92 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



occasionally blood-stained, and, as time passes, takes on a muco-purulent 

 character, with such acrid qualities as to excoriate the skin over which it 

 passes, and denude the parts of hair. 



Treatment. — Simple vaginitis will often pass away without treatment 

 in the course of a few days, but its appearance should never be lightly 

 regarded, since it may become troublesome, if not serious. A gangrenous 

 ulcer may be the source of infective inflammation of the adjacent parts, 

 or the entrance through which septic germs may pass to cause parturient 

 fever. Patches of membrane sometimes slough away, with the result that 

 the passage of the vagina becomes contracted, and parturition is rendered 

 diflicult on subsequent occasions. 



Treatment consists in antiseptic measures, as careful sponging of the 

 exposed pai/ts with a solution of carbolic acid, or other disinfectant, 

 with glycerine as an emollient, and repeated injection of the same. 

 Measures of this kind are usually successful in the early stages, pro- 

 vided there are no complications in the shape of wounds, but agents of 

 a more astringent description may be called for if breaches in the walls 

 of the canal are discovered. A lotion consisting of exsiccated or so-called 

 " burnt " alum has been found valuable both as an astringent for ulcerated 

 wounds and an antiseptic where a foetid discharge persists. At the outset 

 a dose of aperient medicine should be administered and a bran diet pre- 

 scribed. 



Neglected vaginitis may result in 



LEUCORRHGEA 



This is a more or less chronic discharge from the vagina. From its fre- 

 quently white, viscid nature it is known among studsmen as " the whites ", 

 and as having its analogue in the human subject, passing under the same 

 name. When white and glutinous in consistence it is also inodorous. In 

 some instances it is of a sanious, foetid, purulent description, and particu- 

 larly evil-smelling, and the skin is found excoriated where the matter has 

 fallen upon it. 



Anyone who is not in constant attendance upon a mare thus affected 

 may be led into the error of supposing the malady has disappeared because 

 the discharge is not observable while the standing posture is maintained. 

 In some cases it is more especially noticeable when the creature has occa- 

 sion to micturate, or when lying down gravitation favours its backward 

 discharge. 



When leucorrhoea has settled into a chronic form there is seldom nluch 

 constitutional disturbance, but it is not consistent with a high level of 



