258 
Observations on the Disease of Coics, 
of the calf, a desire to partake of water or other fluid, a passing 
away of the tympanitic state of the belly, and a return of the 
functions of the bowels. In these cases the warmth comes back 
to the extremities, the pulse becomes distinct and regular, and 
the breathing unaccompanied with stertor. The animal soon 
rises under such favourable conditions, and the secretions — 
manifestly that of the milk — as well as the excretions are 
speedily resumed. 
Not the least remarkable thing is the rapidity with which a 
favourable change takes place. We have often left animals, de- 
spairing almost entirely of their restoration, and have returned 
within three or four hours and found them standing with 
scarcely an unfavourable symptom present. The only explanation 
Avhich can be given of these cases is that the congested state of 
the blood-vessels of the brain and spinal marrow had quickly 
yielded, and a free circulation of the blood been re-established. 
PoST-MoRTEM Appeakances. — It may be correctly affirmed 
that had veterinary surgeons earlier followed up their observations 
on the symptoms and progress of parturient apoplexy by search- 
ing post-mortem examinations, its true pathology would sooner 
have been recognised. In bygone days it was too much the 
custom for opinions to be drawn of the nature of almost all 
internal maladies, simply from the lesions which were to be 
detected either in the abdomen or chest. In this way we 
account for the long-existing opinion that parturient apoplexy 
of the cow was of the same nature as puerperal fever of the 
human female, viz., that essentially it consisted of inflammation 
of the uterus and peritoneum. Rarely, however, will it be 
observed that even the uterus itself presents conditions which 
would not have been noticed had the cow suffered no illness of 
any kind, but been slaughtered within the period of calving 
that the attack usually comes on. Now and then a blush of 
redness will be seen on its peritoneal surface, limited in extent, 
and due merely to a hyperaemic condition of its vessels. In no 
case have we met with diffused inflammation of the peritoneum, 
nor of the coats of any of the abdominal viscera. 
The liver sometimes gives evidence of congestion, and the 
mucous membrane of the fourth stomach, and also of the intes- 
tinal canal, will not unfrequently present here and there a slight 
inflammatory blush, which owes its origin in most cases to the 
large doses of cathartic and other medicinal agents which had 
been administered. Now and then also the omasum — third 
stomach — will be found to contain an unusual amount of in- 
gesta, which is rather hard and dry ; a state of things simply 
due to coma having impaired its function and led consequently 
to retention of its contents. 
