Parturient Eclampsia in the Mare 915 



ported that a few hours prior to my arrival the mare suddenly 

 became strangely nervous, assuming a wild look, with staring 

 eyes, restlessness, stiffness of gait, twitching of the muscles, 

 occasionally lying down and getting up. The symptoms all very 

 rapidly increased, until she lay prostrate on her side, unable 

 to rise. In this position I found her, with the whole muscular 

 system exceedingly rigid, breathing labored, convulsions con- 

 stant, pupils greatly dilated, mucous membrane livid, firm tris- 

 mus, and the muscles of her limbs so rigid that they could not 

 be flexed suflSciently to raise her upon her chest. 



Thd second case was a high grade draf c mare, used exclusively 

 for breeding purposes, and aged six years. The mare was quite 

 large, very robust and had foaled ten days previously without 

 difiSculty. The foal at her side was very vigorous and well nour- 

 ished. 



I found the mare lying apparently quiet on her sternum, show- 

 ing no evidence of suffering and looking quite bright and healthy. 

 Upon approaching her, however, she showed marked nervous- 

 ness, and at once tried to get up, but appeared to have lost the 

 power of co-ordination. Her efforts brought on clonic spasms of 

 a severe character. Her hind legs knuckled at the pasterns, 

 much as in azoturia. 



During my stay she became more nervous and uneasy, making 

 repeated unsuccessful attempts to rise. Respiration was rapid 

 and laborious, and there were constant and severe cramps of the 

 entire body, tremblings and profuse perspiration, all of which 

 appeared to decrease in intensity when we would withdraw and 

 permit her to become more tranquil. The passage of the catheter 

 increased the convulsions quite markedly. There was appar- 

 ently hyperaesthesia of the vulva, and of the body generally. 



I diagnosed azoturia, and prognosticated a favorable termina- 

 tion. Later observations have shown me that mares with young 

 foals do not contract azoturia ; moreover, the fact that the mare 

 had been running at grass constantly, precluded the possibility of 

 that disease. She died a few hours later. 



During the summer of 1889 an unusual number of cases oc- 

 curred in rapid succession, showing every degree of intensity. 

 At this date our rapidly developing horse-breeding interests 

 had about reached their maximum in my locality, so that large 

 numbers of mares were kept solely for breeding purposes. Favor- 



