760 SPORADIC DISEASES. 



and seems to be connected with tliat condition of excitement 

 associated with the secretion of milk. 



Treatment. — The treatment of this affection is very simple, a 

 mild oleaginous purgative, combined with a dose of the spirits 

 of nitrous ether, warm clothing, and a restricted diet being all 

 that is required. 



ACUTE METPtlTIS, OR INFLAMMATION OF THE WOMB. 



A very fatal form of inflammation, occurring in a few hours 

 or within two or three days after parturition. 



Whilst parturient apoplexy and parturient paralysis are 

 generally met with in the cow, acute metritis, or, more correctly, 

 metro-peritonitis, attacks the cow, mare, ewe, the bitch, and 

 the sow. 



Pathology. — A diffuse inflammation, primarily situated in the 

 mucous membrane of the uterus, soon, however, extending to the 

 uterine veins, giving rise to the formation of clots or thrombi, and 

 extending to the peritoneum and intestines. The inflammation 

 is characterised by its tendency to spread rapidly over a large 

 surface, and by the rapid formation of an abundant quantity of 

 a dark chocolate-coloured fluid exudation, which stains the tissues 

 of the organs involved, and is poured out upon the free surface 

 of the uterine mucous membrane, from whence it is discharged 

 ^er vaginain, and which, by its acridity, causes much irritation 

 and straining — tenesmus. Examined microscopically, it is found 

 to consist of the debris of disintegrated blood globules, pus, 

 and blood corpuscles, and an abundant quantity of granular 

 material slightly intermixed with slu-eds of imperfect lymph 

 floating in a reddish-coloured serosity. 



This affection may be looked upon as being due to pysemic 

 or ichorsemic poisoning, the whole mass of blood becoming 

 altered in its character, dark, feebly coagulable, with the appear- 

 ance of secondary spots of inflammation and ecchymosis in the 

 lungs, the brain, and other organs. 



The occurrence of the disease is due to over-fatigue, as from 

 over-driving immediately prior to the act of parturition, wounds 

 inflicted upon the uterus or vagina during difficult delivery, the 

 retention of the foetal membranes, which, rapidly decomposing, 

 infect the blood by absorption of the putrescent products. It 



