740 
Abortion in CattU. 
The inquiry has proved tliat tlie disease is prevalent throughout the 
length and breadth of Scotland, and there appears to be a general opinion 
that it is yearly becoming more common. However that may be, it is certain 
that a great annual loss to cattle-breeders must now be laid to the score of 
this disease. The inquiry has further shown that no breed can be said to 
have any special susceptibility to or exemption from abortion. We have 
learnt of serious outbreaks among Shorthorns, Galloways, Ayrshires, Polled 
Angus, and Kyloes.' 
The final results of the inqairy were not published until 
1889, and the report includes a number of experiments on 
pregnant cows, and gives us some information in x-egard to the 
organism. - 
Experiment I. — A cow that had aborted a few days previously, and 
which belonged to a herd in which several other animals had aborted during 
the same season, was brought to the Veterinary College, and placed in a 
loose box along -with a pregnant cow. The two cows were kept together 
for one month, but the result of the experiment was entirely negative. 
Experiment II. — A pregnant cow, purchased from a stock in which no 
cases of abortion had recently occurred, was introduced into a byre in which 
a large number of cows had recently aborted. With the object of hastenin<r 
and insuring infection (assuming the disease to be of an infectious nature), 
a plug of cotton-wool veas inserted into the vagina of one of the recently 
aborted cows, and left there for twenty minutes, after -which it was with- 
drawn, and inserted into the vagina of the experimental cow, and left there 
for some hours. On the following day the proceeding was repeated. 
"Within one month from the date of introduction this cow began to show 
the premonitory indication of impending abortion, but the act did not occur 
until seventy days had elapsed, at which time nearly two of the normal 
nine months of pregnancy had stiU to run. The calf was alive when ex- 
pelled, but it survived for only a short time. As is not uncommon in cases 
of abortion, as ordinarily observed, the placenta was in this instani^e 
retained. 
Experiment III. — A cow, alx)ut six months pregnant, was introduced 
into a byre in which a number of cows had recently aborted, and placed in 
a stall immediately adjoining those in which the recently aborted animals 
stood. In this case also the cow had been purchased from a stock free from 
abortion. In this experiment, instead of simply inserting a contaminated 
cotton-wool plug into the vagina, a quantity of vaginal dL«charge from a 
recently aborted cow was subcutaneously injected into the experimental 
animal, the point of operation being the skin of the vulva. The material 
taken for inoculation was mixed with sterilised distilled water, and it was 
injected with a sterilised syringe. This cow calved one month prematurely, 
and the calf, although it survived, was very puny and unthriving; the 
placenta was retained. 
Experiment IV. — A cow purchased from a stock free from alwrtion wnj 
placed in a stall adjoining recently aborted cows in the byre in which the 
preceding two experiments were carried out. This experiment, like Experi- 
' Transactiom, Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, Vol. XIX., 
1887, p. 315. 
■ Transactions, Highland and Agricnltural Society of Scotland, Vol. I., 6th 
Beries, 1889, p. 270. 
