CHAP. I. PARTURIENT APOPLEXY. 557 



MILK FEVER OR DROPPING AFTER CALVING. Milk fever, or, as it is 

 technically termed, "parturient apoplexy," is not really a "fever," 

 there being no rise of temperature in uncomplicated cases. Indeed, in 

 some cases the temperature is actually below normal. It is rather of an 

 apoplectic character, the blood-vessels of the brain or spinal cord being 

 in most cases more or less congested, this in many cases resulting in 

 some paralysis and loss of consciousness. 



Symptoms. The disease generally appears from twelve to thirty-six 

 hours after calving. The first signs of illness are : cessation of 

 rumination, arrest of milk-secretion, dulness, and lowering head. 

 This is followed by paddling with the hind feet, and a rolling unsteady 

 gait. Then succeed staggering and paralysis, as a result of which the 

 animal falls helplessly to the ground. The head is now turned towards 

 the flank and rests on the side. The eyes are half-closed and the animal 

 cannot be roused. The pulse is quickened, and the breathing heavy. 

 Sometimes the belly becomes enlarged by gaseous distension of the 

 paunch, and there is an inability to swallow. 



The actual cause of " milk fever " is not known. It appears to have 

 now been proved conclusively that the disease is not due to a parasitic 

 organism, as was at one time thought to be the case. 



Treatment. The old-time methods of treatment, by bleeding, purging, 

 and the administration of stimulants, with external application to the 

 back and loins of irritating liniments, have now given place to the 

 injection into the udder, through the teats, of one or more of the 

 following substances : A solution of iodide of potassium, 1 solution of 

 chinosol, oxygen gas, atmospheric air (either sterilised or not), peroxide 

 of hydrogen, or even pure water warmed to the body temp'erature. 

 Afterwards the udder is gently kneaded. The 'patient is made as com- 

 fortable as possible, and propped up into a natural recumbent position 

 by means of trusses of straw or bags stuffed with chaff. " 



ABORTION OR SLINKING. For practical purposes, abortion may be 

 said to occur when an animal fails to carry her young through the full 

 period of pregnancy. 



The causes of abortion are very numerous. Many cases result 

 from external violence, such as blows and kicks. Others are induced 

 by fright, foul odours, poisonous plants such as savin and yew, and 

 possibly, ergoted grasses. Over-driving and long fasting conduce 

 largely to the disorder, especially when followed by over-feeding and 

 the ingestion of large quantities of cold water. Violent purgatives and 

 the excessive use of saltpetre, common salt, and other medicaments, 

 are productive of the mishap, and the same may be said of foot and 

 mouth disease, pleuro-pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other specific 

 diseases. The contagious form of abortion is due to minute organisms 

 which invade the womb of pregnant females, where they set up a specific 

 inflammation which results in the death and subsequent expulsion of 

 the foatus. 



1 See Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, 3rd series, vol. x., 1899, p. 154. 



