THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 389 



can scarcely come into use except under the influence of 

 the cerebro- spinal nerve centres. 



Adynamia nervosa generalis (Armatage) is that 

 nervous debility wbich affects some cows during the later 

 stages of pregnancy, which has been confounded with 

 parturient apoplexy, but which is only indicated by a 

 want of ability to rise, a tendency to coldness of the 



b^h 



Fig. 7o. — The natural position of rest as retained in adynamia. (Armatage.) 



surface, and a weakness of the pulse, with some torpidity 

 of the bowels, otherwise the animal remains apparently in 

 good health. It has been attributed to pressure of the 

 uterus containing the foetus on the posterior aorta, pre- 

 venting the proper supply of blood to the hind extremities, 

 and in some instances this seems to be the case, but it 

 often persists after parturition, therefore it must be due 

 also to other causes. Of these, the demands of the fcetus 

 on the nutritive material of the blood is considered to be 

 one of the principal. Sometimes it is treated successfully 

 by suddenly frightening the animal, but it is better to 

 keep the bowels open by means of enemas and the 

 surface of the body warm, and support the strength of 

 the animal until it has entirely recovered from the effects 

 of utero-gestation. Small doses of strychnia have been 



