6^i PA THOLOG Y OF PARTURITION. 



They stood near another Cow whose uterus contained a decomposing 

 placenta. The emanations from the vulva or discharges of this animal 

 had, there can scarcely be a doubt, infected the three ; or the soiled 

 straw may have been the means of conveying the septic matter to the 

 vulvar wounds ; the tail of the Cow may even have been an active agent 

 in throwing the vaginal discharges about, as it is generally much soiled 

 by them. 



External infection may also be conveyed by means of cords, crotchets, 

 and other obstetrical appliances, if they are soiled with septic matters : 

 which they may be if previously used in the removal of a decomposing 

 foetus ; and the operator himself may be the means of infecting. An in- 

 stance of this kind is related where, in Switzerland, during 1861-63, in a 

 large cowshed containing about 200 head of cattle, suddenly a number 

 died of parturient fever, though they had no difficulty in calving. For a 

 long time afterwards no other births took place, so no more accidents of 

 this kind were observed ; but it was strongly suspected that the herds- 

 man who attended the first sick animal, cleaned it, etc., in helping the 

 others during parturition, had conveyed the infection to them. And it 

 is quite possible that many serious and wide-spread outbreaks of partu- 

 rient fever in cattle are due to an obstetrist who has been engaged in 

 removing a dead foetus or a retained placenta. The same cause may^be 

 in operation among Ewes during the lambing season, when, as is well 

 known, parturition occurs in the flocks within a limited period, and un- 

 der circumstances favorable to the spread of infection • and not unfre- 

 quently large numbers of Ewes perish from parturient septikaemia 

 (*' heaving pains "). 



We have mentioned that exposure to cold is supposed to be one of the 

 causes of parturient fever. Franck, however, is of opinion that real par- 

 turient fever cannot be so produced. 



With regard to the nature of the infective material, there is yet much 

 to be learned. The active agent has been surmised to be the Microsporon 

 septicum, which has some analogy to the Leptoihrix buccalis. In the putrid 

 matters and fluids from the uterus, bacteria, are always found. But 

 whether these organisms are really concerned in the genesis of septi- 

 kaemia is still doubtful. Some authorities are inclined to believe that 

 there is a chemical body — septin or sepsin — in such infective fluids, which 

 possesses great putrefactiv'^e powers ; so that a very small quantity intro- 

 duced into the blood may produce the most serious results. In favor of 

 the latter view, it is to be noted that very often after rapid death from 

 parturient fever, no bacteria or other similar bodies can be found in the 

 blood. 



Another hypothesis is that these organisms are only the originators or 

 bearers of the infective material. 



In the puerperal fever of woman, it is recognized that the infecting mat- 

 ter may be derived from a great variety of sources. It is formed wherever 

 organic compounds decompose; therefore it is derived from dead bodies, 

 from suppurating wounds, disintegrating neoplasms, and especially from 

 the secretions of diseased — and sometimes also of healthy — women. So 

 it is that puerperal fever is looked upon as nothing more than poisoning 

 with septic matter from the genital organs. 



The experiments of Weber, Billroth, and others, have demonstrated 

 that septic matter has pyrogenetic and phlogogeneous properties, being 

 capable of producing fever and local inflammation. 



