ACCIDENTS OF PREGNANCY. 193 



in which death took place after seventeen months' pregnancy; and 

 another by Hammond, when the same result followed after twenty-two 

 months. 



The period during which a foetus may be retained in the uterus varies 

 from a few months to five years. 



We have mentioned that in these cases of retention, the foetus may live 

 for a certain time, provided the membranes are not ruptured when the 

 symptoms of parturition first manifest themselves ; it may even continue 

 to develop, as is evidenced by its size, its bony framework, hoofs, teeth, 

 etc., which often cause it to look like an animal which has been born for 

 two, four, or six months. But in other cases, there can scarcely be a 

 doubt that the foetus perishes when the first ineffectual expulsive efforts 

 are made by the mother, or even at a period anterior to the ordinary 

 occurrence of parturition ; as is proved by the absence of hair, and the 

 small size and weight of the creature ; while, again, it may live for some 

 hours after rupture of the membranes, provided it can breathe, or the 

 placental connections are intact. 



In all cases, as a rule, if the air does not obtain access to the uterine 

 cavity, putrefaction does not ensue ; and when the uterus is examined 

 after death, it is found to be closely contracted on its contents, its 

 mucous membrane healthy or slightly ecchymosed here and there, with 

 the cotyledons pale, wasted, and separated from the placentulae. Some- 

 times between the inner surface of the uterus and the chorion there is a 

 gelatinous mass, which covers the foetus and conceals the placental 

 cotyledons, these being decayed, spongy, and sometimes completely 

 destroyed. The liquor amnii has also been absorbed ; so that the mem- 

 branes are in close contact with the foetus, and may even have become 

 adherent to it in places. The foetus itself is dessicated by absorption, and 

 its skin is hard and dry as if tanned, or it is wrinkled and shrivelled ; while 

 the flesh, if any remains, is either perfectly white, or pale and faded- 

 looking in color, and emits a kind of rancid odor. Other organs are 

 pale and bloodless, and more or less undergoing fatty degeneration. When 

 the retention has continued for a long time, all the soft textures may dis- 

 appear, and nothing remain but the bones ; in other instances the foetus 

 and its membranes become the seat of calcareous infiltration, and con- 

 stitute what has been termed a lithopcedian. 



It is sometimes extraordinary how perfectly a foetus is protected from 

 decay in the uterus. For instance, in the Veterinary journal (July, 1876), 

 Mr. Taylor mentions one which had been retained for seven months 

 beyond the normal period ; and yet with the exception of absorption 

 of the eyes, it did not present indications of having passed more than 

 a few days in excess of the usual term in the uterus. 



When the envelopes have been ruptiired, however, and the liquor amnii 

 has escaped, w^e have a different pathological condition. Then, through 

 the partially dilated os the air has been admitted, and if immediately 

 before this the foetus was alive, it may then die and rapidly submit to the 

 putrefactive process, its soft parts decomposing and macerating and form- 

 ing a most foul-smelling mass ; so that when the uterus is opened, we 

 discover a grey or greyish-rd^l fluid emitting a most disgusting odor, and 

 containing portions of matter resembling adipocere, and perhaps bones 

 which may yet be covered by soft parts and held together by ligaments, 

 or entirely disunited and decaying, The uterus itself shows evidence, in 

 the majority of cases, of chronic metritis ; sometimes abscesses have been 



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