320 MATERNAL DYSTOKIA. 



position ; the operator then, keeping the hand firmly fixed in the spiral turns, in order 

 to make certain of his diagnosis, ordered the assistants to roll the animal /r^w right to 

 left, turning it on its back. When this was done, he found his hand strangled, as it were, 

 in the os. He at once ordered them to roll it in the opposite direction : and when the 

 Cow, which was lying on the left side at the commencement of this second rolling, had 

 been returned to her right side by being pivoted on its back, he had it further rolled by 

 placing it on the belly, and then on the left side again. Then he discovered that he had 

 attained his object, for his hand could enter the uterus freely, and a gush of sanguino- 

 lent, but odorless, fluid announced that the communication between the uterus and va- 

 gina was again established. 



Here the torsion was to the left, and when rotation to the left was at- 

 tempted the twist became increased ; but when it was made from left to 

 right, reduction was easy and complete. 



2. Chambon has published a case of demi-torsion of the uterus [Reaieil de Med. Veter- 

 inare, i860). The hand, on being passed into the vagina, reached a multitude of spiral 

 folds of the mucous membrane, the upper of which were directed to the right and the 

 lower to the left. The os could be penetrated with much difficulty, and a careful explo- 

 ration led him to believe that the left cornu was higher than usual and more to the right ; 

 while the right cornu, which contained the foetus, had become inferior. The diagnosis 

 was torsion of the uterus to the right. The animal lay down voluntarily, at first on the 

 left side, then rising with difficulty on its knees and hocks, it fell on the right side. 

 Chambon immediately took advantage of this last position, and introduced his hand 

 once more into the vagina, requesting his assistants to turn the animal over on the belly 

 by raising the shoulders and haunch, and placing it on its left side. In doing this, he 

 felt the constriction caused by the vaginal folds notably increased on his arm. Turning 

 over the animal again to its original position on the right side, he had the limbs tied to- 

 gether with cords, and then rotated the body : placing it on the back, then the left side, 

 belly, and right side. This revolution made the detorsion complete. 



3. Heu publishes three cases of torsion [Op. Cit., i860, p. 833), one of which will be 

 sufficient for illustration. This was a Cow suffering from uterine torsion, as evidenced 

 by the numerous duplicatures arising in the vagina, and which converged from left to 

 right, downwards and forwards, radiating towards a common centre — the cervix uteri — 

 where they formed a kind of spiral arrangement. Right torsion was diagnosed. The 

 Cow was raised on the right side, and the limbs being gathered under the body it was 

 turned on the left side by pushing on the withers, then on the right side by rolling on 

 the back. The torsion increased ; so it was necessary to change the manoeuvre, and 

 after a turn and a half in the new direction, the hand was no longer opposed by any ob- 

 stacle, but was at once carried into the uterus, the " waters " escaping in gushes. 



4. Liautard [Journal de Med. Vitiyinaire de Lyon, 1861) was called to attend a Cow 

 suffering from torsion during parturition ; but too late, as it died a few minutes after his 

 arrival. Nevertheless, he took advantage of the opportunity to enlighten himself ex- 

 perimentally as to the procedure to be adopted in such cases. The hide having been 

 removed, he made a large incision in each flank, through which he could easily intro- 

 duce his hand to explore the uterus He then assured himself as to the direction of the 

 torsion, and found, by vaginal exploration, numerous folds arranged in two fasciculi, one 

 of which — the right — passed from right to left to form a spiral series running upwards 

 from left to right ; the other fasciculus turned in the opposite direction. He noted, be- 

 sides, and by means of abdominal exploration, that the left horn of the uterus, which 

 contained the foetus, had passed over the right horn, and that the latter, which was 

 empty, occupied the left flank. It was therefore clear that this was an instance of right 

 torsion. The carcase was then rolled from the left side, on which it lay, on its back to 

 the right side. In doing this it was observed that the plies became tighter and closer. 

 It was moved in the contrary direction — from the right side, on the back, left side, and 

 sternum to the right side. At the third turn in this sense the uterus regained its nor- 

 mal position. 



5. Chuchu [Recueil de Med. Veieriftaire, 1866, p. 705) publishes ten cases of torsion, 

 one of which has been selected by Saint-Cyr for the purpose of illustration. 



In this case it is attempted to show the comparative merits of the two procedures. It 

 was a demi-torsion /riw/ right to left — or a left torsion, in fact ; the right cornu, passing 

 above the left, became the left. The Cow was laid on the right side, and rolled over on 

 its back to the left side. But there was no change. It was then rolled in the contrary 

 way ; detorsion was at once effected. 



