222 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



of high temperature much good may be obtained from the soothing 

 influence of a wet sheet covering the loins and flanks and well cov- 

 ered at all points by a dry one. This may be followed next day by a 

 free application of mustard and oil of turpentine. When the animal 

 shows extreme prostration alcohol (1 pint) or carbonate of ammonia 

 (1 ounce) may be given to tide over the danger, but such cases usually 

 perish. 



In this disease, even more than in difficult and protracted parturi- 

 tion or retained placenta, the attendants must carefully guard against 

 the infection of their hands and arms from the diseased parts. The 

 hand and arm before entering the passages should always be well 

 smeared with lard impregnated with carbolic acid. 



MILK FEVER (PARTURITION FEVER, PARTURIENT APOPLEXY, OR PAR- 

 TURIENT COLLAPSE). 



This disease is not only peculiar to the cow, but it may be said to 

 be virtually confined to the improved and plethoric cow. It further 

 occurs only at or near the time of calving. Indeed, these two factors, 

 calving and plethora, may be set apart as preeminently the causes of 

 this disease. It is the disease of cows that have been improved in 

 the direction of early maturity, power of rapid fattening, or a heavy 

 yield of milk, and hence it is characteristic of those having great 

 appetites and extraordinary power of digestion. The heavy milking 

 breeds are especially its victims, as in these the demand for the daily 

 yield of 50 to 100 pounds of milk means even more than a daily increase 

 of 2 to 3 pounds of body weight, mainly fat. The victims are not 

 always fat when attacked, but they are cows having enormous powers 

 of digestion, and which have been fed heavily at the time. Hence 

 the stall-fed, city dairy cow, and the farm cow on a rich clover pas- 

 ture in June or July, are especially subject. The condition of the 

 blood globules in the suffering cow attests the extreme richness and 

 density of the blood, yet this peculiarity appears to have entirely 

 escaped the notice of veterinary writers. I have never examined the 

 blood of a victim of this disease without finding the red-blood globules 

 reduced to little more than one-half their usual size. Now, these 

 globules expand or contract according to the density of the liquid in 

 which they float. If we dilute the blood with water they will expand 

 until they burst, whereas if solids, such as salt or albumen, are added 

 they shrink to a large extent. Their small size, therefore, in parturi- 

 tion fever indicates the extreme richness of the blood, or, in other 

 words, plethora. 



Confinement in the stall is an accessory cause, partly because stabled 

 cattle are highly fed, partly because the air is hotter and fouler, and 

 partly because there is no expenditure by exercise of the rich prod- 

 ucts of digestion. 



High temperature is conducive to the malady, though the extreme 



