PARTURIENT PARESIS 85 



dent clinical picture, history, circumstances and pre- 

 sumptions; all of which is instantaneously and almost 

 subconsciously tabulated, with previous experience as 

 a guide, and the diagnosis is made. 



Parturient paresis in typical form presents no diffi- 

 culties in diagnosis. It follows an easy parturition 

 with the greatest frequency. This is one of the points 

 to be elicited in the history obtained from the owner 

 or attendant — namely: whether the parturition has 

 been complicated by any degree of dystocia. The dis- 

 ease is rarely, almost never, seen after difficult par- 

 turition. 



The cows affected are almost without exception in 

 good condition and heavy milkers. "While young 

 cows are more frequently affected, the disease also at- 

 tacks aged cows. From twenty-four to seventy-two 

 hours after the birth of the calf is usually the time 

 of attack in the typical form. 



The cow refuses her feed and shows a stiffness or 

 stiltiness in her movements of the hind legs. Within 

 not more than a few hours there are rigors or trem- 

 bling of the posterior muscle groups and the cow is 

 losing the co-ordination of movements in the rear ex- 

 tremities; she goes ''wabbly" behind, and while 

 standing still constantly shifts her weight from leg to 

 leg. From this stage it is only a matter of minutes, 

 or at most an hour, until the animal goes down. Very 

 soon after assuming the recumbent attitude there ap- 

 pear signs of drowsiness, and within another hour or 

 two the cow is in a comatose condition. She fre- 

 quently snores ; the neck is sharply bent on itself with 

 the head resting against the thorax and the animal is 

 not aroused by blows or chastisement. In well marked 

 cases this attitude is maintained in death, which may 

 occur, in a few hours if the animal is not properly 



