UDDER. 
tially or completely suspended; and if any is 
formed, as sometimes occurs in mild cases, the 
milk is either mixed with curd, is like whey, is 
bloody, or, instead of either, there is pus; these 
different states of the secretion varying according 
to the intensity of the inflammation, or the length 
of time it has existed.—Another cause is the 
coarse mode of milking,—the method of tearing 
and tugging at the teat,—which is practised by 
some dairy-maids. In this mode of milking, the 
operator does not imitate the principles which 
instinct has taught the calf, and which depend 
on the valvular structure of the lactiferous out- 
lets of the ducts; but she merely dips her hand 
into a little milk, and, by successively stripping 
the teat between her fingers and thumb, unloads 
the udder; and she in consequence more or less 
irritates the teat, and renders it liable to cracks 
and chops, which are followed by inflammation, 
extending to the rest of the quarter. This ac- 
counts for the disease occurring more frequently 
among the cows under the charge of one milker 
than it does in those under the charge of another ; 
and as this practice is more common in some 
parts of the country than in others, it also ac- 
counts for the disease being more common in 
these parts.—Another set of causes is the excited 
state of the constitution about the period of par- 
turition, the arousal of the sympathy which 
exists between the udder and the uterus, the 
shock and struggle of the glandular powers of 
the udder at the commencement of the process 
of secreting milk, the retention of the placenta 
beyond a due period after parturition, and the 
derangement of the organs of digestion, specially 
about the time of parturition, but generally also 
at any other period.—Other causes are travelling 
with a loaded udder soon after parturition, 
lying on a rough hard surface, the virus of cow- 
pox, and various external injuries, such as 
wounds, blows, and bruises. 
“Tn all cases of inflammation of the cow’s 
udder, with perhaps the exception of cases of it 
from external injuries,” says Professor Dick, 
“the great object we must have in view, is to 
obtain resolution of the inflammation, which is 
the most favourable termination of it in almost 
every part ; but we frequently find that the vio- 
lence is so great, that instead of subsiding, mor- 
tification rapidly ensues, while in other cases, 
abscesses form in various parts of the udder. It 
will be found advisable, when the udder becomes 
inflamed, to abstract a quantity of blood from 
the animal, say from four to six quarts. This 
may be either taken from the neck or from the 
mammillary or ‘milk veins,’ as they are termed, 
and which run so conspicuously along the surface 
of the abdomen, as they proceed from the udder. 
A pound or a pound and a-half of Epsom salts 
should also be given, and the dose repeated if a 
full effect is not produced in from 12 to 18 hours, 
and fomentations of hot water as constantly ap- 
plied as possible; and a sort of suspensory band- 
ULCER. 643 
age would be found of service to relieve the 
pressure and weight, and may be used during 
the fomentations. An emollient poultice may be 
applied at night, composed of bran and linseed 
meal; or if the pain is great, decoctions of cha- 
momile flowers may be used with the fomenta- 
tions, and a hemlock poultice at night; and, 
should these means not seem to afford relief, 
some cooling lotion may be tried, as nitre and 
common salt, each 10 oz. dissolved in a quart of 
water, or 1 oz. Goulard’s extract of lead, half a 
pint of vinegar, and a quart of water; or, when 
the more active inflammation has subsided, some 
discutient lotion may be used, such as 4 oz. mu- 
riate of ammonia, dissolved in water, vinegar, or 
spirits of wine, each 8 oz. and applied twice a-day. 
In these severe cases, the bleeding and physic 
should be freely repeated, and the poultices and 
fomentations continued until the inflammation is 
subdued, and the wounds have assumed a healthy 
appearance, and well healed up. It often hap- 
pens that the disease is materially increased by 
the irritation arising from milking while the teat 
is chopped, or has cow-pox on it, and is in a state 
of inflammation; but although this is the case, 
the contents of the ducts must be removed, if 
there is any secretion, because when the secretion 
accumulates, it distends the parts, and thereby 
increases the disease. It is, however, often diffi- 
cult to extract the fluid from the teat, more 
especially in those cases where it is sore, and 
from which probably the whole mischief has 
arisen, because the swelling interrupts the pas- 
sage; or if the inflammation has not completely 
suspended the secretion, it produces a morbid 
one; and instead of a uniform fluid, there is a 
mixture of coagulated milk, or coagulum from 
the blood, which, from its thick curdled con- 
sistence, cannot pass through the opening of the 
teat ; and which therefore serves to plug up the 
passage, and neither can pass itself, nor allow 
the thinner part of the secretion to pass. To 
remedy this, I have been informed that it is 
sometimes the practice to cut off the extremity 
of the teat; but this, while it may in some mea- 
sure serve to relieve the inflammation of the 
quarter of the udder, evidently precludes the 
chance of a useful recovery of the part. It is 
therefore better to make a perpendicular incision 
in the teat, by which the matter may be dis- 
charged, and there will then be a chance of the 
teat healing up and fulfilling its function, should 
the secretion be restored. But as the inflam- 
mation is not in all cases alike active, it will be 
found that sometimes the curdled matter may 
be removed through the opening of the teat, 
with sufficient readiness to answer all the pur- 
poses required, and this may be done either by 
introducing a small silver probe or a canula.” 
ULCER. An abraded and morbidly secreting 
surface on any part of the body of an animal. It 
breaks down or wears away parts which become 
absorbed through the medium of the lymphatics, 
eee 
a 
