92 2 Veterinary Obstetrics 



ing the afterbirth manually, and Kohler, who found the detached 

 membranes in the uterus in cases of paresis. 



Other observers have seen cases in which the malady has 

 occurred under other conditions. We were called to attend a 

 cow because of presumed dystokia, and found her standing with 

 portions of the membranes hanging from the vulva. Upon ex- 

 amination it was found that the fetus was in its normal position 

 and alive, and that the cervix was fully dilated. All that ap- 

 peared to be wanting was a moderate expulsive effort on the part 

 of the cow, but this did not occur. She seemed well in a general 

 way, except that she was unsteady upon her feet. The fetus 

 was extracted under very moderate traction, without any aid 

 from the mother. Some two hours later she fell, exhibiting all 

 the symptoms of parturient paresis, and perished therefrom a 

 few hours later. 



In another instance in our practice, a typical case of paresis 

 occurred, where the animal was down and comatose, and the 

 placenta was still feebly retained in the uterus. 



The disease is one of well-nourished animals. It does not 

 occur in tho.se cows which have been starved or have been kept 

 upon food of very bad quality, and consequently are in poor 

 condition. On the other hand, the excessively fat cow does 

 not show so great a tendency to the disease as the one which 

 is in good flesh. It is a disease belonging to the highly-nourished 

 animal, and not to the obese or the emaciated. 



In all those cases of parturient paresis occurring subsequent 

 to parturition, and virtually all of them occur during this period, 

 the disease follows an easy birth. Along with this, in almost 

 every case, there is prompt expulsion of the fetal membranes. 



Symptoms. When the animal is under close observation, 

 preceding the full development of the symptoms of parturient 

 paresis there is usually first noted a staring expression of the 

 eye, with dilation of the pupil and a wild look. The eyes may 

 be pirouetted or rolled in their orbits. There may be occasional 

 muscular twitchings or contractions, and a condition of unrest. 

 In rare cases there are very distinct clonic spasms, especially of 

 the neck, with grinding of the teeth and slobbering. The ani- 

 mal acts as if affected with mania, and executes various move- 

 ments with the head. In one case we observed that the cow 

 would bite at her shoulder. If the cow is cau.sed to move she 



