672 PATHOLOGY OF PAETUEITIOX. 



inclined to think that the morbid localisation is due to sudden suppres- 

 sion of the lochia. " The larger animals," he writes, "are not exempt 

 after parturition from the depuratory process which takes place on the 

 internal surface of the woman's uterus after delivery, and known as the 

 lochia ; and its abrupt suppression gives rise to a disturbance — a fever, 

 which physicians designate ' puerperal fever,' and veterinary surgeons 

 ' vitulary fever.' The disease proper to the Cow is, in our opinion, 

 simple vitulary fever, which, in concentrating itself on the tendinous, 

 articular, and perhaps muscular tissues, may become a rheumatismal 

 vitulary fever. That of the Mare, until now unrecognised, is evidently 

 due to the same cause ; we cannot deny it a certain analogy with the 

 vitulary fevers which are witnessed m the -Cow, and we propose to 

 designate it by the name of vitulary laviinitis, to distinguish it from 

 essential laminitis." 



Bouley was of opinion that parturient laminitis may be allied to that 

 other form which so commonly succeeds intestinal congestions from 

 accidental causes, or from drastic purgatives ; and that both varieties 

 may well be the result of a momentary paralysis of the vaso-motor 

 nerves of the keratogenous apparatus of the foot, under the influence of 

 a profoundly depressing action. 



The occasional causes are quite as obscure. Tisserant asserts that 

 none of the ordinary causes of laminitis are special in their operation 

 here ; while Deneubourg adds that it attacks INIares without distinction 

 as to age, constitution, condition, or hygienic circumstances. Guilmot, 

 however, remarks that Mares which are submitted to moderate work, 

 and which receive an allowance of food in proportion thereto, are not 

 attacked ; while those which are fed on oats have always been the 

 subjects affected, so far as he has been able to observe. 



There is the same diversity of opinion with regard to the influence of 

 parturition in the production of parturient laminitis. Tisserant has 

 noticed it occurring, in the great majority of cases, in Mares which had 

 aborted at a somewhat advanced period of gestation, or whose delivery 

 had been laborious or very difficult, from the wrong position of the 

 foetus or from some maternal obstacle. Deneubourg, on the contrary, 

 has observed it following parturition effected in the most favourable 

 conditions, as well as after abortion or difficult labour ; with Mares 

 which had expelled the foetal membranes, as well as with those which 

 retained them ; but never after a laborious parturition which required 

 manoeuvres more or less protracted and painful ; though he adds that 

 his brother had witnessed a case following laborious and artificial 

 delivery. It may be noted that Gloag^ gives an instance in which it 

 followed an abortion at three months. 



Obich attributes the disease to the action of cold upon the skin. 



Treatment. 



In the treatment of this disease, the rules observed in the ordinary 

 attacks of laminitis are usually applicable. In the majority of cases 

 the treatment need not, and should not, be heroic. If the fever runs 

 high, sedatives — as the tincture of aconite — should be given ; and it 

 may even be necessary to administer narcotics — as chloral or opium — 

 if the pain is very great. Some authorities recommend the abstraction 

 of blood, either generally or locally ; but many are averse to this 

 treatment. 



•• Veterinarian, 1851, p. 14. 



