ON THE ERGOT OF RYE. 
73 
duced my hand, and found the uterus perfectly at rest, not even 
contracting when the umbilical cord was strongly pulled. The 
dose of ergot of rye was, therefore, repeated, and the placenta 
expelled two hours afterwards. The cow did well, and has had 
three calves, but at two of her labours it was necessary to treat 
her in the way that has been described. 
CASE II. 
Long-protracted Parturition . 
August 12th , 1830, 10 a.m. —I was requested to visit an aged 
cow that had calved and cleansed eight days previously, but had 
not ceased straining from that time. 
Various medicines and numberless schemes had been tried by 
*/ 
several cunning men called cow-doctors, in order to relieve the 
poor animal, but all had failed. 
I found the cow in a very excited state, pulse 70, grinding her 
teeth every instant, and foaming at the mouth from agony. On 
examination I was persuaded there was another calf in the ute¬ 
rus ; but from the quiescent state of that organ, and the spasmodic 
action of the vagina, I was unable to remove it. I gave a de¬ 
coction of two drachms of ergot of rye in a pint of water, re¬ 
peated every hour. 
4 p.m. —The decoction had been administered four times, the 
character of the pains had changed, the uterus was much excited, 
and with very little difficulty I removed a dead calf, with the 
placenta adhering. 
9 p.m. —The action of the uterus had rather decreased, but the 
muscles of the abdomen were in full play. The vaginal discharge 
was profuse, and very foetid ; the respiration hurried, and the 
pulse 80. Nine pounds of blood were taken from the jugular; 
the flanks fomented with hot water for two hours, and then 
rubbed dry, and the cow was removed to another stand and 
covered with a woollen cloth. A drachm and a half of nitre, and 
half a drachm each of digitalis and emetic tartar, were ordered 
to be given every six hours. 
13 th, 6 a.m. —She had experienced great relief from the treat¬ 
ment; the pulse was 50, the respiration natural, the extremities 
warm, and the pains less violent. Continue the medicine. 
14 thy 8 a.m. —Eager for food ; pulse 65 ; the pains continue ; 
and the uterine discharge profuse and very foetid. The body was 
ordered to be fomented with hot water for six hours, and the 
medicine repeated every four hours. 
10 p .m. —Pulse intermitted every fifth stroke ; the pains had 
ceased; and the discharge was more healthy. 'The medicine 
was discontinued. 
