PARTURIENT APOPLEXY.— PARTURIENT COLLAPSE. 659 



ignated Abtropfeln aus dent Maide by the Germans). Food and water 

 are refused, and indeed at an early period there appears to be paralysis 

 of the deglutition organs, and if care is not taken the solids or fluids at- 

 tempted to be administered may find their way into the air-passages, and 

 if they do not quickly produce asphyxia, they will probably give rise to 

 pneumonia. The functions of the rumen and digestive system are more 

 or less suspended, and the peristaltic movement of the intestines de- 

 creased. Hence we have tympany, eructations, and constipation. The 

 eructations may carry fluid and food from the rumen into the pharynxj 

 and even into the nostrils, and these may pass from thence into the trachea. 

 So that we may have pneumonia from this cause alone, and without at- 

 tempts having been made to administer food or medicine. Constipation 

 is also a marked feature of this paralyzed condition. 



Micturition is also, as a rule, suspended from the commencement. 

 Consequently, urine accumulates in the bladder and faeces in the rectum. 



The secretion of milk may be diminished or suspended, and sometimes 

 very suddenly, even before the voluntary muscles are paralyzed; in other 

 instances it may be uninterrupted. 



When the animal is about to recover, these symptoms may persist for 

 some hours, or even for two, three, or four days. Then it appears to 

 rouse up suddenly from the stupor into which it was plunged ; the tongue 

 is moved about ; the head is raised ; attempts are made to get up ; it ele- 

 vates the fore-part of the body, and after some struggles finally gets on 

 its hind-legs and stands. The first favorable indications are elevation of 

 the temperature, and resumption of the intestinal peristalsis. The latter 

 is assured when the rectum is found to be filled with faeces, after it has 

 been emptied. 



The animal's physiognomy changes, and becomes natural — though it 

 may still look half-stupefied \ it drinks and seeks food, and is not long in 

 commencing to ruminate ; its calf is caressed ; urine and faeces are passed ; 

 and recovery sets in so promptly, and goes on so quickly, that in many 

 cases it is scarcely possible to believe that the animal which, twenty-four 

 hours previously appeared to be dying, is now not only recovering, but 

 completely recovered. 



When death is about to take place, the more serious symptoms are bet- 

 ter marked. The coUapsus — the coma — becomes more and more complete. 

 The nose rests on the ground as if the animal could no longer support 

 the head, and at times sways from side to side. The decubitus, instead 

 of being sternal, becomes lateral, and the body is stretched out at full 

 length on its side. The eye is glassy, and there is no movement of the 

 eyelids when the cornea is touched ; the body and mouth are colder; the 

 tympanitis increases ; the pulse becomes small, irregular, and intermit- 

 tent, and very quick, until at last it is imperceptible ; the breathing is 

 pufiing, slower, and more stertorous, and the animal dies without a strug- 

 gle, or in the midst of slight convulsions. 



In some cases there are epileptiform convulsions, or there may be symp- 

 toms of delirium : the animal throws its head about violently from side 

 to side, or bends it rigidly backwards, struggles, bellows, groans, extends 

 the limbs convulsively as if undergoing an electric shock, and appears to 

 be unconscious ; the breathing is deep and spasmodic, and apoplexy — 

 parturient apoplexy — seems to be the cause of death. 



