533 
MILK FEVER, OR ABDOMINAL NEURALGIA. 
spine, from ;behind the pins, to within a foot of the shoulders, 
and in width a foot on either side of the spine. I also gave one 
pound of sulphate of magnesia, in six quarts of water, with three 
ounces of tincture of opium. I clystered her, and had her turned 
three times a-day. I often horned her with gruel, and repeated the 
opium every four hours for three times. 
2d Day . — She was still down, her head on her side, and moaning 
sadly. There was no dung, except what came away with the clys- 
ter. Repeat the opium and give nitrous ether, twice during the day. 
The mustard cataplasm has produced a serous infiltration, and the 
back is swollen. Laxative dose repeated. 
3^ Day . — She drank a mixture consisting of equal parts of cold 
gruel and water. There is a slight desire to eat. She would feebly 
masticate a bit of sweet hay in preference to cabbage or turnip 
tops. The bowels not purged. The clysters barely coloured. 
4 th Day . — Better. She stood up with difficulty. The appetite 
improving. She ruminated a little, and drank freely of water and 
gruel. 
5th Day . — Still getting better. Rumination more frequent. 
Purgation freely coming on. 
Now, I do not hold for the continued exhibition of purgatives. 
No effect will be produced until the rumen is roused to action, and 
then, if we have been too free with our cathartics, we shall some- 
times have violent purging. Our chief object should be to stimulate 
the rumen; for, as soon as the cow chews her cud, purging will 
quickly ensue. She recovered in about fourteen days; but, al- 
though more than half fat when first attacked, she was sadly re- 
duced in that time. 
Case IT. 
A cow, in condition, and fit for the butcher, belonging to Mr. 
Norrish, of Sandford Barton, was, on the 23d May 1839, thirty- 
six hours after calving, and having twin-calves, taken with acute 
milk fever. Immediately on my arrival, I applied the mustard 
cataplasm, & c., and clystered, and gave, for the first time, a pint 
and a half of linseed oil, with 40 drops of creasote. I repeated the 
creasote with 2 oz. of spt. ether, nit. on the same day, and con- 
tinued until one and a half drachm was given. 
2d Day . — She drank a little water and gruel. The eyes were 
wild; the pupils dilated; the nose glaired with moisture; she 
dragged herself round the cow-house; occasional moaning; the 
head not so often to her side : the clysters brought off black dung 
and mucus. She drinks more freely, and chews a little hay. 
3 d Day . — She makes efforts to raise herself, and, in the course 
of the day, rose and stood a little while; appetite improving; ob- 
VOL. XII. 4 A 
