CHAPTER XLII. 



SrORADIC BIS^ASEQ— continued. 



LOCAL DISEASES— co?i^f?med 



(E.) APOPLEXY FEOM COl^GESTIOX. 



This form of apoplexy, except as a sequel to encephalitis, is 

 very rare in tlie horse, but is of frequent occurrence in cows, and 

 is variously termed parturient apoplexy, milk fever, dropping 

 after calving. 



Definition. — A parturient disease, characterised by suppression 

 of the lacteal secretion, congestion of the brain, and apoplexy. 



ETIOLOGY. 



Various opinions are held upon the causes and origin of 

 parturient apoplexy, some writers maintaining that it is a blood 

 disease, whilst others state that conformation or anatomical 

 peculiarity is sufficient to account for its occurrence in the cow, 

 and its absence in the mare. The late Mr. Barlow, in a most 

 profound and remarkable paper, traced its origin to derangement 

 of the great sympathetic nerve, with consequent arrest of secre- 

 tion, resulting in general congestion, which became localized in 

 the brain and spinal cord ; whilst other observers express an 

 opinion that the disease results from derangement of the diges- 

 tive apparatus, and that it is a peculiar form of indigestion. 



Without entering into a critical examination of these various 

 hypotheses, I may venture to state that there is no evidence of 

 the primary presence of a blood poison. Mr. Gamgee ventures 

 upon the assertion " that notwithstanding the sporadic nature of 

 parturient apoplexy, in cattle it is marked by the development 

 of a poison capable of inducing a similar disease in other animals, 



