670 OBSERVATIONS ON PARTURIENT APOPLEXY. 
The whole of this wide surface is concerned in the secre- 
tion of the wall and another portion of the hoof; but this 
will be referred to at another time. 
OBSERVATIONS ON PARTURIENT APOPLEXY. 
By J. W. Hill, M.R.C.V.S., Wolverhampton. 
The practical remarks by Mr. A. H. Santy, on parturient 
apoplexy, in your last number, will, I trust, be added to by 
more than one member of the profession. The common 
occurrence of the malady, and its great fatality in many dis- 
tricts, entitle it, I think, to more than ordinary consideration ; 
to myself it has been a subject of especial study and interest, 
and any new ideas advanced in connection with it I hail with 
pleasure. 
The opinion of Mr. Santy as to the cause of so many fatal 
cases being sulfocation, is, in numerous instances, I believe, 
undoubtedly correct ; but is this suffocation due only to one 
cause — the suction of eructated food into the trachea ? No. 
I believe that many of the animals affected with parturient 
apoplexy meet with their death, as Mr. Santy also remarks, 
in the administration of medicine (without sufficient care, or 
even in some cases where every precaution is taken) when in 
a state of coma ; that the medicine so administered, intended 
for the stomach of the patient, passes into the trachea, and 
thus brings about a fatal termination of the case. 
I do not think the eructation is always due to fermenta- 
tion, but from inaction of the digestive system generally, as it 
is frequently seen when there is no accumulation of gas at all, 
particularly if the animal is lying on her belly with the head 
straight out, or when stretched out on her side. The best 
means I find to prevent the ingesta thus coming back, is to 
keep the head well up by packing with bundles of straw, and 
administering, if possible, either the Carbonate or Arom. Spt. 
Ammon, in ^ss doses, with a little water, frequently. 
I think it would be scarcely practicable to open the rumen 
and remove the contents in this disease, as the animal, parti- 
cularly in this stage, would be too exhausted to go through 
the operation, and even if she were not, the rapidity with 
which the disease runs its course, would, I think, prevent the 
operation being of any benefit unless done in the earlier 
stage, and then I should be doubtful as to the results. We 
may, however, puncture the rumen by a trochar with decided 
