494 RETENTION OF THE FCETUS IN A COW, &C. 
witnessed. The animals appeared to require no after treatment 
beyond such as the disease demanded. I have resorted to no 
means to remove any symptom consequent upon the effects of the 
narcotic simply, because I could not discover that any such re- 
mained. The dogs and horses appeared to awake, as it were, from 
a troubled sleep; or they recovered from a painful disease almost 
immediately, and in a few minutes regained their natural spirits. 
No sign of lassitude, no appearance of stupor or headache, could 
be observed ; but frequently the shriek of the dog has been cut 
short, or the fit has been suddenly arrested. 
There is obviously a class of medicines for which we have no 
appropriate name, and with which we are only imperfectly ac- 
quainted : to this class, no doubt, numerous additions will be dis- 
covered. Their operation will be most shewn in the power they 
possess of subduing pain, and probably the influence they have 
over disease will hereafter be found to be consequent upon this 
their principal effect. In abdominal disorders, those which are 
accompanied with the highest anguish, ether and chloroform ap- 
pear to me to deserve further investigation. I am anxious only 
to direct the attention of the medical profession to the results which 
for the last year I have carefully watched, and which, repeatedly 
obtained, have left upon my mind a conviction so strong, that I 
feel myself in duty bound to make it known. 
August 5, 1848. 
RETENTION OF THE FCETUS IN A COW-BAND OR 
LIGAMENT ACROSS THE VAGINA AT THE MOUTH OF 
THE OS UTERI— AND PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 
By Mr. W. A. CARTWRIGHT, M.B.C.V.S., Whitchurch, Salop. 
March 31, 1848. — I WAS called in to attend a cow belonging to 
Mr. that was not well. He informed me she ought to have 
calved some months ago ; that she now “ fared ” of calving, or 
had the udder enlarged at that time ; that latterly she had been 
voiding, every now and then, a quantity of purulent matter from 
the vagina. On “ touching” her for the calf, one could feel some 
tumour, but it was evidently small and lifeless. I passed my hand up 
the rectum, but I could not feel any thing like a live calf any where 
near, though, on forcing my arm up as far as possible, I could feel 
some tumour ; I could not, however, distinguish any thing like 
limbs. I next passed my hand up the vagina to ascertain whether 
there was any dilatation of the os uteri, but I could not detect the 
