176 PA THOL OG Y OF GESTA TION. 



The mechanical effects of the foetus, and the immense volume of the 

 uterus, must also produce disturbance of most essential functions, and 

 more especially those of the abdominal and thoracic organs. Therefore 

 it is, that during pregnancy such affections as indigestion, colic, tympani- 

 tis, enteritis, or pneumonia, are so frequently followed by abortion and 

 slow convalescence, or death of the animal. 



Chronic diseases have in general but little influence on gestation. It 

 has been imagined that " broken wind " in the Mare is much relieved 

 during pregnancy ; but some observations would go to prove that it is 

 rather aggravated — though the troublesome cough does not appear to 

 militate against the foetus reaching its full period. 



Acute aiseases are more serious, and especially those of an epizootic kind, 

 which often cause abortion or induce premature labor. Contagious 

 pleuro-pneumonia of cattle, for instance, often produces abortion, and 

 death is more frequent as pregnancy is well advanced. Sheep-pox is 

 also more serious, more often fatal in pregnant Sheep, and most frequently 

 followed by abortion. 



A number of observers — among them Saint-Cyr, Bouley, Roll, Lafosse, 

 and Reynal — have remarked that the cattle-plague does not appear to 

 have any very particular influence on gestation ; and the same have been 

 said of eczema epizootica ("foot-and-mouth disease"). But this Conti- 

 nental experience does not harmonize with that relating to these two 

 diseases in our own country. Abortion has been a notorious sequel of 

 both maladies, and more especially of "foot-and-mouth disease," in 

 which the losses from this cause have sometimes amounted to twenty, 

 thirty, fifty, and even more, per cent. 



Painful and nervous diseases are also more serious during pregnancy 

 than at other times. It would, however, seem to be an error to attribute 

 the non-appearance of certain disorders during gestation to the influence 

 of this condition ; as Spinola has done, with regard to rabies, etc. 



SECTION II. DISEASES PECULIAR TO PREGNANCY. 



As has been already stated, the diseases peculiar to the pregnant con- 

 dition are fewer, not so frequent, and usually much less serious in animals 

 than in the human female. The chief maladies or morbid conditions 

 which have been noted in animals are cramp, pica or malacia, constipation, 

 oedema, hydrops amnii, paraplegia, and amaurosis, cough, and albuminuria. 



Cramp. 



Cramp — by which is meant a tonic, involuntary, and extremely painful 

 contraction of one or more voluntary muscles — is sometimes observed 

 in the Mare during the second half of gestation, the muscles of the thigh, 

 and chiefly the principal extensor of the metatarsus, being almost exclu- 

 sively involved. When effected, the animal either suddenly or rapidly 

 flexes and extends the limb — striking the ground hurriedly and energeti- 

 cally with the foot, as if a fly had settled on the leg, or the whole limb is 

 gradually and rigidly elevated without flexure of the joints, except those 

 of the phalanges, which are half-fixed, the anterior aspect of the hoof 

 being directed towards the ground ; at the same time the muscles of the 

 leg are hard, tense, and painful to manipulate, and the animal b«trays the 

 torture it experiences by its expression and attitudes. This manifestation 

 is increased if the Mare is compelled to walk, its first steps being extremely 



