260 On the Domestic Veterinary Treatment of 
immunity from the misfortunes which are incidental to the 
system of breeding. 
It has been suggested that one important measure of pre- 
vention is the immediate rejection, for breeding purposes, of 
all animals which have once suffered from abortion. It is 
perfectly well-known that the occurrence of the event in a herd 
of in-calf cows causes extraordinary excitement ; and it is rare, 
indeed, for the mischief to cease with a single case. As soon 
as any signs of derangement are seen in one or more of the 
pregnant animals, it is necessary to remove them from the 
vicinity of the rest, and keep them in a place where perfect 
quiet can be secured. The diet in such circumstances should be 
rather low, and a mild laxative, 12 oz. of Epsom salts in a pint 
of water, with 10 drops of tincture of aconite, may be given ; 
and if the animals continue to show signs of restlessness, the 
dose of aconite may be repeated in half a pint of water three 
times during the day. 
Should abortion occur in a herd suddenly, the cow which has 
suffered should be removed at once, and all traces of the 
occurrence be got rid of as quickly as possible, and those parts 
of the pasture which have been contaminated with the discharged 
fluids, or by contact with the expelled foetus, should be covered 
with quicklime and, if possible, be hurdled off. It is hardly 
necessary to remark that the movement of all the herd to another 
pasture is highly desirable. 
Practical men have long sought for the causes of abortion, but 
hitherto nothing has been discovered which can be referred to 
as the special influences by which the derangement is produced. 
Very often at the time of the occurrence all the surrounding 
circumstances are of the most favourable kind ; but abortion, and 
other disasters which may happen at the time of parturition, are 
not necessarily due to causes which are existing at the time. 
On the contrary, the mischief might be traced back to an early 
period in gestation, and it cannot be too strongly urged that bad 
jaanagement, poor food, and exposure to inclement weather at 
any time during the progress of foetal growth will infallibly tell 
at the last. It cannot, however, be questioned that abortion 
may occur year after year in herds which are so well managed 
that the most critical inquirer cannot discover any error to be 
remedied. In such a case the only thing which can be suggested 
is the radical measure of changing the herd entirely, a step 
Ivhich the owner of a favourite breed will not generally be dis- 
posed to take. 
Difficult Delivenj. — The act of parturition is rendered diffi- 
cult in certain cases from malformation in the mother, or some 
