124 LIVERPOOL VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
do not succeed in practice as those who cannot theorise so well, 
but this only proves that there must be some peculiar idiosyn¬ 
crasy in their mental or physical constitution, and by no means 
proves that a man who can take the most comprehensive views 
of the science of medicine and surgery cannot always put them 
in practice. Indeed if we examine the writings of the most 
eminent surgeons and physicians we shall find that they were 
eminent men of theory. 
Cullen, some hundred years ago, makes some very appropriate 
remarks on this very subject. He says :—“ Every one, now-a- 
day pretends to neglect theory and to stick to observation. But 
the first is to talk only, for every man has his theory, good or 
bad, which he occasionally employs; and the only difference is, 
that weak men who have little extent of ability for, or who have 
had little experience in reasoning, are most liable to be attached 
to frivolous theories; but the truly judicious practitioners and 
good observers are such as have the most extensive views of the 
animal economy, and know best the true account of the present 
state of theory, and, therefore, know best where to stop in the 
application of it.” 
If, as Herschel says, knowledge saves us from futile and in¬ 
glorious effort, it widely opens to us ways of success which are 
closed to ignorance. 
With the name “ parturient apoplexy ” we need not cavil, for 
I think it sufficiently indicates its nature in both symptoms and 
appearances, as borne out by the autopsies, that we think it as 
appropriate as any hitherto applied. True, we do not always 
find a serous and sanguineous effusion on nerve centres, but 
in fifteen cases out of twenty, if properly examined, we shall 
find such appearances as leave no room to doubt of its apoplectic 
nature; the principal question to settle being the cause of the 
apoplectic symptoms and appearances. 
It may be necessary to state, however, that we exclude from 
this designation several states of a complicated character, occurring 
at and after parturition, such as metritis, metro-peritonitis, and 
the fever arising from such conditions, generally caused by wounds 
and bruises to the membrane lining the passages in the act of 
parturition. These run a different course and present different 
and well-defined symptoms and appearances. We also exclude 
from this designation the inability to rise or to properly use 
the hind extremities, frequently found after parturition, known 
as adynamia nervosa generalise and arising from weakness or want 
of tone in the system; when debilitated from bad or insuffi¬ 
cient food, and after giving birth to twins, rarely associated 
with fever or any brain symptoms, and generally amenable to 
treatment. 
