SUPEKFCETATION IN A COW. 579 
the exception of the bronchi. The liver had many abscesses in it, 
some of which contained a tea-cupfull of purulent matter. 
I once knew a fat cow taken suddenly and alarmingly ill. At 
my recommendation she was immediately slaughtered. The beef 
was excellent; but the post-mortem examination brought to light, 
not congestion of the lungs, as one would have supposed from the 
sudden and urgent symptoms, but an old chronic disease of the 
liver. It was thrice its natural size, and was tuberculous. It is 
astonishing to think how the functions of life can be carried on for 
such a length of time while this important organ is so thoroughly 
diseased. 
AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF SUPERFGETATION 
IN A COW. 
By Mr. Thomas Maddocks, of Ruyion. 
Being an admirer of your excellent periodical, and the princi¬ 
ples on which it is uniformly conducted, I beg leave to send an 
account of the following remarkable case, which, although perhaps 
not unprecedented, is one that has never before occurred in my 
practice, nor, I believe, in the experience of any one in my neigh¬ 
bourhood. 
A two-year old heifer, the property of Mr. Humphreys, of Han¬ 
ley Hall, produced a calf on Tuesday, February the 25th, 1840. 
She still continuing very ill, I was sent for on the following day. 
The presence of a second foetus was readily detected, and that too 
was removed. The heifer continuing to exhibit evident symptoms 
of unusual illness, and her belly appearing very large, I once more 
examined her, and to my surprise found two more young ones 
ready to be produced; and, notwithstanding the extreme and pro¬ 
tracted pains which she endured, and the debility necessarily conse¬ 
quent on such an effort of nature, she has not only recovered, but 
is in a likely way of adding to the valuable stock of her owner. 
She had arrived at her full time; but the four calves, although 
they were of the natural size, and well formed, were dead previous 
to their extraction. 
You may suppose that immediate and careful attention was paid 
to the cow. She was exceedingly weak, and there was an evident 
tendency to dropsy. This might be naturally anticipated. I there¬ 
fore administered a few doses of Peruvian bark, with some aromatic 
spice, and combined with nitrate of potash. This treatment, pur¬ 
sued for a little while, restored her health and spirits, and in due 
time she was again [)arlurient. 
