-S' 



NORMAL PARTURITION. 



tonitis, mammitis, inflammation of the intestines or spinal cord, coryza, 

 vitulary fever, etc. But tliere is evidently exaggeration in this ; and we 

 are inclined to think that, at the most, the untimely cessation of this dis- 

 charge can only cause, as has been stated, dulness, indifference of the 

 mother to its progeny and surroundings, inappetence, suppression of milk, 

 slight fever, with dry erect coat, and constipation. 



To avoid this untimely cessation of the lochia, it has been recommended 

 that, with the larger animals, before and after parturition the food should 

 be sound and nutritive, but moderate in quantity, and such as will not 

 predispose to plethora or congestion; not" to travel or fatigue animals 

 towards the end of pregnancy ; to shelter them at this period ; not to 

 hurry labor, and only to render assistance when necessary ; and after 

 delivery to attend to the removal of the secundines, which are sometimes 

 retained in the Cow for an abnormal period, but should not be allowed to 

 remain longer than four or five days. 



3. MiLK-FEVER. — In woman the establishing of the lacteal secretion 

 after delivery — generally forty-eight hours — is usually accompanied by a 

 general febrile condition, in which this fluid changes from colostrum to 

 ordinary milk. This is tlie so-called " milk-fever," a pathological condi- 

 tion said by some authorities to be present in animals, and denied by 

 others. The latter assert that, when parturition has been quite normal, 

 there is only observed a little dulness, lassitude, the pulse fuller and 

 quicker than usual, and less appetite for the first day — all consequences 

 of the suffering undergone during even the easiest parturition. In a day 

 or two, however, all this has disappeared, except perhaps a little weak- 

 ness, which soon vanishes also. But when parturition has not been 

 altogether natural, and complications arise, then there may certainly be 

 fever, though this has nothing to do with the change of the colostrum to 

 milk — a gradual process ; indeed, when traumatic fever sets in this secre- 

 tion is diminished or suspended. 



Saint-Cyr is disposed to deny the existence of this so-called " milk 

 fever '' in animals, and he quotes eminent accoucheurs, who are inclined to 

 doubt the existence of this fever in woman as related to the lacteal secre- 

 tion, but as due rather to traumatism from injury to the genital organs 

 during child-birth. His own observations on Cows are certainly not 

 favorable to the existence of this fever in these animals ; and even among 

 those who believe in it, there are many who admit that it is scarcely per- 

 ceptible. 



Rainard, for instance, accounts for its being so little marked in animals, 

 by noticing that in woman the uterus receives its blood from the ab- 

 dominal (mferior) aorta, but the mammae from the pectoral (or anterior) 

 aorta; but in animals, uterus and mammae are supplied by the posterior 

 aorta. In woman, when lactation is established, there is an alteration in 

 the circulation, and consequently a general disturbance which has been ' 

 hitherto designated "inflammatory" or " angiotenic fever;" but in 

 animals this change in the' circulation does not occur. Therefore, this 

 '• angiotenic fever " should not be present. 



4. Lactation. — Before parturition, preparation for the secretion of 

 milk is already being made in the mammary glands, and shortly before 

 thnt event a thin serous or milky fluid can often be expressed from the 

 teat ; while immediately after delivery, the oedematous tumefaction which 



