PUERPERAL INTOXICATION 351 



The course is almost always favorable. Gradual improve- 

 ment takes place in about eight days, even without treatment, 

 without liberal excretion of the lochiee. The lochia are partly 

 resorbed. All this time the cow is slightly soporous; paretic 

 phenomena are not observed. 



Therapeutics.— It endeavors to induce contraction of the 

 uterus and thus remove the cause of the intoxication. For 

 this purpose ergot of rye is injected subcutaneously. In many 

 cases the cervix is still sufficiently open that two fingers can be 

 introduced. Nevertheless it is not advisable to practice its 

 mechanical dilatation with subsequent irrigation of the uterus, 

 as thus low organisms may reach the uterus, complicating 

 matters. 



I have frequently seen good results in such animals when 

 given daily 3 gr. liquor ferri sesquichlorati in J 1. of Vater per os. 



(6) PUTRID PUERPERAL INTOXICATION, SAPEiEMIA. 



Definition. — A putrid puerperal intoxication is an intoxi- 

 cation during the puerperal state (puerperium), due to poison- 

 ous agents coming from bacteria of putrefaction. 



Etiology. — Putrid intoxication results when the retained 

 afterbirth decomposes. Toxines form in consequence of it in 

 the uterus through the influence of putrefactive bacteria. The 

 poisons taken up into the circulation produce violent toxic 

 symptoms. This intoxication must not be confounded with 

 septic metritis. In this disease not the slightest injury of the 

 uterine mucosa need be present. 



The healthy mucous membrane may take up the toxins. 

 This disease frequently follows retention of the afterbirth. 

 Intoxication of a slight degree is very common. The organ- 

 isms at the same time have sufficient power to overcome tht^m 

 and to resist until the foetal envelopes are expelled. When 

 many toxines have been produced this intoxication may be 

 rapidly fatal. 



Symptoms. — When the afterbirth is decomposing, appreci- 

 ated by the stench, the animal begins to be dull and listless 



