PARTURIENT APOPLEXY. 
157 
of albuminous urine at that particular period: first, an increased 
activity in the circulation owing to a physiological hypertrophy 
of the heart; second, an increased quantity of blood, thereby 
producing an increased vascular fulness; and third, an increased 
amount of fibrin factors accompanied by a diminished propor¬ 
tional amount of corpuscles and albumin in the blood. 
The question, are eclampsia parturientum in women and par¬ 
turient apoplexy in cows analogous diseases produced by analo¬ 
gous causes is briefly presented in the following table of compari¬ 
son : 
WOMEN. 
cows. 
About eighty per cent, of the cases 
are in primaparae. 
It is generally in connection with a 
difficult parturition. 
It very frequently manifests itself 
during delivery. 
Convulsions are the chief characteris¬ 
tic of the disease. 
The temperature of the body is above 
normal. 
The urine contains albumin both be¬ 
fore and during the attack. 
The bladder as a rule contains but 
little urine. 
There is functional inactivity of the 
kidneys both before and during the at¬ 
tack. 
There generally is oedema of the face 
and extremities. 
The head is frequently drawn to one 
side, said to be due to contraction of 
the muscles of the neck. 
A post mortem examination reveals 
anoemia of the great nerve centres. 
During the convulsions the pulse is 
weak, quick and often intermittent, but 
as the convulsions subside the pulse 
becomes slower and stronger. 
There is no proof that it ever occurs 
in primaparse. 
It seldom or never occurs in connec¬ 
tion with a difficult parturition. 
It seldom or never manifests itself 
until from twenty to thirty-six hours 
after delivery. 
Convulsions are seldom or never 
present. 
The temperature of the body is below 
normal. 
The same in cows. 
The bladder as a rule is more or less 
distended with urine. 
There is increased functional activity 
of the kidneys before the attack, but 
functional inactivity of those organs, 
as well as of many others, after coma 
sets in. 
There never is radema of the face and 
extremities. 
The head is almost universally thrown 
round on the shoulder, also, but very 
erroneously, said to be due to contrac¬ 
tion of the muscles of the neck. 
A post mortem examination reveals 
hyperasmia of the great nerve centres. 
The pulse is at first generally full, 
soft and slow, but subsequently becomes 
quick, small and wiry, and finally im¬ 
perceptible. 
