ON PUERPERAL FEVER IN CATTLE. 
009 
vulgar expression) had the appearance of a bloody rag, and 
which extended a considerable way along the spine. The lungs 
were, as may be expected, somewhat distended, but healthy 
looking ; there was a slight redness of some parts of the small 
intestines, hardly to be called inflammation ; the uterus con- 
tracted as much as the time could allow, and scarcely tinged 
red, which must always be the case more or less. 
I have only space at present to briefly mention another case 
of the kind, in which the bowels and uterus were considerably 
inflamed ; the pia mater also ; and I think it likely that some 
effusion had taken place, but not observed as in the former 
case. 
ON PUERPERAL FEVER IN CATTLE. 
By Mr, Goodworth, of Driffield, 
If the Editors do not think this subject too much exhausted, 
I would crave room for a few remarks on it, especially as my 
notions of the cause of puerperal fever differ materially from those 
of other contributors to our valuable journal ; and also since my 
observations are made principally with a view to the prevention 
of this disease. 
The disease, in my opinion, is often produced by the owner not 
being careful what sort of food he gives to the cow a day or 
two before she calves and a few days after she has calved. I 
have met with a great many cases in my practice, and have 
fancied that I could trace them to the giving the cow hay to 
eat, or suffering her to eat too much solid food before she had 
regained her former state of health. I generally caution my 
employers, if I see a cow in calf, to be careful when she calves 
not to let her have hay. I have been sent for when they have 
been down after calving, and in endeavouring to find out the 
cause, have usually traced it to the owner giving the cow 
hay directly after calving. When they are in that weak debi- 
litated state which immediately succeeds to parturition, the 
stomach cannot act, on a substance so difficult of digestion as 
hay. 
There is a paper in The Veterinarian for March, page 144, 
vol. ix, in which it is particularly stated, that the disease is not pro- 
duced from debility, and the author takes a case of a fat cow. That 
gentleman, I suppose, is well aware, that the stomachs are mus- 
cular, and that a muscle can be debilitated by being put too much 
on the stretch, which will cause partial debility, in addition to that 
general diminution of power which is produced by other causes. 
