DISEASES OF THE HOKSE. 157 



eases in the breeding- mare should be soothed and abated at as early a 

 moment as possible. 



EXTRA-UTERINE GESTATION. 



It is rare in the domestic animals to find the fetus developed else- 

 where than in the womb. The exceptional forms are those in which 

 the sperm of the male, making- its way through the womb and Fallo- 

 pian tubes, impregnates the ovum prior to its escape, and in which the 

 now vitalized and growing ovum, by reason of its gradually increas- 

 ing size, becomes imprisoned and fails to escape into the womb. The 

 arrest of the ovum raaj^ be in the substance of the ovar}- itself (ovarian 

 pregnane}'), in the Fallopian tube (tubal pregnancy), or when by its 

 continuous enlargement it has ruptured its envelopes so that it escapes 

 into the cavity of the abdomen, it may become attached to an}^ part 

 of the serous membrane and draw its nourishment directly from that 

 (abdominal pregnancy). In all such cases there is an increase and 

 enlargement of the capillary blood vessels at the point to which the 

 embr^-o has attached itself so as to furnish the needful nutriment for 

 the growing offspring. 



All appreciable S3nnptoms are absent, unless from the death of the 

 fetus, or its interference v/ith normal functions, general disorder and 

 indications of parturition supervene. If these occur later than the 

 natural time for parturition, they are the more significant. There may 

 be general malaise, loss of appetite, elevated temperature, accelerated 

 pulse, with or without distinct labor pains. Examination with the 

 oiled hand in the rectum will reveal the womb of the natural unim- 

 pregnated size and shape and with both horns of one size. Further 

 exploration may detect an elastic mass apart from the womb, and in the 

 interior of which may be felt the characteristic solid hody of the fetus. 

 If the latter is still alive and can be stimulated to move, the evidence 

 is even more perfect. The fetus may die and be carried for 3^ears, its 

 soft structures becoming absorbed so as to leave only the bones, or by 

 pressure it may form a fistulous opening- through the abdominal walls, 

 or less frequently through the vagina or rectum. In the later cases 

 the best course is to favor the expulsion of the foal and to wash out 

 the resulting cavity with a solution of carbolic acid 1 part to water 50 

 parts. This may be repeated dail3\ Where there is no spontaneous 

 opening it is injudicious to interfere, as the danger from the retention 

 of the fetus is less than that from septic fermentation, in the enormous 

 fetal sack when that has been opened to the air. 



MOLES, OR AXIDIAN MONSTERS. 



These are evidently products of conception, in which the impreg- 

 nated ovum has failed to develop naturally, and presents only a cha- 

 otic mass of skin, hair, bones, muscles, etc., attached to the inner 



