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Parturient Apoplexy. 



MelJiods of Prevention and Treatment. 



The nature of preventive treatment largely depends on the 

 conditions under which the animals are housed ; but the prin- 

 ciple involved is always " to bring the animal into a state of 

 health most nearly resembling that of nature." 



If the cow is very fat, her condition should be reduced by 

 diminishing the amount and the richness of the food supplied 

 for a week or so before and after parturition ; this may be 

 assisted by a judicious use of mild purgatives. 



If the surroundings are suitable, the cow, for a fortnight before 

 she is due to calve, might be turned out to graze in a field in 

 which the grass is not too abundant and where she would require 

 to move about in search of her sustenance. 



Cows coming near the calving should be kept on a cooling, 

 laxative, and somewhat restricted diet, e.g., roots, weak mashes, 

 treacle. Avoid giving cows, for a couple of weeks before calving, 

 much dry food, and especially chaff and " light " corn. 



Some dairymen believe that they secure a high degree of 

 immunity from the attack of the disease by rather frequent 

 milkings of the cow after calving, and by not abstracting more 

 milk at a time than would naturally be taken by a calf. 



It may be pointed out that the application of preventive 

 methods is of most importance before the third, and especially 

 the fourth and fifth, calvings ; heifers and old cows being less 

 subject to attack. 



In the case of cows which might be considered as pre-disposed 

 to the disease, there is reason to believe that the iodine injection 

 mentioned below, used as a preventive immediately after calving, 

 would be attended by good results. 



When the symptoms are recognised, a veterinary surgeon 

 should at once be called in. Meanwhile, until he arrives, a 

 simple enema should be given and a good dose of Epsom salts, 

 and the animal might be supplied with a comfortable bed. 



The methods of treatment adopted to combat this disease 

 have been many and various and the success which has attended 

 these methods has, to say the least of it, been disappointing. 

 However, within the last few years a Danish veterinarian has 

 been successful in introducing a special treatment, which has 



