Inflammation of the Ovaries. Oophoritis. Perioophoritis. 285 



however, attempting to identify them, and the probability is even 

 more strongly in favor of infection left over from the former 

 herds. 



Lesions. The inflamed ovary is swollen slighth^ or to a great 

 size, in mare or cow like the fist or even an infants' head. The 

 swelling, however, is unequal throughout, and the surface may 

 bulge in rounded masses at different points. In the early stages 

 the organ is firm, elastic, red and on the cut surface bleeding, 

 with here and there a distended follicle with blood}^ or gelatinoid 

 liquid contents. The exudate into the fibrous stroma may be- 

 come coagulated, and later may be organized into fibrous sub- 

 stance givnng a hard resistant sensation to the finger (.sclerosis). 

 In some cases this may become partly cartilaginous. In other 

 cases the distended follicles may have their contents coagulated 

 and transformed into a caseous ma.ss, while much of the stroma 

 has become liquefied and absorbed. When suppuration has set 

 in, the gland is softened at this point, the parenchyma giving 

 way before the pus. The pus may be in multiple sacs, as if 

 formed in the Graafian vesicles, or it may be in one undivided 

 abscess. In the ovary of a cow, Eleouet counted no less than 

 sixty-three separate ab.scesses. In cases complicated bj^ ovarian 

 glanders, tuberculosis or actinomycosis, the gross, microscopic, 

 and mycotic characters of the lesions will afford the means of 

 diagnosis. 



In chronic forms indurations, cretefactions, cystic degenera- 

 tions, caseations, and sclerosis may be met with. 



Lesions in adjacent structures are common, such as thickening 

 and .stenosis of the Fallopian tube; congestion, thickening and 

 puckering of the mucosa in the adjacent part of the womb ; peri- 

 tonitis ; adhesions of the ovary to the abdominal walls or to an 

 adjacent organ. 



Syfuptoms. Mare. In many cases the early phenomena are 

 those of excessive genital erethism : the animal is restless, fever- 

 ish, whinnies to attract other hor.ses, snuffs the males on their 

 approach, contracts the vulvar muscles constantly, expo.sing the 

 congested mucosa and clitoris, and ejecting a glairy liquid which 

 soils tlie tail, hips, thighs and hocks. She strains frequently, 

 passing small jets of high colored turbid urine, and rubs the tail 

 and hips against available objects, twisting and breaking the hair 



