338  Annual  Report  for  1909  of  Royal  Veterinary  College. 
size  about  equal  to  that  of  a millet  seed.  Within  a day  or 
two  they  assume  a lighter  tint,  and,  according  to  some  authors, 
they  may  become  converted  into  vesicles  which  burst  and 
leave  minute  ulcers.  As  a rule,  however,  the  granules  persist 
throughout  the  whole  course  of  the  disease,  which  generally 
extends  to  many  weeks  or  even  months.  The  discharge  also 
persists,  but  during  the  later  stages  it  usually  becomes  glairy 
or  mucoid  in  character,  and  is  seldom  very  abundant.  In 
bulls  which  have  served  diseased  cows  a similar  inflammatory 
condition  may  develop  in  connection  with  the  penis  and 
sheath,  but  in  the  male  subject  the  symptoms  are  often  so 
slight  as  to  escape  notice.  Moreover,  a bull  which  has  become 
contaminated  by  serving  a diseased  cow  may  afterwards  be 
capable  of  transmitting  the  infection  by  the  act  of  copulation 
although  the  penis  and  sheath  appear  normal. 
The  foregoing  account  of  the  disease  is  based  on  the 
account  of  it  given  by  Continental  authors  (Hess,  Raebiger, 
and  others),  and  the  question  may  now  be  asked  whether  the 
description  applies  to  any  disease  of  the  genital  organs  observed 
in  cattle  in  this  country.  Reports  of  several  outbreaks  of 
contagious  vaginitis  in  cows  have  within  the  last  two  years 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  writer,  and  during  the  past 
year  an  investigation  which  was  made  in  order  to  discover 
the  cause  of  multiple  cases  of  sterility  in  one  herd  left  no 
room  for  doubt  that  the  barren  animals  were  affected  with 
vaginitis,  and  the  obtainable  history  made  it  very  probable 
that  the  disease  had  been  communicated  to  them  by  a particular 
bull.  This  and  other  cases  that  have  come  under  notice  prove 
that  there  is  in  this  country  an  infectious  vaginitis  of  cows, 
and  it  is  only  too  probable  that  it  is  identical  with  the  one  now 
so  prevalent  on  the  Continent.  It  is  well  that  British  breeders 
should  be  aware  of  this,  for  early  recognition  of  the  disease 
when  it  is  introduced  into  a herd  is  of  the  utmost  importance. 
Sterility  of  any  considerable  number  of  cows  or  heifers  during 
the  same  season,  or  the  frequent  return  of  any  considerable 
number  of  animals  to  the  bull,  should  always  excite  suspicion, 
and  lead  to  a careful  examination  for  signs  of  vaginitis.  Should 
these  be  detected  the  affected  cows  or  heifers  should  if  possible 
be  kept  apart  from  the  others,  and  the  bull  which  has  served 
any  ot  them  ought  on  no  account  to  be  used  for  the  service  of 
other  animals.  Experience  has  shown  that  even  when  treated 
the  disease  in  female  animals  often  runs  a prolonged  course, 
and  complete  recovery  usually  requires  a period  of  some 
months.  No  animal  ought  to  be  regarded  as  cured  until 
the  genital  passage  has  become  normal  in  appearance,  all  dis- 
charge has  ceased,  and  the  periods  of  oestrum  are  returning  at 
normal  intervals. 
