the mouth cold, with an increased secretion of saliva; the pulse small and weak, and ranging from 90 to 100; the contraction of the heart oppressed, and no alvine evacuation had been perceived that day. I withdrew from the rectum a large quantity of dry black fæces, having an offensive foetid smell.

Premonitory Signs.-I had seen this cow six days before, apparently in a state of perfect health. She was of the Birkenfield breed, ten years old, in good condition, large frame, and had calved on the previous day without difficulty. The foetal membranes also had come away. She had more milk than the calf could suck, and it was only on the following morning, the day of my visit, that she was perceived to be off her appetite, her eyes watering a little, the lacteal gland soft, and the secretion of milk entirely suspended. She had lain down and got up twice without much difficulty; but when it was found that she was unable to stand, the owner was afraid that she was attacked with a disease well known and much dreaded by all the owners of cattle.

Diagnosis.-I was convinced by several analogous cases on which I had been consulted, that it was neither metritis nor metroperitonitis I had to deal with. The autopsia of several animals that had not been medically treated left no doubt on my mind in this respect. I was also aware that the termination of this disease was, in nearly all cases, fatal, and was considered to be such by the best breeders, who designate it by the name of calf fever; but they often confound it with metro-peritonitis, complicated with paralysis, which sometimes occurs after calving, and of which I have had some cases.

Treatment. As the animal was in good condition, eight pounds of blood were taken from the jugular vein, and alteratives were administered, although little hope was entertained of the recovery of the patient.

Towards night the animal began to shake her head violently, letting it fall afterwards into its former position, as if unable to move it, and she died about one o'clock in the morning.

Autopsia.-I found neither inflammation of the uterus nor of the peritoneum, nor any other lesion, with the exception of about half a litre of serum in the pleural cavities, and slight inflammation of the leaves of the third stomach. The mucous membrane of the

intestinal tube was discoloured, and the excrements contained in the rectum hard and dry.

M. Fischer further remarks, that this disease is not mentioned by any of the French authors, while it is very accurately described by the German, in whose works it is always associated with metritis and metro-peritonitis, but as a distinct disease. Much later, however, M. F. has met with an accurate account of it in a work written by a celebrated French cattle-breeder, Felix Velleroy, under the name of "Fievre Vitulaire." M. Brilhouet, veterinary surgeon at Galcon (Gironde) has described a disease, without giving it a name, which attacks cows after parturition, the seat of which he has placed in the brain, and which he thinks is confined to the race Bretonne. M. F. finds great analogy between this and the disease he has described.

M. Baumeister, Professor at the Veterinary School at Stuttgard, gives the following definition of this disease:-It is a peculiar fever, of the nervous and inflammatory kind, which attacks cows in the first few days after parturition. It is rapid in its course, and of an uncertain issue, in spite of the most active and welldevised treatment. It never attacks cows that have calved with great facility. The author seeks for the cause, the same as Rychner did, in the sudden disemburthening of the animal economy of a great load to which it had been accustomed. He avers, and with some good reason, that this state of things must sometimes cause a considerable derangement of the vital functions, particularly in the circulatory and nervous systems. The malady makes its appearance from the first to the third day after parturition: some veterinary surgeons speak of having observed it from the fifth to the sixth day. Its invasion is always sudden and violent; so much so, that in the course of an hour the disease has attained its greatest degree of intensity. It is frequently ushered in with shivering, soon after which all the vital functions are perverted, or altogether cease. The pulse is small and accelerated, and this in proportion to the progress of the disease, until at last it becomes altogether imperceptible. The contractions of the heart also become insensible. According to M. Bell, veterinary surgeon, the respiration furnishes a pathognomonic symptom (which we have also observed), namely, it is exceedingly slow

from the beginning, and becomes still slower as the disease advances; but at this stage it is performed with a jerking movement, accompanied with a peculiar plaintive sound. The skin, when the hair does not hide it from the sight, is always pale; the muzzle dry and cold, and the eye insensible to the light, the pupil being dilated. In five cases out of eleven, I have noticed the profuse watery discharge from the eyes, mentioned by authors. In all, the different organs have lost their sensibility; the animals soon lie down, the decubitation being peculiar to the disease, namely, the neck bent over the shoulder, and the muzzle on the ground. In the majority of cases the mouth is filled with frothy saliva; grinding of the teeth is heard from time to time; there is never any inclination to drink; the alvine evacuations are in general dark-coloured and hard, rarely (I have seen it in only one case) is diarrhoea present. By auscultation we perceive that the intestinal motion has ceased before the disease has reached its crisis. An extraordinary prostration of the vital powers, and an insensibility to surrounding objects, are characteristics of this disease: the globe of the eye may even be touched without the least sensation being evinced; if the head is raised, it falls back to its former position, like a dead weight; and enemas administered return by their own gravity. Lastly, the pulse becomes imperceptible; the mouth icy cold; the animal makes a few convulsive movements, and then dies.

