A CASE OF PUERPERAL FEVER IN A COW. 
45 
course to with the most fatal and disastrous effects. But during 
the stage of praemonition, or when re-action is fairly established, 
with much vascular and febrile excitement accompanying it, as in- 
dicated by the anxious and animated countenance — restlessness, 
not accompanied by the piteous low — turgescence of the veins 
upon pressure — and a glow diffused to the surface and extremities — 
under these circumstances, as far as experience has been my 
guide, 1 infer blood-letting may be resorted to with safety ; but 
even then I have my doubts of the propriety of taking such a 
measure, unless there exists or threatens to be consecutive in- 
flammation of some vital organ. But a timorous thought has 
broken the spell which was extorting from me the (perhaps) too 
hasty deductions of my limited experience and observation ; and, 
feeling conscious that I am treading on ground over which the 
foot-marks of my superiors are impressed, until I possess greater 
right, I will no longer trespass and wander on this alluring and 
fruitful path. 
A CASE OF PUERPERAL FEVER IN A COW. 
By Mr. Samuel Hodges, V.S. 
On the 4th of August, 1840, I was requested to attend a cow, 
the property of a farmer, who, on my arrival, informed me that she 
had dropped about four hours. On inquiry, I found that she had 
calved on the day previous, and he, considering her in a state of 
convalescence, had turned her out, as was customary on those occa- 
sions. She was lying on h^r right side, apparently free from pain; 
her muzzle was hot and dry ; the ears and legs cold ; the pulse 
55; the faeces black and hard; and rumination entirely suspended. 
The milk-maid informed me that, when the calf attempted to 
suck on the right side, she evinced great pain, which induced me 
to examine her mammillary glands. They were slightly swollen, 
but hard and tense. I immediately abstracted four quarts of blood 
from the subcutaneous abdominal vein; administered magn. sulph. 
§xij, combined with pulv. zingib. §ij ; applied a strong mustard ca- 
taplasm along the whole extent of the dorsal and lumbar vertebra?, 
and ordered her legs to be well hand-rubbed and bandaged with 
flannel, and her udder to be fomented with a decoction of chamo- 
mile-flowers and poppy-heads. 
Aug. 5th . — A slight amelioration of the symptoms was observa- 
ble ; the pulse was 50 ; the ears and legs warmer ; a small quan- 
tity of moisture was perceptible on the muzzle, and her bowels had 
been slightly acted upon. Her urine was highly coloured. I gave 
sp. aeth. nit. §ij, in three pints of warm gruel, and fomented the 
udder as before. 
