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XIX. — Some Observations on Parturition Fever in Ruminants ; 
commonly recognised in JEioes by the terms " Heaving " or 
" Straining." By Professor W. ROBERTSON, Principal of 
the Rojal Veterinary College. 
The period and state of parturition offer particular facilities for 
the action and operation of many and varied morbid processes. 
This state is to some extent a special one, consequently the 
morbid actions are to a like extent unique. 
The assemblage of rather complex phenomena known as 
" Fever" occurring at parturition, is probably special not so 
much as respects its intrinsic nature, as the condition of the 
animal in which it finds a locality for its operation. The 
fever attendant on parturition, to which attention is now 
directed, is essentially " Fever " in the pathological sense of the 
term. In thus restricting the term, there are excluded several 
diseased conditions occurring at this period of the animal's 
life probably wrongly designated " fever," such as Parturient 
Eclampsia, otherwise known as " Parturient Apoplexy," 
" Dropping after Calving " or " Milk Fever," and " Loin 
Fallen." 
The disordered condition upon which it is proposed to offer 
some observations ought properly to be regarded as simply 
surgical fever of the septic form, somewhat specialised, because 
occurring at the period of parturition. The fever is essentially 
a continued fever, characterised by much disturbance, extensive 
but variously pronounced lesions, chiefly of organs in the pelvic 
region ; and in the ewe, in particular, of frequent occurrence and 
great fatality. In this latter animal, also, it seems possessed of 
capabilities of propagation by mediate and immediate contact, 
which cannot be affirmed of it in the cow. 
In studying this development of fever it will be useful, pre- 
vious to entering upon it in detail, for us to keep in recollection 
certain facts and accepted deductions with reference to the 
production of septic conditions in all animals. The term 
^'■septicaemia" it ought to be remembered, is applied to two very 
different states or conditions. In one application it is employed 
to designate an empoisoned state of the blood, resulting from the 
entrance of animal matter, fluid generally, in a state of chemical 
change ; or in others of organisms which, while they produce 
chemical materials of a deleterious character, are themselves 
innocuous, or at least the living tissues correct and modify their 
action. This form is usually recognised by the term septic 
poisoning. This manifestation of haemal disturbance, the common 
accompaniment of wounds of an ordinary character, has no 
