PUERPERAL OR MILK FEVER IN CATTLE. 
145 
prevailing appearance of that part of the stomach, with which 
they have all along lain in contact. This will be seen in a pecu- 
liar degree in the maniplus : you will find, in protracted cases, 
that the contents of this stomach are covered with a thin blue 
pellicle, and you may remove every particle of them from every 
fold of the stomach, indented with every minute papilla on its 
numerous leaves, and forming a complete counterpart to the 
rugae from which it has been taken ; the thin pellicle also dipping 
into every indentation, and proving beyond doubt the impossi- 
bility of any thing like trituration having latterly taken place in 
that stomach. 
I next notice the unnatural fulness of the gall-bladder. From 
what cause does this arise? It is peculiarly unnatural in this 
case, because the disease being one accompanied by severe 
constipation, and there being always a decided effort of nature 
(where practicable) to relieve herself, we have a right to suppose 
that she would if it were possible, in this case, call in the aid 
of every drop of bile that the gall-bladder contained, in order to 
assist her in this her time of need, rather than hoard it, when 
there could not by possibility be a more urgent occasion for it. 
But she cannot now make use of it; and why? Because the 
action by which the contents of the gall-bladder are poured 
into the intestines is called into play by influence from organic 
motor nerves; and this leads me, on this head, to conclude that 
they are the seat of disease. 
I proceed to the next general symptom, — More or less difficulty 
in breathing. There may be and there is, at times, inflammation 
of the lungs, but this is not essential to produce difficult breath- 
ing in these cases : I have seen it frequently when none existed. 
How then is this to be accounted for ? Easily enough, if my 
conclusion be a correct one. All veterinary surgeons know that 
respiration is carried on partly by muscles under the controui 
of the will, stimulated to action by voluntary motor nerves, and 
partly by muscles, &c., not under the controui of the will, direct- 
ed by organic motor nerves. Now, though those of voluntary 
motion are capable of acting here, yet t apprehend that the 
diaphragm, the substance of the lungs themselves, the bronchi® 
and the larynx are not, inasmuch as they are under the direction 
of organic motor nerves ; and hence the difficulty in breathing. 
Next: — a peculiar haggardness and dejection of countenance. 
This may be occasioned in some cases by pain, or it is not, 
perhaps, going too far to suppose that the organic nerves are 
here even exerting or rather withdrawing some of their influence. 
When we recollect that the portio dura of the auditory nerve 
(the 7th pair of Mr. Youatt) is ramified and distributed to those 
VOL. ix. u 
