PARTURITION FEVER. 



415 



during life, we could but make the diagnosis of paralytic vitulary 

 fever J while at the autopsy were shown the alterations of 'phleg- 

 monous septic endometritis. 



In the beginning of the year 1878, a milkman at M pos- 

 sessed for some months a cow which had rapidly gained in flesh, 

 in consequence of a liberal alimentation. On January 20th this 

 cow dropped a calf of extraordinary size ; the parturition, however, 

 proceeded very rapidly, without any obstetrical intervention, and 

 the labor was over at the end of a few hours. The owner did not 

 admit the possibility of a cold. 



On January 21st, twenty-four hours after parturition, the first 

 symptoms of the disease were observed : the cow declining all 

 food ; there was anxiety, restlessness, decubitus ; the hind quarters 

 were soon paralyzed ; the animal in vain exerted Constant move- 

 ments with the forelegs in order to return to the standing position. 

 The head was violently thrown from one side to the other, and at 

 certain moments we observed convulsive paroxysms separated by 

 periods of coma. Defecation and micturition were suppressed ; 

 the lacteal secretion continued. 



On January 22d the cow was down, the legs, neck and shoulders, 

 and the head extended, but from time to time the latter was brought 

 upon the left costal wall; in trying to straighten it, it would imme- 

 diately return to its first position ; the movements of the neck and 

 shoulders were elastic, similar to those of a spring. The ears, the 

 base of the horns, and the extremities were cold, the skin of the 

 trunk was dry and of moderate temperature. The muzzle was 

 damp and cool, the heart beat 104 times per minute, the pulse was 

 irregular, small, evasive, the rectal temperature was 39.5°. Some- 

 times the respiration (twenty per minute) was loud and rattling; at 

 other times it was very feeble and silent, to such an extent that in 

 examining it alone we might have doubted the presence of life. A 

 spumous saliva escaped from the mouth; the lower lip hung down; 

 the peristaltic movements were suppressed, the abdomen was empty 

 and hollow ; the rectum was filled with small excrementitious masses 

 of the size of a chestnut, of green-brownish color, with yellow- 

 grayish false membranes, rendering these very smooth and shiny ; 

 the bladder was full, the udder normal, giving milk at every teat; 

 when once drawn, the milk would run out of itself. A piece of 

 the placenta protruded from the vulva ; the visible genital mucous 

 membrane was covered with ecchymoses, without being specially 