The duration of this disease is in general from one to three days; sometimes, however, it may continue till the fifth day. The nervous symptoms are always the most marked, and the reaction on the spinal marrow in particular is characteristic. Some authors have described a variety of this disease, in which the brain is more affected, and the convulsions are stronger. I have never seen this form.

Some veteri

I have never observed this disease in the mare. nary surgeons, however, have reported cases, but they are of rare

occurrence.

Causes. A certain predisposition to this disease nied, both in fat and in more or less delicate cows.

cannot be de

I have never witnessed it in lean cows, nor after the first or second calving. In common with M. Bell, I have never met with it except in those cases where parturition has been quick and without difficulty, and the cows were good milkers.

There is, however, another cause, which must have some influence, although its mode of action is unknown, since this disease is met with more frequently at certain periods than at others. Thus in April, 1845, I had six cases, while in the latter half year of 1844 I had not one case. The attacks of this disease are more frequent when cows are constantly confined to stables or sheds, and the air is vitiated. As an occasional cause, we may accept the provender being too exciting, or given in too great quantity shortly before parturition takes place; but principally, and according to Professor Rychner, the too sudden vacuum caused in the abdominal cavity is the general cause.

The termination of this disease is almost always fatal. As curative means, some authors prescribe the use of antiphlogistic agents; others that of diffusible stimulants; and MM. Gesker and Pilger adopt the antispasmodic. Baumeister contends that antiphlogistic treatment is always destructive in this disease. Bell says that he has obtained favourable results from the administration of the potassio-tartrate of antimony, given in mint infusion. M. Villeroy recommends us not to lose much time with, in the majority of cases, useless treatment, but to recommend the proprietor to dispose of the patient while she is yet of some value. I treated one case successfully with the powder of nux vomica, given in an infusion of camomile, and repeated every six hours until six doses had been exhibited. The convalescence of this patient lasted fifteen days, during which time there was great loss of power in the posterior parts, which was removed by irritating frictions on the spine; but this treatment, in several other cases, has not realised my expectations.

Autopsia. The pathological anatomy in those animals that die of this disease is not always the same, with the exception of the traces of parturition in the organs of generation. Sometimes no lesions are found; at other times slight traces of inflammation can be detected on the peritonium, but never true signs of peritonitis. In some animals, to which I have administered calomel in large doses, I have found slight traces of inflammation on the mucous membrane of the duodenum. One necroscopic character most constant in this disease is the dryness of the ingesta contained in the third stomach, which presents the same appearance as in cases of indigestion of this viscus. In two cases only have I found this

peculiarity wanting. I have carried my investigation to the great nervous centres in two cases, but have not observed any morbid alteration.

[The English veterinary surgeon will have no difficulty in recognizing in all this that disease which is usually called puerperal fever, although not a correct cognomen, which proves so frequently fatal, and difficult to combat, and on which but little light is thrown by the description here given.]

ON DIABETES IN THE HORSE.

By Professor Delwart.

DIABETES is a disease the principal symptom of which is an undue secretion of urine. This fluid is limpid and sweetish, and expelled with considerable force, and it is not long before this superabundant secretion affects the organism; and, subsequently, loss of condition followed by marasmus and death.

This malady is sometimes attributed to chronic inflammation of the kidneys, to hypertrophy of the same organs, and to irritation set up in them, by which their secretory power is augmented. These different opinions as to the nature of the disease have led to as many modes of treatment, varying from the most abundant blood-lettings and the lowest diet to the use of the most energetic tonics and highly nutritious food; all having been employed with more or less success.

M. Faber relates two or three cases cured by the administration of cantharides.

CASE I. In 1839 a gelding, belonging to the administration of the messageries, was brought to the hospital of the school to be treated. I found the following symptoms present :—an abundant flow of clear insipid urine, which was evacuated every five or six minutes, and with great force. This state had already existed for ten days. The patient was low, with great prostration of strengthdry skin-staring coat-thirst unquenchable-mouth dry-pulse small and wiry-the excrements small and hard, and expelled with