582 
DROPPING AFTER CALVING. 
somewhat during the time, she never became fully conscious, 
nor rose from the recumbent position. On making a post¬ 
mortem examination the upper portion of the sheath of the 
spinal cord, from its origin to the extent of several inches, 
was found deeply stained of a red colour, and a considerable 
amount of gelatinous exudation of serum existed between the 
cord and its sheath. 
Nothing can more satisfactorily prove the true nature of 
dropping after calving than lesions such as these. 
Treatment. —It cannot be expected in a disease like 
parturient apoplexy that curative measures would prove effi¬ 
cacious except in very rare instances. Some practitioners 
centre all their hopes of cure on being able by a free use of 
cathartic agents to excite the bowels to increased action ; 
others rely on unloading the surcharged blood-vessels by 
bloodlettings; and others, again, by the use of stimulants, to 
rouse suspended nerve force, that the blood may thus be driven 
through the congested and disabled vessels, and the balance 
of the circulation re-established. Besides these means we 
meet with practitioners who, regarding the disease as milk- 
fever, direct their efforts mainly to restoring the lacteal se¬ 
cretion by frequent drawing at the teats. The value of these 
measures may be said to consist rather in their combination 
than in their individuality; and it may therefore be said that 
none of them should be neglected. With reference to the 
withdrawal of blood, it may be stated that its advantages 
will depend on the stage of the disease when the animal is 
first seen. Should the cow be still standing, although sup¬ 
porting the position with the greatest difficulty, or even 
should she be down, but not yet in a comatose condition, a 
copious bloodletting should be adopted. If blood be 
abstracted, it should flow until the pulse wavers from its loss; 
but if coma should have set in, no justification can be found 
for bloodletting. We have often known the abstraction of 
blood in this stage to speedily bring about a fatal termin¬ 
ation. 
As with the withdrawal of blood so v 7 ith the exhibition of 
cathartic medicine, it should be early adopted. A compound 
formed of sulphate of magnesia, powdered croton , compound tinc¬ 
ture of aloes, and a small quantity of calomel, will be found to be 
as good as any. The dose should be a powerful one, consist¬ 
ing of three fourths to a pound of the sulphate of magnesia, 
twenty to thirty grains of croton-seed, four to six ounces of 
compouud tincture of aloes, and a drachm of calomel; for if 
an impress can be made on the nerves of organic life by 
arousing the half-suspended peristaltic action of the intestines. 
