DISEASES OF COWS. 451 



contracted and the neck is rigidly bent so that the head 

 cannot be moved from this position. This symptom is 

 typical of the disease, and gives rise to one popular name 

 for it, viz.: ^'Dropping after Calving." Stupor be- 

 comes more and more intense and the animal falls into a 

 comatose condition from which it rarely recovers. There 

 is no fever, and the temperature falls below the normal; 

 the feet, ears and horns are exceedingly cold, and the 

 movements of the bowels are suspended. If the animal 

 recovers, these symptoms may be continued for as long as 

 four days ; if death does not ensue in two days recovery 

 may be hoped for. In this case the cow seems to sud- 

 denly awake from its stupor, raises its head, and after 

 some struggles rises upon its feet and stands. When 

 the movement of the bowels returns recovery is assured. 

 When, on the other hand, death is approaching, thecoma 

 becomes more intense, the head sinks and rests upon the 

 ground or it sways from side to side, the eye is glassy 

 and insensible to the touch, the belly becomes swollen 

 with gas, the breathing is hard, and the animal dies 

 easily or with some slight convulsions. In this disease 

 the deaths are about forty-five to fifty per cent ; the 

 largest proportion being those cases which occur the 

 soonest after calving. When two days elapse before 

 the attack, recovery may be looked for. 

 i The causes of the disease being known one may exer- 

 cise precautions against it. As it is chiefly the highly 

 bred, heavy milking, or large bodied plethoric cows 

 which are attacked, great caution should be observed 

 with these to avoid high feeding for a few weeks before 

 calving. Or when cows have been permitted to fall off 

 in condition for months previous to the calving, the 

 feeding should be very carefully increased up to the 

 period when calving is looked for. Close confinement is 

 to be avoided, and abundant exercise should be given to 

 incoming cows. Generally whatever will lower the con- 



