Symptoms. Treatment. 777 



cries out continuously, its look is anxious, tlie l)reatliin.ir 

 (juickened and labored, the mucous membranes appear great- 

 ly injected. With a rapid aggravation of these sj^mptoms 

 and a rise in temperature the gait becomes staggering after 10 

 to 15 minutes, and soon the animal is incapable of standing on its 

 feet, falling on one side and stretching all four feet out with such 

 a force that it is possible to bend the joints only by the employ- 

 ment of great force. From time to time one sees also fibrillary 

 twitchings or even strong muscular contractions which, spread- 

 ing towards the head, end in general convulsions followed by 

 muscular rigidity. 



During the whole duration of the illness consciousness ap- 

 pears to be retained, the animals respond to calls and are at 

 times even excited so as to snap at the hand. In look and ex- 

 pression they exhibit great anxiety, their pupils appear to be 

 normal in size and capable of reacting (in exceptional cases 

 they are said to be dilated and fixed). Breathing is much quick- 

 ened and strikingly labored, the animal panting with the mouth 

 open and tong-ue protruding; but from time to time chewing 

 and swallowing movements occur, and thus the saliva which 

 has accumulated in the mouth is swallowed while otherwise it 

 flows out from the corners of the mouth. The pulse feels small 

 and hard, the mucous membranes are cyanotic. The milk glands 

 appear at first tense and warm, although later they become 

 flaccid ; they do not secrete any milk from the start. 



The spasms sometimes continue only a few hours, but usual- 

 ly last 1 to 3 days. According to several authors spontaneous 

 cure only occurs exceptionally, but the authors cannot confirm 

 this. 



Treatment. This consists in the employment of narcotic 

 remedies, and almost always yields favorable results. The sim- 

 plest and most suitable appears to be the su]:)Cutaneous injec- 

 tion of 0.02 to 0.05 gin. of morphine, whereupon the convulsions 

 promptly decline and finally disappear; if no improvement oc- 

 curs in 1 or 2 hours the injection may be repeated. Of good 

 effect are also the other sedative and narcotic drugs, such as 

 chloroform (cautious inhalation up to commencing narcosis), 

 chloral hydrate (0.2 to 5.0 gm.), urethan (5 to 20 gm.), liypnon 

 (1/^ to 2 gm.), veronal (I/2 to 2 gm.), Ziindel's chloroform syrup 

 (1:100, a teaspoonful every 14 hour, later every 2 hours), etc. 

 Occasionally parathyroidin may be tried. 



Literature. Albrecht, W. f. Tk., 1901, 469.— Friedberger. Miineh. Jhb., 1876- 

 77, 103. — Gajewski, A. f. Vet. — Wiss., 1882, 14.5. — Massoglia & Sparapani, Eev. gen., 

 1907, X, 495 (Eev.).— Vassale, Vet. Jhb., 1906, 149. 



(b) Puerperal Convulsions in the Other Animals. 



In horses the disease has been observed once by Tapken. In a mare 

 of somewhat advanced age which after earlier births had shown slight 

 spasms, an attack lasting five minutes came on two hours after a difficult 



