PUERPERAL ECLAMPTIC DISEASES. 



In domestic animals there occurs with considerable frequency a 

 group of diseases characterized chiefly by a profound disturbance 

 of the central nervous system, which express themselves either in 

 tonic and clonic spasms or in coma. These diseases appear 

 usually soon after parturition, but may occur during the act or 

 shortly prior to that event. They all run a very rapid and 

 stormy course, with a high mortality, except their course is in- 

 terrupted by prompt and judicious treatment. 



The pathology of this group of diseases is unknown. Various 

 theories have been propounded to account for the occurrence of 

 these affections, but none of them have met with general accep- 

 tance, and the correctness of none of them has been shown. Post- 

 mortem examinations have revealed various lesions or alleged 

 lesions, which may be regarded as results of, rather than the 

 cause of, the malady. They fail to reveal the true character of 

 the disease. For example, there is frequently found in parturi- 

 ent paresis of the cow a well-marked pneumonia, which we 

 know is not a part of the di.sease. but an inter-current com- 

 plication due to the inhalation of food particles or medicines. 

 Hemorrhages upon the brain have been found ; but this is not 

 strange if an animal has thrown itself about violently for a 

 number of hours, striking its horns with great force against 

 the wall, floor or ground, and thus causing more or less injury 

 by concussion of the brain. In a similar way we might account 

 for other lesions which have been discovered upon post-mortem 

 examination. In many instances the post-mortem revelations 

 are nil, and it would appear from such knowledge as has been 

 gained up to the present time that in reality no lesion has been 

 discovered which constitutes an essential part of the malady, and 

 consequently that its true pathology is unknown. 



The causes of this group of maladies in domestic animals are 

 unknown. It is difficult to arrive at a general conclusion, be- 

 cause various reasons are assigned, and there is no general agree- 

 ment as to what maladies should be included in the group. 



In woman there occurs a somewhat common and highly fatal 

 disease known as parturient eclampsia, which some authors con- 

 sider identical with the parturient paresis of the cow, while others 

 strongly dispute the identity or analogy of the two. 

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