476 
Abortion in Cows. 
was fully six weeks before it was stacked. It can well be 
imagined that when it was stacked it would not be of the best 
quality ; to this circumstance I am indebted for the opportunity 
of examining it, as it was only used when better hay ran short. 
Two cows aborted in 1883, and one on February 4th, 1886, all 
whilst partaking of this hay ; it was from enquiries into what 
the latter animal had been eating that this hay came under my 
notice. 
Mr. Toope. veterinary surgeon, Knaresborough, has since 
found large quantities of ergot in a stack of seeds made late 
(August 1883 or 1884). This has not been used. He had 
previously suggested to me the possibility of the fungus in 
mouldy hay being a contributor to this malady. I therefore 
made particular enquiry as to the condition of the hay used 
when the severe outbreaks were present, as well as to the 
time of its making. All the owners stated that the hay used on 
these occasions was made late, but none admitted it to be 
mouldy. I have not actually found ergot in hay where a 
number of animals consuming it have aborted, as I have had no 
opportunity of examining such ; but as we now know that it is 
occasionally present in late-made hay, and as most of the 
serious outbreaks took place whilst the cows were partaking of 
late-made hay indoors, I think we may fairly assume that ergot 
in hay was a frequent cause of this malady. 
It is therefore probable that ergot may cause abortion : — 
1. By one or more large doses acting quickly, when no 
premonitory symptoms are observed. 
2. By several smaller doses, the premonitory symptoms 
being well marked and observable for three or more days prior 
to abortion. 
3. I have had a few cases where abortion has taken place 
s@me weeks after the cow's withdrawal from every apparent 
source of ergot. In such cases I think it possible that a suffi- 
cient quantity in small doses has been consumed to cause a tonic 
contraction of the uterus, whereby it is unable to expand in a 
due ratio to the growth of the foetus ; the latter, by its growth 
exerting a continuously increasing pressure from within on the 
rigid uterus, ultimately acts as a foreign body, and so stimulates 
or irritates the uterus as to cause its expulsion. These are 
conjectures of my own, and must be affirmed or negatived by 
further observations and experiments. 
Tlie Nature of the Soil has not, so far as I am aware, received 
attention from writers on this subject. I am not prepared to give 
a scientific description of the geological formation of this district; 
but this I know, that, where the disease has been most prevalent, 
the farms have almost universally consisted of stiff clay land, 
