Maternal Organs of Reproduction in Animals. 26 1 



Before describing preternatural labour arising from false pre- 

 sentations, I must speak of natural delivery and the way in 

 which it is accomplished. The symptoms denoting the approach 

 of parturition have been before described, namely restlessness, fre- 

 quent change of position, lying down, quick rising, straining, &c. ; 

 these all indicate an excited state of the system accompanied with 

 pain ; this pain is not, however, of the ordinary character, but 

 early becomes propulsive or bearing down, and also intermittent. 

 It is important to distinguish between straining and the true pro- 

 pulsive pains of parturition ; the former not unfrequently depends 

 on the dilatation of the os uteri, and this, in many cases, precedes 

 labour for some days. ^The dilatation of the mouth of the womb 

 is often associated with great pain, and this is apparently pro- 

 portionate to the freedom with which it expands. Proprietors of 

 stock should not be in too great a hurry with their animals at 

 the time of parturition, although they may express much uneasi- 

 ness by continued straining. I have known many cases where 

 valuable animals have been lost in consequence of impatience on 

 the part of the owner in seeking too soon to give assistance. I 

 have also frequently seen cases where the symptoms of approach- 

 ing parturition have disappeared, and not returned for two or three 

 days. A careful examination per vaginam may be made under 

 these circumstances, and should the mouth of the womb be found 

 only partially dilated, the case must be left to nature's efforts, 

 when all will generally end well. I should state, however, that 

 in extreme cases of this description an ounce dose of tinct. opii 

 administered to a cow, and followed by an ordinary aperient, 

 will be productive of much benefit. 



The act of parturition, by which the foetus is expelled from 

 the uterus, is in part effected by the contractility of the muscular 

 coat of the womb, and in part by the energetic action of the 

 abdominal muscles. The cause of this contraction taking place 

 at the expiration of a given time cannot be satisfactorily ex- 

 plained : it does not arise from the full development of the foetus, 

 nor its capability of living, comparatively, independent of its 

 parent ; if so, neither abortion nor premature labour would occur. 

 Nor can the length of gestation be said to depend on the mere 

 life of the foetus, for then a dead foetus would be cast off imme- 

 diately, no matter what might be the stage of gestation; whereas 

 daily instances are met with where a dead foetus is retained the 

 full time. 



The mouth of the womb being freely dilated, and everything 

 prepared for the birth of the young, the simultaneous and re- 

 peated contractions of the uterus and abdominal muscles propel 

 the foetus, covered by its membranes, first towards and next 

 into the vagina. This advance is assisted by its position, and also 



