SCHMIDT TREATMENT FOR PARTURIENT PARALYSIS. 
525 
bang. The heart stimulants, such as strychnia, atropina, 
caffeina, tincture of digitalis, can readily be given hypodermic¬ 
ally, as can also the cathartic in the shape of a dose of physos- 
tigmine. One would judge, however, that, since physostigmine 
is such a powerful motor depressant, it would be contra-indicated 
in this disease, yet it has been given with favorable results. 
For my own part I should not use it and cannot recommend its 
use. It is not manifest upon examining the theory of the etiol¬ 
ogy of the disease and the state of the alimentary canal that a 
cathartic is strongly indicated. The faecal matter is usually 
normal except in the lower part of the large intestine and the 
rectum, from which places it may be dislodged by enemata and 
by manual means. Would it not be well then to withhold the 
purgative at least until the cow has regained the power to 
swallow? I believe, withal, it is good practice to give a 
cathartic whenever the cow is able to swallow. 
One practitioner who has treated a large number of cases 
with very good success frequently gives nothing but the infus¬ 
ion of potassium iodide into the udder. There is no doubt that 
many cases are hurried on to a fatal termination by excessive 
medication. Just where to draw the line is a difficult point 
which each practitioner must decide in the case before him. 
The report of seven cases followed by mastitis warns us 
that too much care cannot be exercised in sterilizing every¬ 
thing that comes into contact with the udder during the process 
of introducing the potassium iodide solution. It is certainly 
true that the potassium iodide alone will not give rise to this 
accident, which should not be charged against the treatment. 
It is probably the result of infection introduced into the udder 
by lack of adequate disinfection. 
In most cases reported milk secretion was much below nor¬ 
mal in amount for a few days after the injection of the potas¬ 
sium iodide, but was restored to normal in all cases in which 
mastitis did not develop. This is to be expected, for the tieat- 
ment brings success partly because it diminishes cellular activity 
in the udder. 
