188 
ON PUERPERAL FEVEli IN CATTLE. 
cause but a consequence, and that the origin of this disease was 
not traced or pointed out by any writer.” To prove the incor- 
rectness of this last remark, he refers me to the work on Cattle, 
in the Library of Useful Knowledge, which he appears to think 
1 have not seen. As he has read the work himself, he must have 
found, that the author has on several occasions availed himself 
of my opinions ; and I'am surprised he should not have supposed 
(in fact, he must have seen) that we had been in actual corre- 
spondence previous to its publication. 1 believe at that time we 
coincided in opinion as to the causes and treatment of this dis- 
ease; but I have since then (in carrying on the subject) been 
induced to suppose that it has its origin in disease of the nervous 
system, and chiefly of the organic motor nerves ; and though I do 
not know whether the opinion of the author of that work has 
undergone any change, I am certain he will spare no pains to as- 
certain its correctness or incorrectness, and that he would be the 
first to point out any error of which he felt himself convicted. 
Mr. Wilson must prove this new theory wrong before he can 
charge me with incorrectness, in saying that no one before had 
distinctly pointed out the origin of puerperal fever. 
The other part of the sentence is of considerably more import- 
ance, whether fever is a cause or a consequence in this disease. 
Mr. Wilson has laboured to shew that it is a cause. He has 
taken some pains to prove that there is always fever in these 
cases. But even if he were correct in this, it does not follow 
that it must be the cause ; and there are circumstances occasionally 
occurring, which prove, I think, that it must be a consequence. 
Let him look again at a case of mine, detailed in The Veteri- 
narian for March : there was, as I then said, no inflammation 
of the internal organs, but most decided proofs of great suffer- 
ing in the nervous system. Now, to suppose fever to have exist- 
ed, which did not affect the vascular system, would presuppose 
that it first affects the nervous system in this disease, and this 
would bring the argument to the same conclusion which I have 
done. 
Mr. Wilson talks though u of fever, of puerperal fever, arising 
from some causes .” He has stated those which he says may pro- 
duce it. The first he calls “ inflammation acute, or sub-acute;” 
the third, “ the lost balance of the circulation, where there is a 
determination of blood to the deeper seated parts.” Pray where 
is the difference in these two? If the determination of blood to 
any part be so great as to destroy the balance of the circulation, I 
should like to know what it can be but inflammation ? But he 
admits another, “ arising from some functional derangement of 
some organ or organs, having as yet no connexion with inflam- 
