commonhj knoion as Dropping after Cahinj. 265 
We may add to these remarks one other prophylactic measure, 
but which woukl scarcely be carried out to the full extent unless, 
as was the case in the nobleman's herd, failures continued to occur 
which it was determined to prevent if possible. The measure 
alluded to is never to run the risk of a fourth calving, but to 
fatten or sell all the cows in turn after producing their third calf. 
We may thus summarise prevention : part with all the old 
cows ; milk late in utero-gestation, and resume it if possible 
immediately before delivery ; enforce daily walking exercise, 
although the animals may be at pasture ; adopt means to lessen 
the continued supply of rich food ; avoid over-repletion of the 
stomachs after calving ; bleed before parturition in cases of ple- 
thora ; give aperient medicine and follow with salines ; keep 
the animals as free from excitement as possible after delivery, 
and early administer a full dose of tincture of opium. Other 
sedatives, such as chloral hydrate, might be combined with the 
opium, and perhaps with advantage ; but of such a combination 
we have had no experience. 
ADDENDUM. 
Adynamic Fevek. 
We append a few remarks on cases in which a pregnant cow 
drops prior to parturition, for by many persons an attack of 
this kind is viewed as being essentially of the same nature 
as parturient apoplexy. A close investigation of the circum- 
stances under which the attack occurs, the symptoms by which 
it is accompanied, and its general result, will show that the 
affection is altogether of a different nature. The recumbent 
cow, being incapable of rising until after parturition, has led to 
the belief that the loss of power was due to that form of paralysis 
termed paraplegia. We do not deny that paraplegia may exist 
in some cases of " dropping before calving ;" but these are quite 
exceptional and of a somewhat different nature. It will be found 
that in the affection we are considering, paraplegia cannot be 
present, as both sensation and voluntary motion exist in the 
hind extremities ; that no impairment of the functions of the 
bowels nor of the urinary bladder is present ; that on the com- 
pletion of the period of utero-gestation, labour-pains come on, 
and are as powerful and as regular as in an animal which had not 
dropped, and that the leading symptom, viz., the incapability to 
rise, is speedily removed when parturition has been effected. 
If the term adynamic fever be at all applicable to a prostrate 
c-ow when pregnant, it would be in these cases. The animal 
