476 VETERINARY LECTURES 



decayed and foetid condition of the cleansings at times seen hanging 

 from cows, I have never yet seen one struck with fly or maggot. 



806. Dropping from Retention of the Second Cleansing 



(Partial Paralysis after Calving). — Cases are met with where the after- 

 birth comes away all right a few hours after calving, but in the 

 course of from two to six days the animal is found lying down and 

 unable to rise, yet it feeds, chews the cud, and milks fairly well ; the 

 breathing is quick and heavy, and the temperature is normal, but 

 still the patient cannot get up. The vulva is puckered up and quite 

 dry, and no discharge is seen from the passage. This condition is 

 considered by many to be milk fever. There are, however, no head 

 symptoms or unconsciousness. The loss of power is through reflex 

 nervous action, and due to the too sudden closing of the neck of the 

 womb, behind which the debris or second cleansing collects and 

 is retained. Treatment. — Give a good dose of opening medicine, say 

 1 pound of Epsom salts and 2 ounces of ginger, in a quart of treacle 

 gruel, to which add 1 pint of linseed oil, and further apply a strong 

 mustard poultice over the loins and clothe the body, when, in the 

 course of twenty-four hours, the animal will probably discharge from 

 the womb a quantity of bloody, slimy fluid, after which it becomes 

 all right. At times the retention of the second cleansing sets up 

 septic fever. 



807. Parturient Septic Fever in the cow is due to retention of 

 morbid matter (second cleansing) in the womb, and attacks animals 

 more particularly in the early spring months, when east winds prevail. 

 About three or four weeks after calving the cow is noticed to be 

 losing flesh and getting into a low and debilitated condition, with 

 tucking up of the belly, falling off in milk, having little or no appetite, 

 and only occasionally chewing the cud, while the bowels are con- 

 stipated, the dung being hard and dark-coloured ; the lips of the 

 vulva are also puckered up, and of a dirty yellow appearance, and 

 the patient has a peculiar fusty smell. In some cases it is associated 

 with parturient bronchitis or pneumonia (par. 538). Treatment. — 

 Antiseptic tonic medicines are necessary, such as sulphite of soda, 

 iron, quassia, and vegetable cordials (par. 1067, No. IV.) given in 



