8 
W. CHAS. COYEY. 
PARTURIENT APOPLEXY. 
By W. Chas. Covey, D.Y.S., Hudsonville, Mich. 
In this article I shall not presume to add knowledge to 
the profession regarding the various types and variety of 
symptoms presented by this most fatal malady of the milch 
cow. Its history is contemporaneous with the most remote 
history of diseases of cattle. There can be no question that 
plethora is a necessary condition. I find it as frequently in 
cattle fed on dry clover as in those running upon rich clover 
pasture lands; but I have yet to meet first case fed on 
corn fodder ensilage. Microscopic investigation has led me 
to maintain that there is invariably an extreme richness and 
density of the blood. I have often found the blood globules 
reduced to less than one-half their normal size. I have found 
fully as many cases of the disease when the temperature of 
the atmosphere was below 60 degrees as I have when it was 
higher. Perhaps the cases were of a more aggravated form 
during excessive hot weather. Constipation is always pres¬ 
ent. In one post mortem I found excessive emphysema, 
which, however, I believe existed prior to this sickness, but 
assuredly hindered recovery on account of imperfect oxyda- 
tion of the air breathed. Now, I feel assured in placing em¬ 
phasis upon the use of antii. et potassa. tart. (tartar emetic) 
in this disease. If to any one remedy more than another I 
owe my success in treating this disease it is tartar emetic. I 
think that after as careful a trial as I have made, even the 
most critical of my brother practitioners will excuse my en¬ 
thusiasm in this matter. For such success to crown my 
efforts, after years of almost signal failure, is a matter that, 
to me, is extremely gratifying, especially when I see others 
having such poor success. It is true that I got my first 
ideas of this treatment from Harms, but I cannot agree with 
him in the amount to be given. I never give less than one 
ounce, and repeat until there is marked evidence of nausea, 
which is a guarantee of glandular activity. If the case is so 
far gone that it is impossible to excite glandular action then 
