FIFTIETH ANNUAL CONVENTION 143 



yond remedy and constitutes a real menace to the health 

 of persons and livestock. Seek veterinary advice. 

 Stricture, or Hard Milking. 



Hard milking is due to an obstruction or stricture, 

 sometimes within the milk duct, but usually at the teat ori- 

 fice. It may be brought about by a tenseness of the teat 

 orifice, or by scar formation following an injury of the teat. 



Treatment — There are on the market several types of 

 teat dilators, any one of which may be of benefit in correct- 

 ing this condition. The dilator may be inserted an hour or 

 two before milking, but the instrument should be sterile 

 and the teat thoroughly cleansed before its insertion. After 

 milking the affected teat should be massaged with petrola- 

 tum into which 10 per cent of the fluid extract of bella- 

 donna has been incorporated. The alternate use of the 

 ointment and the dilator should be continued until the con- 

 dition appears to; be corrected. 



When this treatment fails it may become expedient to 

 resort to surgical measures for the relief of the stricture, but 

 this is done to better advantage after the cow has been 

 dried off, involving a better prospect of prompt healing, and 

 less likelihood of causing a dangerous infection or a leaky 

 teat. The instrument used for this operation is known as a 

 teat bistoury, consisting of a small shaft containing a con- 

 cealed blade. After the bistoury is thrust well into the teat 

 the blade is uncovered and the instrument is rapidly with- 

 drawn thus severing the obstructing tissues at one stroke. 

 This procedure is usually repeated three or four times in 

 each teat that is hard to milk, turning the blade in different 

 angles each time. Great care must be exercised to have the 

 instrument sterile for this operation, to avoid introducing 

 infection into the udder. A word of caution to be taken into 

 consideration is that this operation may result in an exces- 

 sive large teat orifice, and is sometimes productive of the 

 unfortunate condition known as leaky quarter. 



Atresia (Blind or Imperforate Teats). 



Atresia is a defect existing from birth, and is seldom, 

 if ever, discovered until after the heifer has freshened. 



