from the vulva and rot away gradually,
causing the most offensive odor throughout the building. When retained
within the womb by closure of its mouth and similarly in cases in which the
protruded part has rotted off, the decomposition continues and the fetid
products escaping by the vulva appear in offensively smelling pools on the
floor and mat together the hairs near the root of the tail. The septic
materials retained in the womb cause inflammation of its lining membrane,
and this, together with the absorption into the blood of the products of
putrefaction, leads to ill health, emaciation, and drying up of the milk.

_Treatment._--Treatment varies according to the conditions. When the cow is
in low condition, or when retention is connected with drinking iced water
or eating frozen feed, hot drinks and hot mashes of wheat bran or other
aliment may be sufficient. If along with the above conditions, the bowels
are somewhat confined, an ounce of ground ginger, or half an ounce of black
pepper, given with a quart of sweet oil, or 1-1/2 pounds of Glauber's salt
in at least 4 quarts of warm water, will often prove effectual. A bottle or
two of flaxseed tea, made by prolonged boiling, should also be given at
frequent intervals. Other stimulants, like rue, savin, laurel, and
carminatives like anise, cumin, and coriander, are preferred by some, but
with very questionable reason, the more so that the first three are not
without danger. Ergot of rye, 1 ounce, or its extract, 1 dram, may be
resorted to to induce contraction of the womb. The mechanical extraction of
the membranes is, however, often called for; of this there are several
methods. The simplest is to hang a weight of 1 or 2 pounds to the hanging
portion, and allow this, by its constant dragging and by its jerking effect
when the cow moves, to pull the membranes from their attachments and to
stimulate the womb to expulsive contractions. It frequently happens that
the afterbirth is only loosely adherent to the womb and its removal is
effected if but a slight amount of traction on it is exerted. This can be
determined by seizing the dependent part of the afterbirth between two
sticks and rolling it up on them until they lie against the vulva; then, by
careful traction, accompanied with slight jerking movements from side to
side, the womb is stimulated to expulsive contractions and the afterbirth
is wound up more and more on the sticks until finally its last connections
with