656 PATHOLOGY OF PARTURITION. 



the carcases of those which have died, the veterinary surgeon should be 

 on his guard against inoculation. More particularly is this necessary 

 when exploring the genital canal of the living animal, or removing a 

 putrescent foetus or foetal envelopes. The arm and hand should then be 

 well smeared with oil or lard, and thoroughly cleaned with carbolic acid 

 soap when the operation is completed. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Parturient Apoplexy. — Parturient Collapse. 



Few diseases affecting animals have received a greater amount of atten- 

 tion, or given rise to more widely divergent opinions as to their nature, 

 than the malady to which, chiefly for convenience, we have given the 

 designation of parturient apoplexy or parturient collapse. Veterinary 

 literature, since the commencement of the century, teems with descrip- 

 tions and discussions relative to the disease, and the most eminent veteri- 

 nary pathologists still appear to be far from unanimous as to its nature. 

 The great number of names given to it — some of which either indicate the 

 opinions prevalent with regard to its pathology or causes, or point to 

 prominent symptoms — are evidence of the uncertainty which has pre- 

 vailed, and now prevails, with regard to it. For instance, it has been ^&^- 

 \gr\2i\.td puerperal fever, fiervous or paralytic form of puerperal fever, 77iilk- 

 fever^ puerperal apoplexy, paraplegia, puerperal collapse, vitulary fever, vitu- 

 lary apoplexy, vitulary paralysis, processus puerperal, puerperal typhus, calf 

 fever, dropping after calving, eclampsia puerperalis., etc. 



The ordinary French name is " Vitulary Fever " (that given to it by 

 Saint-Cyrand other veterinary authorities in France), while in Germany 

 it is commonly known as "Calving Fever" (Franck and others). In 

 England it is usually designated V Parturient Apoplexy," "Puerperal 

 Fever," " Milk Fever," etc. 



The malady appears to have been known from an early period, but the 

 first exact description of the symptoms we can find is that given by Skel- 

 let (^Practical Treatise on the Parturitioii of the Cow, London, 1807), who 

 names it " Milk Fever, or Dropping after Calving ; " in the following 

 year it is alluded to by Jorg {Anleitung zu eifier rationellefi Geburtshulfe, 

 e\.c.,fUr Thierdrzie), who evidently knew Skellet's work, as the latter's 

 plates are copied. Some years after this period the disease began to 

 attract much attention, as with the improvement in the breeding of Cat- 

 tle, it gradually became more prevalent ; until now, the literature of the 

 subject is very extensive. 



Without entering at this moment into a discussion as to the nature of 

 the disease, it may be sufficient to say that it is a very serious and acute 

 affection, peculiar to Cows in the parturient state — and especially to those 

 of the improved Milch breeds, in which it is frequent ; that its invasion is 

 sudden and its course rapid ; and that it is characterized by loss of con- 

 sciousness and paralysis, seldom by convulsions. It is extremely fatal, 

 death ensuing in a very short time ; or if recovery takes place, this is 

 sometimes nearly as rapid as the attack was sudden. It has been con- 

 founded with parturient fever, or considered to be only a nervous or 

 paralytic form of that malady ; while Franck, who appears to have 



