400 



DISEASES OF THE GENITAL OBGANS. 



those of paralytic vitulaiy fever, which is a favorable fact for the 

 theory of auto-poisoning by the ptomaines, considered as an essen- 

 tial cause of paralytic vitulary fever. In botulism and allantiasis 

 (see Mycotic Enteritis) we observe upon certain muscular groups, 

 especially the pharynx and the eye, characteristic paralysis (dys- 

 phagia, ptosis), which recall all the symptoms of paralytic vitulary 

 fever. They are due to cadaveric alkaloids : ptomatropine, found 

 recently in toxic food (sausage, fish, ham, salt beef, corned beef) ; 

 ptomacurarine, a most common alkaloid, the effects of which upon 

 the organism are absolutely the same as those of curara and which 

 give rise, like the latter, to paralysis of certain muscular groups ; 

 mytilotoxine, etc. All these alkaloids are only formed when not 

 exposed to the air (Hoppe-Seyler) ; the uterus thus constitutes one 

 of the most favorable locations for their development, but this is 

 not equally rapid in all cases, and we can understand that parturi- 

 tion fever sometimes appears only a few days after delivery. The 

 objection that poisonings by ptomaines are developed more rapidly 

 than the paralysis of parturition is without value, for in this latter 

 affection the production of ptomaines implies of necessity a certain 

 lapse of time. The interval which passes between the time of par- 

 turition and the appearance of the disease represents, so to speak, 

 the period of incubation. The abrupt disappearance of the par- 

 alytic symptoms sometimes observed is naturally explained by the 

 rapid elimination of the poisons. Concerning the ante-partum cases 

 of vitulary fever, they would be accounted for by the formation of 

 ptomaines in the uterus, before the epoch of parturition, favored 

 by an anticipative relaxation of its neck- — a phenomenon to be dis- 

 tinguished from the dilatation produced during the first period of 

 labor. The explanation of this delicate point is impossible on 

 Franck's theory. 



Division of vitulary fevek. The division of this affection 

 into puerperal septicemia and paresis of parturitiori is insufficient in 

 order to classify all the facts met with in practice. These two forms 

 may appear independently, but they are sometimes associated ; the 

 complex or mixed cases are far from being scarce. Thus we have 

 thought of establishing the three following morbid types of vitulary 

 fever : 



1. Puerperal septicemia. 



2. Paresis of parturition (poisonings by the ptomaines). 



3. Puerperal septicemia complicated with paresis. 



