THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 177 



state of excitation from the stimulus of the food, as well as 

 artificial atmosphere, the suffering creature will surely be ben- 

 efited by inhaling the requisite amount of an uncontaminated 

 atmosphere. 



The principal causes of puerperal fever in women are said 

 to be misplaced benevolence, which benevolently / furnishes her 

 with choice viands, rich caudles, and stimulants, in view of 

 obviating debility, and insuring hilarity of mind. Now the 

 condition of the pregnant female being one of increased sus- 

 ceptibility, it fully demonstrates the incompatibility of using 

 even what may be considered as the ordinary stimulations of 

 health. Therefore, in the case of the cow, stimulating food 

 and an unnecessary amount of the same given daily after the 

 cow has " come to her growth," as the saying is, may be termed 

 misplaced benevolence ; whereas, if the cow has not attained 

 her full growth, the practice of feeding liberally is not objec- 

 tionable, for she requires a large amount of nutriment to 

 develop the various parts of her organism, and promote the 

 integrity of the same, and also to nourish the foetus in utero, 

 and lastly, for the purpose of furnishing the necessary material 

 for the lacteal secretion. It has been noticed that great milk- 

 ers, as well as fat animals, are often the subjects of peurperal 

 fever, and probably the suppression of the milk secretion, in 

 the advanced stage of pregnancy, may be an exciting cause of 

 the difficulty, yet not in all cases ; for we are pretty certain 

 that some cows, owing to a peculiarity of constitution, are pre- 

 disposed to puerperal hysteritis. 



In view, therefore, of guarding against the consequences 

 which may occur when the animal is suddenly "dried up," we 

 should be careful to diminish the daily allowance of food, and 

 also feed lightly from this period up to that of parturition. 



Milking the cow before calving, in view of preventing puer- 

 peral fever, is very mischevious, for it is apt to excite prema- 

 ture parturition ; many of the cows I have attended for the 

 above complaint, had been so treated. Occasionally the udder 

 becomes distended to a painful degree so that it is necessary to 

 practice moderate milking, otherwise the practice is injurious. 



