DISEASES FOLLOWING PARTURITION. 251 



quarts. The fullness and force of the pulse must determine the amount : 

 if it is weak and rapid or scarcely perceptible the vein must be instantly 

 closed, and it may even be necessary to give ammoniacal stimulants. 

 If the cow is lying down, unable to rise, and above all if no winking is 

 caused by touching the eyeball, bleeding must be done, if at all, with 

 great precaution. A pint or a quart may be all that can be safely taken, 

 and in case the pulse has been small and weak no more should be drawn 

 unless the pulse-beat strengthens. The fatal collapse already threat- 

 ening is often precipitated by unguarded bleeding. The jugular vein 

 may be opened as coming directly from the brain, and as the object is 

 to lessen the density of the blood and the tension in the Jt>lood vessels 

 without shock, it is not so essential to draw it in a full stream as in 

 other cases of blood-letting. As the blood is withdrawn the place is 

 speedily taken by liquids (mainly water), absorbed from all available 

 parts of the body, and thus the blood is helpfully diluted. 



It is a good practice to give a dose of purgative medicine (Epsom 

 salts 2 pounds, carbonate of ammonia ounce, nux vomica i dram). II 

 it is absorbed it will find its way to the bowels and start active secretion, 

 thereby relieving the plethora ; if it is not absorbed it will do no harm. 

 Enemas of warm water and soap or oil may be beneficially employed. 



Iced water or bags of ice to the head (tied around the horns and 

 covering the forehead and upper part of the neck), are of the very 

 greatest value in cases in which the heat of the horns, ears, and head, 

 the redness of the eyes and fixed dilatation of the pupils, are marked 

 features. Like bleeding, it may be uncalled for in those cases in which 

 the heat and general congestion of the head are absent. 



In these congestive cases, too, benefit is often derived from large and 

 frequent doses (20- drops every four hours) of tincture of aconite. It 

 acts not alone as a sedative to the heat and circulation, but al.so by 

 favoring a free circulation in the skin. In what may be called the non 

 congestive cases it is of little avail. 



Harms claims excellent results from large doses of tartar emetic, 1 

 ounce for the first dose, 3 drams more after four hours, and 2 drams 

 after four hours. If absorbed it will act after the manner of aconite 

 as a sedative by causing a free circulation in the skin. 



This increased circulation in the skin servos to draw away bhxxl 

 from the internal organs, and thus to relieve the brain, and to secure 

 the same result a variety of resorts are had with varying success in 

 different cases. The application of hot (almost scalding) water to tlu 

 back and loins, or to the limbs, acts in this way. So do mustard pi. is 

 tors, frictions with oil of turpentine, the prolonged movement over tin- 

 part of a hot smoothing iron with a thin cloth between it and the skin, 

 or finally the application of strong liquor ammonia, covered up foi 

 fifteen minutes with a close rug. 



In cases with a high Ixxly temperature an excellent plan is to wrap 

 the whole Ixxly in a blanket slightly wrung out of cold water, and cover 



