ON ABORTION IN CATTLE. 
695 
of the foetus considerably diminish, and at length are no longer seen. 
The milk diminishes in some cows—the teats become flabby, and 
then it may be presumed that the foetus is dead. If the abortion 
does not take place until a considerable period after the death of 
the foetus, the case becomes aggravated by the closure of the mouth 
of the uterus, and then, frequently, the cow is lost. 
The approach of abortion is sometimes announced, one or two 
days before it occurs, by the discharge of a glairy red, or yellow, or 
foetid fluid from the vulva. The cow also lows in a peculiarly plain¬ 
tive manner. She is continually shifting her posture, or lies motion¬ 
less or depressed. Sheep bleat, and mares whinny more frequently 
than usual. The abortion, even in the animals that seem to suffer 
the least, may be recognised by the slowness and heaviness of the 
walk—the swelling of the vulva—and, especially, the dropping of 
the belly. The pulse is hard and intermittent, and the artery wiry. 
When abortion is caused by starvation, it is preceded by general 
feebleness, a staggering walk, and great loss of flesh. The sheep 
then lose their wool. 
The symptoms which announce the immediate approach of abor¬ 
tion resemble those of ordinary parturition, except that they are 
usually more intense. There is, in general, much inquietude, trem¬ 
bling, slight labour pains, frequent dejections. Sometimes the rectum, 
the vagina, or the uterus, become relaxed, and the one or the other 
protrudes and is inverted at the moment of the expulsion of the 
foetus, preceded by the placenta, which presents itself foremost. 
A cow, having once aborted, usually slips her calf for many suc¬ 
cessive years, and the abortion becomes every year nearer to the 
natural time. 
Some persons have not been content with asserting that this is 
an epizootic affection, but they have also affirmed that it is conta¬ 
gious. This is even a greater error than the former. It should be 
the farmer’s anxious endeavour to destroy all the causes Avhich oc¬ 
casion it, and which act in a uniform manner on all the cattle in 
the same stable—to change every erroneous regulation—to reform 
every thing that is wrong in the management: he will then prevent 
this evil, which he so much dreads. 
The treatment of abortion should have relation to the symptoms 
which accompany it—the time when it happens—the various circum¬ 
stances which precede and follow it, and its repeated occurrence. 
When in consequence of a fall or kick, or any analogous cause, 
it is doubtful whether abortion will not follow, the owner must 
adopt the measures that are most likely to prevent it. If the 
beast is young, strong, and full of blood, venesection will doubt¬ 
less be salutary. The bleeding, however, should be small, and then 
it will be safe to repeat it if there is occasion. It is no less neces- 
