752 Infectious Vaginitis. 



canals, and subsequently appearing follicular formations. This conception requires 

 confirmation, as does also that regarding the etiological importance of the trachoma 

 bodies (Pomayer already reports that he never observed the bodies in question). 



The natural infection results as a rule during the act of 

 coitus; more rarely, but also easily by contact of healthy cows 

 with affected animals, or by straw contaminated with vaginal 

 discharge, ichor, or stable utensils, further by the contaminated 

 hands of the attendants during the examination of the genital 

 organs, as well as by instruments which are used in the treat- 

 ment of affected animals. 



Bulls may transmit the disease more readily, as some- 

 times they tliemselves may be affected, and besides the infec- 

 tion may retain its virulence for a long time in the pelvic por- 

 tion of the urethra, from the flexura sigmoidea to the neck of 

 the bladder (Hess). As a matter of fact bulls infected by 

 diseased cows may within a short time cause the appearance 

 of the disease at different places, liy disseminating the infection 

 during service of cows led to them from other villages, and 

 the infection then extends rapidly in the herds. Young cattle 

 are especially susceptil)le to the infection, and the disease has 

 been observed in calves only two weeks old. Young strong- 

 cows, and in general animals with tender, sensitive vaginal 

 mucous membranes are more easily, more quickly, more severely 

 and more typically affected than older animals with tougher, less 

 sensitive mucous membranes. Accordingly the disease is ob- 

 served only very exceptionally in cows over ten years of age, 

 and animals with a chronic affection of the vaginal mucous 

 membrane (prolapse of the vagina, nymphomania), are es- 

 pecially very resistant (Hess). 



Female animals are generally more susceptible than males. 

 Tlie nutrition, the method of feeding, and the character of the 

 utilization of the animals has no influence, likewise tlie period 

 of the year, or the weather (the frequency of the disease in 

 the spring and summer is the result of the breeding period which 

 usually occurs at this time). 



Pathogenesis. With the entrance of the streptococci into 

 the mucous membrane of the vagina, they produce on one hand 

 a chronic catarrh, and on the other a swelling of the h^nph 

 follicles. They may be demonstrated in the mucous membrane 

 between the epithelial cells, and also in the papillary body. As 

 the nodules characteristic of the disease occur also in the 

 OS, and on the mucous membrane of the uterus, and streptococci 

 were demonstrated not only in the secretion of the uterus, but 

 also in the contents of the degenerated cystic ovaries (Heckel- 

 mann, Raebiger), sometimes changes result which later render 

 conception difficult, or altogether impossible. 



According to Pomayer the inflammatory process always begins at the folds 

 running backwards and forwards from the clitoris, as well as in the prepuce of 

 the clitoris, and extends only later to the lateral and superior walls of the vestibule 



