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OBSERVATIONS ON PUERPERAL FEVER IN COWS. 
By John Ralph, V.S., Sebergham. 
INCITED by the laudable efforts of Mr. Haycock to elucidate the 
history and pathology of Puerperal Fever in Cows, I forward the 
following facts and speculations bearing on the subject : — 
Connected with, though not directly coming under, the question, 
“ At what period after the animal has calved does the disease gene- 
rally supervene!” I may state, as a singular fact, that in June 
last I attended a cow decidedly affected with the disease, and to 
an alarming degree, which did not calve until the third day after 
her recovery. The calf had suffered displacement in utero — pro- 
bably in the course of the disease ; the extraction occupied some 
time, and was almost immediately followed by a recurrence of the 
disease. In several instances, I have seen the disease in this 
manner fully developed, almost immediately after protracted 
calving ; but I do not recollect another instance wherein it ran its 
course before that act. Of course, these are the instances in which 
we are most likely to confound the disease in its true character of 
Encephalonitis Parturiens with debility from over-exertion in the 
process, which Mr. H. so correctly points out. 
I have not kept a register of cases, and therefore cannot furnish 
data in answer to the question “ At; what period of life is the 
cow most liable to the disease!” — but had an impression that the 
liability increased with years ; though in this I might be wrong. 
A heifer — I mean a beast at first calving — is not exempt from it : 
cows that are great milkers, and have had a few calves, are much 
more liable. 
Respecting prevention, I fully agree with Mr. Haycock, that 
milking the cow before calving is generally useless, if not mis- 
chievous ; as I believe the majority of the cows I have attended 
in the complaint had been so treated. Occasionally, the udder 
becomes distended before calving to a painful degree. Then I 
recommend moderate milking. To counteract a tendency to 
plethora, and to keep the paunch free from a surcharge of aliment, 
are the most rational means of prevention. To these may be 
added the exhibition of a few doses of febrifuge medicine just 
before and after calving. 
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VOL. XXIII. 
