DISEASES OF THE OVARIES. 553 



A case of a female ass is reported by M. Lapoiissee. Ever since she 

 had foaled, she had at times emitted blood from the vulva; but as this did 

 not appear to injure her, little notice was taken of it. After four months 

 she was seized with violent colic, while sulfering from which she emitted 

 blood in rapid jets, black and partly coagulated. The vagina was red and 

 very hot ; the abdomen somewhat distended ; the pulse small ; extremities 

 cold ; and weakness prevailed to that degree that the animal could hardly 

 stand. The next morning the Iiemorrhage returned, and on the fourth 

 day from that the ass died. The mucous membranes of the vagina and 

 nose were violet-coloured, that of the uterus presenting general traces of 

 inflammation, with some gangrenous spots, particularly within the left 

 horn. The ovary, much enlarged, contained a mass of black fetid blood, 

 which, during life, must have passed into the womb through the Fallopian 

 tube, whose caliber was double that natural to it. 



In the Recueil de Medecine Veterinaire, we read of the post-mortem 

 examination of a mare in whom was found a tumour weighing 32 lb. 

 growing from the left horn of the uterus, and consisting of a degenerated 

 ovary. It presented all the anatomical characters of scirrhus, with an 

 appearance of cancer in some places ; but, in more, of clots of blood. A 

 cyst, formed in one of the sides of the tumour, enclosed a saline substance, 

 mingled with hair, which we looked upon as the debris of a foetus that had 

 become developed in an ovarian vesicle. 



These highly interesting and valuable observations, remarks 

 D^Arboval, coupled with some accounts of the symptoms 

 during life, may not suffice to enable us to trace unerringly 

 the history of diseases of the ovary ; but they will serve to 

 erect a standard upon, around Avhich other facts may be 

 ranged, which, collectively, will one day fill up this hiatus 

 in hippo-pathology. We, at least, learn from them — that such 

 diseases may exist either in an acute or a chronic form ; 

 that those of the first class give rise to much the same 

 symptoms as denote peritonitis and metritis; — that the 

 others, not indicated by any appreciable symptoms, lay the 

 foundation for tumours of considerable volume, which may 

 exist without disturbance of function ; — and that the acute 

 affections are likely to end in resolution, though they may 

 terminate in suppuration, or run into the chronic stage, after 

 which any of those organic alterations may ensue which 

 take place in other parts ; and, lastly, that when the tumour 



