668 PATHOLOGY OF PARTURITION. 



CHAPTEE VII. 

 Epilepsia Uterina.— Mania Puerperalis. 



A PECULIAR nervous affection, to which the designation of " Epilepsia 

 Uterina '' has been given by Storrar,^ might be classed with the disease 

 which, in the previous chapter, has been named "Eclampsia," did it 

 not differ somewhat from it, and rather resemble epilepsy, or what 

 Harms has called " Mania puerperalis." Until its exact pathology 

 is better defined, it will be convenient to retain Storrar's designation. 



?iym]}toms. 



The disease appears to affect the Cow only," and is marked by great 

 agitation, sometimes fury. We cannot do better than give the symptoms 

 in two cases, and then refer to Storrar's and Harms' evidence. 



Rolls- was sent for in great haste to see a Cow, five years old, which had calved a 

 fortniijht previously, and had eaten the placenta. For two days before he was called in 

 the animal had not been well, and its Calf had been removed the previous night. It had 

 a wild, excited expression ; eyes staring ; ears warm ; pulse full, rather strong and 

 quick ; jaws continually moving, as if in the act of biting ; foaming at the mouth ; the 

 under part of the tongue purple and livid-looking. The movement of the jaws could 

 not be stopped by holding them together, and when the animal was left to itself it was 

 continually biting at its fore-legs, though without making a wound ; when interrupted 

 it gnawed the manger, woodwork of the ttall, or anything presented to it. If hay was 

 offered it would seize it, masticate it with the continuous and violent movement referred 

 to, and swallow it. It took some bran mash and chilled water, and though it partook of 

 nothing else, it looked full, and there was the peculiar sour odour often met with in Cows 

 suffering gastric derangement, and especially when it occurs soon after parturition. 

 Blood was abstracted, and belladonna and linseed-oil administered. In about three hours 

 afterwards, the convulsive movements ceased and the Cow appeared to be much better. 

 Next day the excited expression was still apparent. Under further treatment it 

 recovered. 



Thirteen months afterwards it calved again, and when a fortnight old the Calf was 

 removed from it. Next morning it was found to be suffering from a similar attack, 

 the jaws moving in the same convulsive manner, but not so violently. Rolls noted 

 that the Cow looked wild and excited ; the pupils of the eyes were normal ; ears warm ; 

 pulse eighty per minute, and full and strong ; foaming at the mouth ; under part of 

 tongue livid ; grinding the teeth occasionally ; the fore-legs were wet and covered with 

 saliva, from gnawing them. The animal was again bled and had opiates, and recovery 

 soon took place. 



Robellet'* gives a similar instance, in which the symptoms closely resembled those of 

 rabies. The Cow — four years old — calved four days previously, parturition being normal. 

 On the day on which Robellet was sent for, it had refused to eat at pasture, left its com- 

 panions, and constantly licked its fore-legs. In the evening it was restless, and bit 

 everj'thing about it. Robellet found that it had bitten the manger, rack, and food, 

 allowing the latter to fall from its mouth without masticating it ; it also seized its breast 

 and forelegs, but without breaking the skin. The pulse was full and sixty per minute ; 

 the eyes, unnaturally open, were red, fixed, and haggard, and the pupils dilated ; the 

 buccal mucous membrane was slightly inflamed, and a frothy saliva surrounded the 

 borders of the lips ; the respiration was normal. At times the Cow stretched out its 

 fore-limbs, bellowed, pawed the ground with the fore-feet, and seemed to defy an in- 

 visible enemy. The handle of a stable-fork being presented, the animal seized it in a 

 frantic manner and bit it, shaking the head violently. 



These s3'mptoms gave rise to the suspicion of rabies ; but no evidence as to inocula- 

 tion could be obtained. The Cow was separated from the others, secured by a double 

 chain, and an ounce and a half of chloral administered in two doses in tea — a quarter 

 of an hour between each dose. Several minutes after the second dose, the Cow, which 

 had continued to show the same symptoms, hung its head, and, without staggering, fell 



^ Veterinary Journal, vol. iv., p. 53. 



^ Ibid., vol. ii., p. 17. 



* Recueil de Medecine Vtterinaire, 187-1. 



