702 
H. S. SMITH. 
mass and the bones of same apparently gone or so soft as to be 
easily cut with a knife ; the teeth were sound as far as I could 
detect, but could be pulled with slight traction, owing to the 
replacement of bone by the degenerative process. 
PARTURIENT FEVER. 
By H. S. Smith, V. S., Atbion, Mich. 
Owing to the fact that the etiology of this disease is yet unde¬ 
fined, I will offer no apologies for ventilating my views upon this 
complex subject, except to Dr. F. L. Stevens, B. S.,V. S.,of Maine, 
for any seeming criticism upon his very interesting paper, which 
appeared in the August issue of the Review, and which I read 
with great interest ; I consider it an able delineation in defense 
of the septic infection theory. He substantiates his theories 
by claiming u Puerperal Septicsemia ” a better name, and I 
repeat his etiology here, in order to bring my views upon the 
subject in a more definite manner. 
He tells us u the exciting cause of the disease, then, we must 
regard as an entrance and proliferation of the septic germ, in the 
uterus or uterine passages, and absorption therefrom of the result¬ 
ant toxines or ptomaines ; the various conditions, such as heavy 
milkers, plethora, mature age, season, etc., can only be regarded 
as accessory or predisposing causes.” 
Now, taking for granted that this is the etiology : First, 
Why should an animal of the asthenic type be almost immune 
to it, and plethoric animals be so susceptible to it? Also, why 
should the period of infection be limited to within four days? 
If it is because the system is more susceptible to it at that 
time, why is it that we never have a case following difficult 
partutition, and other cases of carelessness, such as dirty instru¬ 
ments, bad surroundings, filthy stables, etc., which would seem 
from the septic infection standpoint to be fatal in almost every 
case. I have never heard of a case being a sequel to difficult 
parturition, and in fact not where there was any obstinate re¬ 
tention of the placenta, even where the decomposed membranes 
