SCOTTISH METROPOLITAN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION. 879 
The immediate result of the interference with the tenth nerve 
is, as I have said, retardation of the respiratory process, meaning— 
in the peculiar conditions under which the system is labouring— 
death from asphyxia. The muscles of the larynx do not give 
their aid to the process of respiration by enlarging the glottal open¬ 
ing, thus preventing the air from gaining free access to the lungs. 
The muscular tissue surrounding the small bronchia and air-cells 
does not contract; hence imperfectly oxidized air remains in the 
lungs, and the blood becomes saturated with carbonic acid, thus 
doing away with the natural stimulant (oxygen) to the cerebrum 
and nervous system generally. Anti-peristalsis of the oesophagus, 
(from perverted nervous function) commences, the food from 
the rumen is regurgitated, and from the paralysed condition of 
the laryngeal muscles, no opposition is offered to its entrance into 
the trachea, the bronchi become impacted, and death results 
from direct asphyxia. 
When rupture of the blood-vessels at the base or within the 
substance of the brain takes place the impression is, of course, 
excited primarily in the encephalon not in the spinal cord, and 
the animal falls suddenly and quickly becomes comatose. 
Duration of the Disease is governed by the causes, and the 
lesions which may ultimately follow them. I have seen an 
animal die in six hours from the first symptom being shown, and 
in twelve hours after parturition ; on the contrary, I have known 
animals live two or three days, the comatose symptoms alter¬ 
nately increasing and diminishing in severity, sometimes entirely 
disappearing and returning in the course of an hour or two—a 
state of things not at all to be desired, for in my experience no 
case affords less hope of recovery than a relapsed case of partu¬ 
rient apoplexy. 
Prognosis .—Depends entirely upon the symptoms, the con¬ 
dition of the animal, the state of the weather, the stage of the 
disease, and the manner of its invasion. 
If the animal falls suddenly at the commencement of the. 
attack with all the secretions and excretions in abeyance, and 
after a few violent struggles lies helplessly on her side; and if to 
this is superadded a great state of obesity, with hot weather, and 
feeding on stimulating food, little hope can be reasonably enter¬ 
tained of a recovery; if, on the contrary, the brain symptoms 
succeed the paralysis, the bowels are tolerably open, the udder 
yielding a little milk, the pulse remaining at about 70 or 80, 
and the animal has a lively appearance, and preserves a tolerably 
easy position on her breast, it is not unreasonable, putting aside 
secondary complications and accidents, to expect with confidence 
a favorable issue. 
Symptoms, premonitory, may be local or systemic, or both; 
xlv. 59 
