PARTURIENT PARESIS. 
529 
many of them after a trial of the drastic remedies, have changed 
to neutral medicines with which they have obtained quite as 
favorable results as formerly. This indicates that in many cases 
recovery occurs wholly through natural aid and that conse¬ 
quently no energetic interference is required lor the aid of 
these. It is clear then that if we can contribute to the force 
against the cause of the disease, that is the development of 
toxins, the curative results must be better than before. 
What is demanded of a specific medicinal agent, is, that the 
course of the disease shall be shortened, and the majority of the 
affected anifiials recover, when it is possible to have the hand¬ 
ling of the disease in its early stages. But it may occur that 
before treatment has begun, so great a volume of toxins has 
been absorbed and such an extreme destruction of function has 
taken place in various organs, that a complete paralysis of the 
heart must follow. It is not known either if the disease is pre¬ 
ceded by certain complications with various diseased conditions 
like hepatic diseases, cardiac defects, etc., or there may occur 
during the course of the malady other accidents such as articu¬ 
lar strains, rupture of muscles, wounds, and especially foreign- 
body pnenmonia, in consequence of the entrance of food 
particles or medicine into the respiratory passages. 
The treatment must be directed according to the etiological 
conditio7is here proposed^ prwtarily against the quantitative and 
qualitative greatly exalted activity of the udder. The results 
must then indicate whether the udder is really the organ 
whence the disease has its source. It is well known that the 
milk secretion can be checked by the internal administration of 
potassium iodide. I have consequently, after first satisfying 
myself as to the cause of the disease, attempted to apply this 
agent against milk fever. I have used potassium iodide sub¬ 
cutaneously in several cases, but only in a dose of 2 grammes 
(30 grains). I have not been able, however, to show a specific 
curative action. 
The most direct manner, if it could be carried out, to oppose 
the morbid activity of the mammae would be to inject the niedi- 
