553 OENITAL APPAHATUS. 



Prognosis. The prognosis is grave. The lesions are too deep- 

 seated to he directly attacked, and, moreover, salpingitis may termi- 

 nate in })yo-salpyiix, i.e., in encysted ahscess of the Fallopian tube. 



Treatment. The treatment is similar to that of metritis. The 

 natm-al opening of the Fallopian tube into the uterus allows pus 

 and morbid products to escape, and when the metritis disappears 

 the salpingitis may diminish and recovery may take place. 



Treatment therefore is quite indirect, for in veterinary surgery it 

 is useless to attempt to repeat on large domestic animals the brilliant 

 operations of human surgery. The relations between uterine diseases 

 and those of the Fallopian tubes are so close that this method of 

 treatment gives excellent results. Moussu has seen a case of chronic 

 metritis complicated with salpingitis recover after simple uterine treat- 

 ment. 



TORSION OF THE UTERUS. 



Although torsion of the uterus is a condition more particularly 

 pertaining to the domain of obstetrics, a few remarks on the subject 

 may not be altogether out of place at this point. 



The accident is commonest in the cow, Init it has also l)een described 

 in the mare, ewe, bitch and cat, and it probably occurs, though less 

 frequently, in the other domestic animals. In the cow it is com- 

 monest during the last month of pregnancy. 



Very little is known as to its cause, though the consensus of opinion 

 — if any consensus can be said to exist in face of the existing diver- 

 gent views — appears rather to indicate that it follows falls in awkward 

 positions, sudden efforts, severe prolonged exertion, or tympanites. 



In pregnant cows the uterus assumes the appearance of a pen- 

 dulous organ the l)ody and horns of which constitute the bob of the 

 pendulum, whilst the ligaments represent the cords by which it is 

 suspended. The fixed points are formed by the insertions of the two 

 ligaments in the neighbourhood of the two external iliac angles. 



The uterus, however, is also steadied in position by the vagina 

 and by the cellular tissue surrounding it ; in fact, in non-pregnant 

 animals it can scarcely be regarded as pendulous, but rather as freely 

 floating and readily yielding to the movements of the surrounding- 

 organs. 



As soon as the uterus is occupied by a fcetus, however, the con- 

 ditions become changed. In consequence of the increased weight of 

 its contents the uterus exerts a pull on the broad ligaments and 

 sinks lower in the abdominal cavity. The vagina and the surround- 

 ing connective tissue are rendered tense to a degree depending on the 

 increasing weight of the calf. The uterus then more closely resembles 



