116 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



contagious abortion, then there is little doubt but that one is 

 dealing with a case of contagious abortion. It is important to 

 know whether any new stock has been added to the herd, for 

 in a large per cent of cases the herds have been affected thru 

 this channel. Proof was not always conclusive that the cow, 

 that aborted came from an affected herd, but it is true that 

 cows brought into a herd very often abort, even when there has 

 not been a case of abortion in the herd from which it came. This 

 is not a case of contagious abortion but it can so affect a herd 

 if drastic measures are not pursued. This is one of the sources 

 of infection that should be carefully guarded against. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of this disease are not plainly 

 visible in the early stages, but when one examines a number of 

 cows in a herd where abortion exists and the vagina is carefully 

 studied he will find that the mucous membrane is somewhat 

 reddened and that it has a very slight elevation on which there 

 is a peculiar eruption. This eruption may escape the eye that 

 it not thoroughly trained, as it is not very prominent. From 

 aborting cows there is usually a slimy, flocky discharge. The 

 cow may be restless for three or four hours before the expulsion 

 of the young. In some instances the cow shows symptoms for 

 a day or two by the udder filling up and the lips of the vulva 

 thickening, showing the signs of natural gestation. This is 

 accompanied by nervous excitement. Where cows carry their 

 foetus from five to seven months the usual symptoms are the 

 swollen condition of the vulva and later on entire laxation. In 

 addition to these symptoms there may be a free flowing of exu- 

 date and as the symptoms increase this becomes more copious and 

 may be streaked with blood. When these symptoms appear 

 the expulsion of the young is near at hand. 



The Cause. — There is no question that the disease is caused 

 by a germ, which has been described by Nocard and Bang. This 

 germ cannot be killed very readily and on account of its being 

 found in the discharge from the vagina and also on the male 

 animal it is important that the stalls and floors be thoroughly 

 disinfected and that the bedding which may have been contam- 

 inated be burned, and also the foetus. Cows affected should be 



