ECLAMPSIA-PARTURIENT APOPLEXY. 
201 
In women “ eclampsia predisposes to post-partum haemor¬ 
rhage,”* but parturient apoplexy occurs only when such rapid 
and thorough contraction of the uterus has taken place as to 
preclude the possibility of post-partum haemorrhage. 
We have now arrived at a point where a consideration of 
the etiology and pathology of the two diseases would appear 
appropriate. The impression irresistibly forced upon a stu¬ 
dent of the literature on the subject is that, in this held, 
there is much speculation and more uncertainty. During the 
whole history of the disease known as eclampsia in women, 
theories calculated to explain its nature have followed one 
another in such rapid succession as to be absolutely be¬ 
wildering. Many have been ingenious, others have explained 
satisfactorily certain phenomena of the disease, but none 
have fully met the exact requirements of medical science. 
However, there are two theories that have received more 
attention than all others combined. These are, first, that 
“ eclampsia is due to oedema cerebri and the sequential 
anaemia ” (Traube-Rosenberg theory); second, that “ eclamp¬ 
sia is due to the retention in the blood of all the effete 
materials which find their excretion by means of the kidnevs.”f 
(The theory of minaemia). 
The former is founded on the fact that there is intercranial 
haemal obstruction, the result of an altered condition of the 
circulation produced by increased aortic pressure, and the 
supposition that the resulting cerebral hyperaemia is always 
succeeded by oedema and anaemia. This is the theory bor¬ 
rowed, by veterinarians, to explain the phenomena of partu¬ 
rient apoplexy, notwithstanding that it has been discarded 
by the majority of writers in human medicine. It no 
more meets the full requirements of the case in veterinary 
than in human medicine, but when its validity is ques¬ 
tioned veterinarians are always ready with the question, 
“ if hydrasmia and increased blood pressure are not the 
cause of parturient apoplexy, what is?” I freely confess 
that I don’t know, but I do know that eclampsia can 
occur entirely independent of hydrasmia, or increased aortic 
* Lusk, ,l Science and Art of Midwifery,” page 563. 
t Spiegelberg. 
