ON PUERPERAL FEVER. 
7 
sition. But he is not satisfied even with this information; he 
must know, further, if the animal be capable of being restored to 
his pristine condition and powers ; and if not completely, to what 
degree of approximation. I repeat, to answer all these inquiries 
with any degree of correctness and satisfaction, requires a man of 
penetrative and decisive judgment. Veterinarians have not to 
administer to the “ mind diseased they have nothing to do with 
“ placeboes their practice is an affair of cause and effect ; they 
must be continually working either good or harm, and without, on 
the part of their patients (as far at least as their feelings are con- 
cerned) being made acquainted with which they are operating 
until the event has made it but too manifest. 
ON PUERPERAL FEVER. 
By Mr. King, Stanmore. 
I BELIEVE that I was the first who brought this subject forward 
at the Veterinary Society’s meetings, in Nassau Street, in 1829; 
where and when, unfortunately, few of the members then present 
seemed to be at all conversant with the disorder. You did me the 
honour to report the substance of what I said in one of the Numbers 
of The Veterinarian*. All that I have since heard or read 
does not satisfy me as to cause and effect; and considering it 
to be a disease of a most peculiar character, which I confess my- 
self not able satisfactorily to explain, I yet hope, by keeping the 
profession awake to the complaint, that it may at some future day, 
through the ability and preseverance of veterinary practitioners, be 
much better understood. The treatment, however, with the ex- 
ception of blood-letting, on which some difference of opinion exists, 
seems to present no very marked discrepancy. 
The term “ puerperal ” or “ milk fever,” does not seem to convey 
any correct notion of the disease ; for I can see no analogy between 
it and the human puerperal or milk fever, except that it appears at 
the period of parturition ; but I suppose we must retain this name 
until some able nosologist shall merit the thanks of the profession 
by introducing some simple or compound term which shall convey 
a better idea of the nature of the disease which it is intended to 
indicate. 
I believe that no other animal is subject to this specific disorder; 
and I more particularly so designate it, on account of one singular fact 
connected with it, viz. that young cows are not the subjects of it. 
I believe it hardly ever appears before the animal has attained her 
* The Veterinarian, vol. ii, p. 393. 
