PARTURIENT ECLAMPSIA. 685 



appeared to be suspended, and it was difficult to perceive the movements of the flanks ; 

 the pulse was imperceptible, but the heart's beats were strong. The tongue hung out 

 of the mouth, and the air expelled during perspiration carried a large quantity of foamy 

 saliva with it. The senses appeared to t)e completely abolished, and the eyeballs — 

 turned greatly upwards — looked fixed in a remarkable rnanner. The limbs were rigidly 

 extended, and they, with the trunk, jerked in such a violent manner, that the whole body 

 was shaken without being displaced. The udder was not flaccid,'and milk of a good 

 quality was readily obtained from it. 



Mauri thought it was a case of vitulary fever, and ordered the necessary treatment. 

 After six o'clock in the evening, while preparations were being made to carry out his 

 prescriptions, the Cow got up and stumbled towards the side of the shed where its calf 

 was standing. During the night it ate and ruminated. Next morning at eight o'clock 

 there was a new attack. The premonitory symptoms lasted for about half an hour, and 

 the animal lay until half-past nine. At mid-day it did not present any signs of disease. 

 It had no more attacks, but the owner, apprehensive of future danger, sold it two months 

 afterwards, and Mauri lost sight of it. 



3. Calmettes (Ibid., p. 67) mentions that a four-year-old Cow gave birth to a calf 

 during the night in quite a natural manner, and during the following day it ate and 

 ruminated as usual. Towards six o'clock in the evening it suddenly commenced to 

 tremble, and to stagger in its hind-limbs, so that it could only walk with the greatest 

 difficulty. At seven o'clock Calmettes noted that the hind-quarters were very feeble, 

 the general sensibility appeared to be increased, pressure on the dorso-lumbar region 

 caused much pain ; the skin was very hot, and the respiration deep and hurried ; the 

 pulse was strong and quick, the mucous membranes somewhat reddened, and the muffle 

 damp. Counter-irritants were applied to the hind-quarters, and draughts and emollient 

 enemas administered. At one o'clock in the morning he was again called. The animal 

 had fallen on its side ; the general sensibility was diminished, and the skin was very 

 cold. From time to time it was remarked that all the extensor muscles of the limbs 

 were convulsed, which threw the latter into rigid extension ; though, when seized by the 

 hands, they could be flexed and moved about. The sensorial functions were completely 

 abolished, and the skin could be pricked or incised without inducing the least movement ; 

 the eye, which was generally fixed, pirouetted in its orbit from time to time, while it 

 could distinguish nothing, and could be touched without betraying any sensation ; there 

 was also loss of hearing. At this time the respiration was about normal — eighteen to 

 twenty respirations in the minute ; the pulse was small and imperceptil)le ; the heart's 

 beats strong ; the mucous membrane rather pale than red, and the muffle dry. During 

 expiration there was a labial souffle, and an abundance of foamy saliva escaped from the 

 mouth. The animal remained in this condition for six hours. 



Towards seven o'clock next morning, when about to send for a butcher, the limbs be- 

 came rigid and were seized with convulsions, which extended to the entire body. As 

 if by enchantment, the animal placed itself on its sternum, raised its head in the normal 

 position, and finally got up, though with difficulty ; it remained in a somewhat deep coma 

 for about an hour. 



In the evening it had a second attack, there being general agitation, with hurried 

 respiration and weakness of the hind-quarters. Soon it fell, had numerous convulsions, 

 and manifested the same general insensibility it displayed in the morning ; remain- 

 ing paralyzed, however, for only three hours. Next morning it appeared to be quite 

 recovered. 



Fifteen months previously, and eight days after parturition, this Cow had another 

 attack when returning from pasture; being suddenly seized with tremblings, it staggered 

 and fell. In half an hour afterwards it was completely insensible, and sensationless ; 

 the respiration was almost normal, the pulse imperceptible, though the contractions 

 of the heart were powerful, and all the symptoms already enumerated were present, 

 but became more rapidly developed. The convulsions continued for two and a half 

 hours. 



4. Lafitte {Ilnd., p. 70) mentions that a Cow calved in the most favorable manner, 

 and four hours afterwards became agitated and restless ; soon afterwards, there were 

 convulsions of the muscles of the trunk and limbs, and so much weakness set in that the 

 animal could not stand. The tongue was often projected from the mouth and foam 

 flowed therefrom : the Cow coutd hear and see during the attack. The pulse was 

 intermittent, and the respiration moderately increased. In about ten hours it arose and 

 gradually recovered. Two days after, it had another and a final attack, which lasted for 

 three hours, 



5. The same writer {Ibid., p. 70) relates that a Cow, which had calved a few hours 

 before, was seized with persistent convulsions and great general weakness, which ren- 

 dered standing impossible — presenting, in fact, all the symptoms of the previous case. 

 This attack continued for three hours, and another followed on the same day. Then an 



