264 
Olscrvations on the Dis:asc of the Coir, 
two a year, or 8 per cent, of the whole herd The saving of 
12 per cent, was doubtless a great gain ; but it might have 
been supposed that the disease would have been entirely anni- 
hilated by the precautions which were taken. 
Statements of the effective prevention of the disease by simply 
administering aperient medicine within a few days of calving, 
placing the animal on a restricted and less nutritious diet, and 
giving a second dose of aperient medicine directly after par- 
turition, are frequently sounded in our ears. Many persons 
speak as if it were an absolute certainty that the cow would 
have dropped had not such measures been adopted. It is right 
to take precautions with every herd ; but it must be remem- 
bered that thousands of cows in high condition annually produce 
their calves, even in districts where the disease is common, 
towards whom no measures of prevention are adopted, and 
that they pass through labour unscathed. Put these boasted 
means to the crucial test, as in such herds as we have named, 
and they will unquestionably fail. 
It may be asked, are we then to conclude that parturient 
apoplexy is as difficult to prevent as to cure ? Certainly not ; 
the lives of more cows may, we believe, be saved, by the 
exhibition of sedative medicine immediately on the comple- 
tion of parturition, conjoined, of course, with the adoption of 
dietetic and hygienic principles, than by the use of aperients. 
We quote an instance in point. A dairy of fine Jersey cows, 
the property of a gentleman, which were always grazed in a 
park, suffered annually from the malady to a serious extent. 
Thus, in 18G8, out of a herd of sixteen, two died ; in 1869, 
three; in 1870, three, and in 1871, three. 
We were then consulted ; and suggested that the cows in the 
latter period of gestation should be supplied with less food, by 
being kept in the spring and summer for a few hours in the 
sheds, be regularly exercised, milked if the state of the mammary 
glands permitted prior to calving, take salines occasionally, such 
as nitrate and bi-carbonate of potash with the hypersulphite of 
soda in moderate quantities, viz., from two to three drachms 
of the nitrate and four to six of the other preparations ; and 
that immediatelij on tJie completion of labour a full dose of tincture 
of opium — an ounce and half to two ounces — mixed with an 
equal quantity of spirits of nitric ether should be administered. 
The result was even more satisfactory than could have been 
hoped for, no animal having died since 1871 in the herd from 
parturient apoplexy. 
It is not to be expected that in all cases a result like this 
will be attained ; but we have no hesitation in saying that 
the system of administering a sedative agent has answered our 
full expectation, and succeeded far better than any other. 
