168 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



the finger appears from the vulva down between the thighs to the 

 udder and in front. It is mainly due to the pressure of the en- 

 larged womb on the blood vessels, is not dangerous, and disap- 

 pears after calving. 



DROPSY OF THE MEMBRANES OP THE FETUS (DROPSY OF THE WOMB) . 



The unimpregnated womb may be filled with a dropsical fluid, 

 but the pregnant womb is more liable to become overdistended by 

 an excess of fluid in the inner water bag in which the fetus floats. 

 From an unhealthy state of this membrane or of the blood of the 

 fetus (watery blood) this liquid may go on accumulating until the 

 cow seems almost as broad as she is long. If the trouble has not 

 originated in the ill health of the cow, the result is still to draw 

 on her system, overtax her strength, and derange her digestion, so 

 that the result may prove fatal to both mother and offspring. The 

 natural resort is to draw off a portion of the fluid through a hollow 

 needle passed through the neck of the womb or through its tense 

 wall adjacent. This may be repeated several times, as demanded, 

 to relieve the cow from the injurious distention. 



PARALYSIS OF THE HIND PARTS. 



In ill-fed, weak, unthrifty cows palsy of the hind limbs and tail 

 may appear in the last weeks of pregnancy. The anus and rectum 

 may participate in the palsy so far as to prevent defecation, and the 

 rectum is more or less completely impacted. Something may be 

 done for these cases by a warm, dry bed, an abundant diet fed 

 warm, frictions with straw wisps or with a liniment of equal parts 

 of oil of turpentine and sweet oil on the loins, croup, and limbs, by 

 the daily use of ginger and gentian. The case becomes increas- 

 ingly hopeful after calving, though some days may still elapse 

 before the animal can support herself upon her limbs. 



EXTRA-UTERINE GESTATION (FETUS DEVELOPING OUTSIDE THE 



WOMB) . 



These curious cases are rare and are usually divided into three 

 types: (1) That in which the fetus is formed in or on the ovary 

 (ovarian gestation) ; (2) that in which it is lodged in the Fallopian 

 tube, or canal between the ovary and womb (tubal gestation) ; 

 and (3) that in which it is lodged in the abdominal cavity^ and at- 

 tached to one or more of its contents from which it draws its nour- 

 ishment (abdominal gestation). 



Symptoms. The symptoms are those of pregnancy, which 

 may be suddenly complicated by inflammation (peritonitis), Bowing 

 to rupture of the sac containing the fetus; or at full term signs of 

 calving appear, but no progress is made; an examination with the 

 oiled hand in the vagina or rectum finds the womb empty and its 

 mouth closed. 



Treatment. Little can be done in such cases. 



PROLONGED RETENTION OF THE FETUS. 



Even when the fetus has developed within the womb it may 

 fail to be delivered at the proper time; labor pains have quickly 

 subsided and the cow resumed her usual health. In such cases 

 the calf dies, and its soft parts are gradually liquefied and absorbed, 



