400 
ON PUEllPKRAL FEVER IN COWS. 
ought to be called by different names; and then there would 
not be such a variance in our opinions as to the proper means to 
be adopted. 
Mr. Cheetham might well say that the motor nerves could not 
be seriously affected in these cases. I say the same. He speaks 
also of not bleeding if a few days had elapsed, and then going 
on cautiously with purgatives, &c. Why, in such cases as 1 call 
puerperal fever (such, for instance, as those recorded by Veteri- 
narius in your last) the patient is either dead or safe by that 
time. Now, how can we possibly expect to agree in opinion as 
to the cause, symptoms, or treatment of any specific disease 
when we call affections differing so essentially as those of Mr. 
Cheetham and Veterinarius, or Mr. Staveley, by the same name ? 
Mr. Dauber in his essay has endeavoured to reconcile and 
blend together a variety of notions as to cause and effect, and 
identify them by culling an idea from one and an opinion from 
another of those who have preceded him in publicly stating their 
views on this subject, and he has failed in his attempt; and this 
will always be the case where so many different affections are 
called by the same name, simply because they occur at the same 
period. Thus, in his detail of causes, he states that cows tra¬ 
velling from one market or fair to another are seldom its victims; 
another tells you, during the same debate, that such are the most 
commonly so, a direct contradiction in terms; and yet the peculiar 
cases passing in review before the mind of each, which induced 
these contradictory remarks, might form some good warranty for 
their respective opinions. 
The fact is. Sir, that in no situations and under no circum¬ 
stances are they exempt from this disease. It is an affection of 
that part of the system with which we are least of all acquainted. 
We know but little, practically, of the spinal columns; we do not 
know how effectually to detect latent or slowly progressing disease 
of any part of them, or we neglect them when detected ; and it is 
only at the eleventh hour, when the functions of life begin bit by 
bit to be suspended, that we suspect what is the real state of the 
case, or set to work seriously to repair the injury. 
Before I finish this paper I will state what I have no doubt is 
the real origin of this disease; an opinion formed from con¬ 
tinued observation, and not at all at variance with time, condi¬ 
tion, circumstances, or locality, as all opinions I have hitherto 
seen as to its cause have been in some degree. One tells you it 
is from action—another from inaction—another from a particular 
sort of feeding—another from plethora—another has seen as 
many cases where there was great want of condition ; and the 
advocates for these difierent opinions arc so nearly equal (with 
