“TIMES” WEATHER REPORT

Manawatu Times, Issue 6848, 1 March 1929, Page 8

“TIMES” WEATHER REPORT

Cool Change From South

The anti-cyclone is moving off northern New Zealand, while another one is centred east of Tasmania. The pressure is low and conditions are disturbed on the central cast coast of Australia. A slight low pressure wave was crossing the South Island this afternoon. Expfect moderate to strong north winds from Canterbury northwards, elsewhere strong southerlies and gradually extending to other districts. The seas will be rather rought in Cook and Foveaux straits and later south of Castlepoint; elsewhere smooth .to moderate. Tho winds are becoming southerly and with rising seas, freshening in the eastern Tasman Sea. The weather will bo fair to fine generally at first, except in Southern Otago and Southland, where further showers are likely, later, clouds increasing and showers dcvclo , piE.g in north. A.uclcleiiu and on parts of the East Coast of the South Island. Temperatures will be mainly warm at first but with a cool change, working up from the south.

order. A detailed account of investigations was given to the New Zealand Institute Science Congress, in Auckland recently by Mr C. S. Hopkirk, B.V.Sc., officer in charge of tho Wallaceville veterinary laboratory. This problem, lie stated, was causing far greater concern than, other diseases. In temporary sterility there were ma.ny factors to be taken into consideration and many lines to work upon—so much so that he found his present team of investigators in no way adequate to carry out the necessary work as fully as he would like. Tho principal experimental work lay in (1) collection of all data for sifting in the light of further knowledge. (2) Bacteriological and histophological work in bulls and cows, at calving and before service. (3) Experimental infection of animals when suitable suspected organisms are isolated. (4) A judicious use of post-mortem examination. (5) Trial of drugs and endocrine extracts for specific effects on various organs. (6) Experimental use of minerals. (7) Chemical analysis of pastures. No Complete Success Yet.

Mr Hopkirk stated that ait this stage no exact and specific treatment can be suggested for general use by the farmer, for tho etiology is entirely unknown and a mattcr for conjecture only. Experimental treatment has been undertaken widely with veiy mixed results.

In early years much general washing out with a variety of stimulants, antiseptic, or astringent chemicals was tried regularly, but the irritation to which, tho cows were subjected sometimes became an act of cruelty. Later specific washing with drugs for special effects was tried, more particularly to reduce the inflammatory state of granules in a number of the cows where granular vaginitis occurred as a secondary characteristic, or to reduce the cervicitis found present very generally in such cases. One point noticed in connection with such washings was the intense straining caused by mild solutions, and this could only have been due to the action of tho fluid on the inflamed anterior vagina. Koeently washing was superseded by swabbing the inflamed cervix through a speculum with soothing chemical agents, and at times some degree of benefit appeared to be derived by this treatment. However, results were no-t sufficiently good to make the method general. A number of farmers and some veterinarians now attempt a simple method of treatment which has been in vogue for a considerable time and at times seems to be effective. That method is the pushing of a finger into the crevieal entrance in order to clean out tho plug of mucus which occasionally lodges at the entrance. This mucoid material is likely to form with any inflammation of the cervical canal. A similar method is in use in human medicine by instrumentation, aaid beneficial results havo been often obtained even though nothing abnormal could be found in tho cervix. Apparently stimulation may bo useful.

The latest method is that practised by Professor Neilsen in Denmark, consisting in the passing of a catheter into the uterus for irrigation purposes., and this method is now under trial here. In the hands of a skilled veterinarian there is some risk of passing the catheter through the uterine wall, so that the method will not . become a general one for use by farmers; but it ii required in order to ascertain whether wo arc dealing with an endometritis, or at least somo inflammatory state of the cervical canal which will respond to such treatment. Late advice from the field is that, although a number of cows have been tried, results do not appear satisfactory;' but in the hands of a second field veterinarian results in eight hundred cases are said to be hopeful.