined that a large 

 portion of this was due to the male. Heretofore the experiments 

 had been exclusively made on the female by using strong disin- 

 fectants both internally and externally, thereby hoping to eradi- 

 cate the disease, but it was found that by the most painstaking 

 aseptic methods abortion could not be prevented. Prof. Bang 

 called attention to the male and now by a combination of disin- 

 fecting the male and the female good results are obtained. 



Accidental Abortion. — In dealing with abortion it should 

 be first assertained if it is of a noncontagious character Non- 

 contagious or accidental abortion may be due to a number of 

 different causes ; such as fright, spoiled food, violent purgation, 

 injuries, thru bad treatment by an ill-tempered attendant, slipping 

 on the ice, etc. One may enumerate a number of things that may 

 cause this trouble but suffice it to say that when one cow aborts 

 the owner should be very careful to look into the details and to 

 ascertain whether it occurred thru an accident or whether it is 

 contagious abortion. It is far better to be cautious and advise 

 the owner to use the necessary precautions which are prescribed 

 under contagious abortion. It is better to start the treatment ear- 

 ly than too late. It has been the writer's experience that it is best 

 to take this precaution. 



Contagious Abortion. — If a considerable number of cows 

 in a herd have aborted within a certain season or if the same 

 cows have aborted in two or more successive seasons, if the dis- 

 ease has the tendency to spread to the other cows and especially 

 if there is a history that the neighboring herds are affected with 



