Abortion in Coics. 
461 
of conveying infection from a farm on which no abortions had taken place for 
fonrtcen months, and on which all animals had, in the meantime, gone their 
full term, I think the most ardent believer in infection would scarcely admit. 
Total number, 14. 
Farm 27. — Mr. W. S.'s. I heard in June that abortions had been taking 
place on this farm during the past winter and spring. It is 9 or 10 miles 
distant from here. I went over soon alter hearing of the circumstance, early 
in June 1886. As I am not a Yorkshireman, I was unable (from Mr. S.'s 
dialect) to be quite clear about some of his remarks, or to get as minute par- 
ticulars as I desired ; but I managed to ascertain that be had about 14 cows 
abort during the past twelve months. They commenced soon after some had 
been to a distant field in which, I believe, other cows had been, and that most 
of his spring calvers had aborted whilst uji, some in each shed, others going 
their full time with them. 
He had mown the surplus grass of a pasture late last summer, which, with 
all bis other hay, had been consumed, so that I had no opportunity oi 
examining it. 
Total number, 14.* 
Farm 28. — Mr. H.'s. Mr. H. came to this farm in May 1884. In the 
following winter he had two cows which showed signs of aborting about the 
same time ; they were then in different sheds, one in a shed with in-calvers, 
the other with only young stock as companions. The former was removed to 
the shed of the latter before abortion took place. Both aborted. 
Mr. H. distinctly remembers they were then partaking of hay grown on a 
boggy piece of land. The higher portion of this field was plough-land, but 
the lower, whence the hay came, was too wet to plough. It was made in 
August, for he was stacking it when Lord H.'s party came grouse shooting. 
Another aborted in January this year ; she was not out, except to drink, after 
December ; was fed on straw, wheat and bavley-meal and chop, no hay. 
Early in March a cow was knocked down — in the course of a week she 
threatened abortion, which came off a fortnight later, the calf being putrid. 
Mr. H. has two cows due in September; one commenced to fill her bag a 
week since, and looks like calving in about a week from this date, July 22nd, 
1886. 
Total number, 4 up to date.f 
Farm 29. — Mr. J. P.'s. Mr. J. P. keeps about 7 cows in milk, and 
some heifers. He resides at a village rather over two miles from here, in 
which, so far as I am aware, no previous abortions have taken place. 
The soil is much lighter than the generality of land in this neighbourhood. 
The heifers which had been allowed out during the day in winter, were turned 
out entirely on the 14th of May, 1886. They had no hay during winter. The 
cows were turned out a few days later, and they had received hay. Late in 
May a heifer aborted in "feeding pasture," at about two months off; she was 
* September ICtb, visited this farm and found large quantities of ergot in the 
pasture, which had been mown and converted into hay in 1885, the date of 
mowing being tlie '20th of August. The first case took place late in September or 
early in October, when out, the animal having access to this pasture and other fields. 
The next occurred at Cliristmas, when in ; from that time only tliree or four of 
his in-calvers carried their calves the full time. The animals were allowed out 
an hour or so daily. On the journey, I sought for ergot on the roadsides, but 
foimd none till I came to the lane leading to this farm. 
t September 1st. Found ergot in the pasture in which the above-mentioned 
two cows (due in September) were in July, and are still. 'I'he one which showed 
premonitory symptoms in July cast her calf the first week in August ; it is alive, 
running with its mother and the other cows, the rest keeping well. 
