G72 
INFLAMMATION OF THE UDDER IN A COW. 
An infectious and abundant suppuration exists around it. The 
wound should be cleansed and dressed with warm wine, or with di¬ 
luted tincture of aloes, or a solution of the chloruret of the oxide of 
sodium one part to twenty of common water, or, perhaps, the chlo¬ 
ruret will be replaced by the oxide of calcium. After having used 
this dressing a few days, the veterinary surgeon will hasten to ex¬ 
tract, if possible, the gangrenous gland. In effecting this, he will 
probably tear it off by little portions with his fingers, until he has 
entirely removed it, carefully avoiding to wound any of the living 
arterial vessels. When he has completely removed the gland, he 
will pass a ligature round these vessels, and, as a measure of pre¬ 
caution, seeing the fragility of their walls, and the ease with which 
they are torn, he will place his knot superior to the spot on which 
he has been working. The ligature should be of silk, sufficiently 
large and strong not to cut or to give way. If he should afterwards 
think proper to cut through the vessel, he must a little tighten the 
ligature above. The extremity of the vessel should be cauterized, 
if this be at all necessary, with the olive-shaped cautery, the ex¬ 
tremity of it being introduced into the vessel. A little hair burnt 
in the act of cauterization will have some effect in plugging up the 
passage and preventing the flow of blood. 
The veterinary surgeon cannot be too strongly warned to avoid 
the foolish habit—a stronger term might be used—of introducing 
sounds and needles into the teats, in order to find out whether there 
is any obstruction. The fingers will sufficiently indicate this; and 
if obstruction is discovered or suspected, the practitioner should be 
cautious not to pass his instrument higher than is absolutely neces¬ 
sary. This proceeding is the more dangerous, because it irritates 
a surface already highly inflamed. It can rarely, or almost never, 
be useful, for the stoppage of the milk is seldom attributable to any 
mechanical obstacle that opposes its passage, but to the engorge¬ 
ment of the lactiferous canals, or the inflammation of the gland, 
which has ceased to secrete its natural fluid. 
Causes .—The causes of mammitis are of two kinds, predisposing 
and occasional. 
Among the first may be reckoned, the size of the teats, the 
activity of the secretion of the milk, and the small caliber of the 
excretory canals. 
Among the second, the most frequent is, undoubtedly, parturition. 
After that come currents of air, and exposure to a cold and humid air. 
It is also the consequence of certain dishonest manoeuvres, practised 
by some cattle-merchants, who, before they offer their cows for 
sale, suffer them to stand two days without milking, and, lest 
they should lose some of their milk, tie a fine ligature round the 
teats, thus giving them the appearance of excellent milkers. This 
