54(i GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON PUERPERAL FEVER. 
blood at all times — as if this had been a point which could not 
be revealed without endangering the safety of the new theory. 
Surely the circulation must have been fearfully increased when 
both jugulars were opened, and nine quarts of blood taken ; and 
if it were so, why conceal it? If the pulse was not felt (and on 
this there is some doubt), it was certainly very unwarrantable 
practice to bleed at all. Yet no notice is taken of the pulse either 
before or after the bleeding, although the quantity of milk which 
the cow gave is regularly particularized, “ after the calf had done.? 
I am exceedingly sorry that the result of the discussion on 
Puerperal Fever by the Association should have proved so very 
generally inconclusive. As the expectation was great before the 
discussion commenced, the disappointment is equally so, seeing 
that the conclusions were so “ lame and impotent.” Before, as 
I have mentioned already, nobody doubted Mr. Youatt’s excel- 
lent description of this disease ; and few, very few indeed, will 
be found to doubt its correctness even yet : but still, among the 
weak and wavering, and who cannot think for themselves, there 
will be found a convert here and there to the strange, newly- 
formed doctrine of its being a disease of the nervous system, 
requiring “stimulating treatment,” of the same description, I 
presume, as in the case already mentioned ; and if so, I shall 
easily understand in future what “ the London-taught veterina- 
rians” mean by “ stimulating treatment and I shall also know 
how they cure all their cows labouring under milk fever. 
That this disease originates in fever, there can be no doubt. 
Whether it be of an inflammatory character or not, still the 
earliest possible symptom is, fever. And why should this opi- 
nion be doubted ? or why should it be supposed to be a disease 
of the nervous system, when it has been satisfactorily proved 
that fever exists at the commencement, in whatever way it may 
end? I most freely admit that, in some cases, this disease is, to 
a certain degree, different from that in the human subject ; but 
it will be found that many of the causes which produce it in 
women will bring it on in the lower animals ; and as bleeding, 
fomentatives, and laxatives are generally employed for the former, 
and adopted with great success in the latter, what more can be 
wanted ? It may be remarked, that an animal after delivery is 
like a house full of fiery combustibles, where the least spark will 
set it in a flame. And it needs not be matter of surprise to any 
one to find a very considerable degree of fever at this period, 
seeing that the tide of the circulation had been directed to the 
uterus for nine months before. Nor are warm fomentations in this 
disease so generally employed, I am sorry to say, as their import- 
