452 
Abortion in Cows. 
A cow aborted in June or July 1884, a second in July 1885, a third late in 
August. These were isolated by sending them to the distant farm on the day 
of each occurrence. 
Soon after the third case happened he turned his cows into the fog, or after- 
math, where they remained for about six weeks, no abortions takinsf place 
whilst there. On Oct. 15th they returned to the pasture, and on the 19th the 
fourth case occurred, the cow appearing to be well until that day. The fifth 
took place on the evening of Dec. 8tb, and was not removed till next day. 
At this time the cows were only out for an hour or two in the day. In Dec. 
a cow supposed to be due to calve in April, required the services of the bull ; 
another, supposed to be due in June, was similarly affected late in Jan. These 
had probably slipped their calves unobserved whilst out. On Dec. 26th, Mr. G. 
informed me that two more cows appeared as if they would abort. I then 
strongly urged him to do what I had previously recommended, namely, to 
withhold the hour or two's grazing by keeping tlaem indoors entirely. This 
he did, and the two cows which were then threatening were found to have 
cast their calves on the morning of the 29th, one in a small shed in which 
there were no in-calvers, and the other in a large shed with several. 
Up to this time isolation had been strictly carried out. Now, doubting its 
utility, he not only allowed the last-named animal to remain, but on Jan. 2nd 
removed the one that had aborted in the shed in which there were no in-calvers 
to the larger shed. Thus, by placing the two aborting animals in close 
proximity to the in-calvers, and confining them entirely to the shed, he gave 
the infectious germs of this malady (if such there be) a favourable opportunity 
of asserting their presence, with the result that no further abortion took place 
whilst the animals remained indoors from December to the middle of April. 
Four cows in the meantime brought forth healthy full-time calves. In April 
the cows were again allowed to go into the pasture. In May an Alderney 
aborted at about three months off. In June a cow which had made her bag, 
and was supposed to be at her time (the time of service not having been 
booked), was sold, and taken away. Within a week she brought forth a calf 
without hair. 
July 12th. — A cow aborted at about two months ofif. 
August 1th.— A cow aborted after two days' premonitory symptoms. Here 
we have 11, if not 13, abortions occurring; the eleventh, without doubt, 
taking place at such times only as the cows had access to the ergotised 
pasture. Of the other two nothing more is known than previously stated ; 
but as the cows were not absent from the pasture for more than a day 
or two at a time from Oct. 15th to Dec. 26th, if they did abort, they must 
likewise have done so whilst having access to the pasture.* 
At the distant farm, which, as before mentioned, was used for isolating 
purposes and for non-milkers, uo abortions had occurred until early in May 
1886, when a heifer aborted. A second did so late in the same month, and 
a third in June; they were only having grass. None of the aborting cows 
had been sent there since Dec. 9th, 1885. Surely if that cow had conveyed 
infection, it would have asserted its influence in a less time than five months. 
No other source of infection is known. I have not yet inspected that farm, 
but ergot was present last autumn in one adjoining. 
Total number, 14 or 16.t 
Farm 8. — Mr. S. S.'s. — Mr. S. keeps seven cows. Early in . August 1885, 
a cow aborted, a second did so early in September, a third in October, find a 
fourth in May 1880, six weeks off full time (calf living). This last-mentioned 
* The cows were removed to fogg fields, August 20tb, 188G, and up to this 
date, October 6tli, they have gone on all right. 
t Examined this furm on September 14th, and found ergot. 
