ON PUERPERAL FEVER IN CATTLE. 
685 
plete general exhaustion f” Could you believe it, reader? By ab- 
stracting from the exhausted wretch thirty-six pounds of blood, 
giving six and a half pounds of Epsom salts, ten ounces of tincture 
of croton, half a bottle of linseed oil, and to this enormous quantity 
of purgative medicine (enough to operate upon half a score cows 
under ordinary circumstances, and given, too, in about forty- 
eight hours), he adds from one to two ounces of tonic powders 
If this does not beat Jack FalstafFs pennyworth of bread to his 
many gallons of sack, I will acknowledge that I am no judge of 
physic. But he may retort, that the medicine given produced 
the effect required. Granted ; but this does not alter the real 
state of the case ; nor does it prove that it was the best method 
of treatment that might be adopted. Many roads lead to one 
town : and I do say, that if Mr. W. really believed that the poor 
animal was in a complete state of “general exhaustion his 
practice was as much at variance with his theory as it could pos- 
sibly be. And here let me ask Mr. W. (on his view of the case), 
what is there in inflammation of the internal coats of the sto- 
machs and intestines (supposing no paralysis to exist) to require 
this enormous quantity of physic to operate on the patient? And 
does he find it generally the case with his patients — the greater 
the general debility, the stronger the purgatives are required ? 
This doctrine of complete general exhaustion, in the generality 
of cases of puerperal fever, is perfectly absurd : the greater number 
of cases that fall are in high condition, and the paralysis is ge- 
nerally as perfect the moment the cow falls as at any subsequent 
period. I have also met with many cases where the struggles of 
the fore parts of cows were so great, that it was scarcely possible 
to retain them in the situations in which they were, from their exer- 
tions to rise, but which exertions were not seconded in the least by 
the hind extremities. This could not possibly be complete ge- 
neral exhaustion ; and it looks a little like paralysis of the hind 
extremities. 
The remark of Mr. W., that, as two of his patients were able 
to rise in the worst stages of the disease, he believes that such 
will be the general result in all cases of puerperal fever, is one 
which could only have arisen from want of practice, and which 
practice will correct. 
Here, gentlemen, is an opportunity for me to contrast my mode 
of treatment in these cases with Mr. W.’s, and to express a mo- 
dest hope, that my u new light,” my “ ignis fat uus.” (as he po- 
litely terms it), does not “ lead me so terribly astray” as he seems 
to fear. The reader will readily perceive, that Mr. W. depends 
altogether on depletion and purgatives, whilst I find it necessary 
* See Case II, page 608 , November Number. 
4 Y 
VOL, IX. 
