88 



NON-SPECIFIC OR GENERAL DISEASES 



" Milk-fever " or Post-partum Paralysis. — This is a disease 

 peculiar to cows, especially lieavv milkers that are in good 

 condition. It most commonly occurs after the third, fourth and 

 fifth calving. The disease usually appears within the first two 

 or three days after calving, but it has been known to occur 

 before, and as late as several weeks after calving. The cause 

 is not certainly known. The Schmidt theory is that certain 

 toxins are fonned in the udder, owing to the over activity of tlie 

 cells of the irlandular tissue. 



Fig. 20. — A caye of milk-fever. 



The symptoms are characteristic of the disease. At the 

 very beginning of the attack the cow stops eating and nmiinat- 

 ing, becomes uneasy, switches the tail, stamps the feet, trembles, 

 staggers when forced to walk and finally falls and is unable to 

 get up. At first she may lie in a natural position; later, as the 

 paralytic symptoms become more pronounced, the head is laid 

 against the side of the body and the animal seems to be in a deep 

 sleep (Fig. 20). In the more severe form the cow lies on her 

 side, consciousness is lost and the paralysis of the muscles is 



