MORBID ALTERATIONS IN THE GENITAL ORGANS. 



2>IZ 



If, after parturition, there appears any thing like a serious haemorrhage 

 due to this extirpation, this may be suppressed by plugging with lint or 

 fine tow, which may be steeped in perchloride of iron. 



The following selected observations will illustrate what has been said 

 with regard to these fibrous tumors : 



1. The first case on record is that published by Jeanroy {Recueil de Med. Veterinaire, 

 1S28, p. 639). In this instance the Cow was in parturition, and being unable to calve an 

 empiric had been called in ; this man, though the foetus was in a good position, tore off 

 the head. Jeanroy found the Cow to be suffering from ascites, and on puncturing the 

 abdomen more than two gallons of fluid escaped. On exploring the uterus, he discov- 

 ered a large pplypus occupying the upper part of the organ. With a probe-pointed bis- 

 toury he removed a large portion of it by incision, and extirpated the remainder by 

 enucleation. The operation was completely successful, as when the polypus was re- 

 moved the calf could be easily extracted, and two months afterwards the Cow had com- 

 pletely recovered. The animal subsequently produced three calves. 



2. Leaux mentions the case of a Cow, seven months pregnant, which had been exhib- 

 iting violent expulsive efforts. On examinadon the vagina was found to be unobstructed, 

 but the OS uteri was so contracted that a finger could not be introduced. Nothing was 

 done. Next day the animal was found lying dead, and behind it was a foetus in its envel- 

 opes, as well as a tumor which had been expelled at the same time. This tumor was of 

 a reddish-brown color, %oft, and weighed about eleven pounds ; it appeared to be of a 

 fibrous nature, and was perforated by cavities which contained a serous fluid. 



3. Corbet ( Veterinarian, vol., vii. p. 78) alludes to a Cow — " a large roomy animal " — 

 which had occasionally exhibited symptoms of colic while pregnant, and discharged 

 copiously from the vagina. It had been gored by other cattle, and had also sustained 

 some heavy falls while in calf. Being unable to calve at its full time, Mr. Corbet had to 

 attend; but he could not deliver the calf, though it was small, and was preparing to re- 

 sort to embryotomy when the Cow died. A polypus weighing upwards of six stones was 

 found in the'uterus. The greater part of the tumor was composed of matter closely re- 

 sembling coagulated blood, the smaller end which lay towards the bladder being more 

 highly organized and of a bluish color. The mass was easily torn. 



4. Horsburgh (Ibid., vol. xiv., p. 604) was sent for to attend a Mare which had been at- 

 tempting to foal for some time. He found the animal very weak from long-continued 

 straining, and discovered in the vagina a yellow-colored mass, the size of a man's head. 

 This mass projected considerably beyond the vulva whenever the "pains" returned, 

 and had " been forcibly kept back by a stout fellow every time these labor pains came 

 on." The Mare, having been lying, was got up in order that a better examination might 

 be made, and then a firm hard body was found beyond this substance, and which was 

 surmised to be the head of the foal. A pain coming on, Horsburgh did not hesitate to 

 cautiously make an incision through what he then discovered to be a " substance resem- 

 bling coagulable lymph." On enlarging the incision, the head of the foal presented 

 itself, covered by the foetal membranes, and the creature was then extracted alive. Soon 

 the placenta was removed, and then the obstruction was examined. It was found to be 

 firmly adherent to the os uteri, was about two inches in thickness, and when removed 

 weighed nearly eight pounds. At the previous parturition, about twelve months before, 

 it had appeared a little. The Mare quite recovered. 



5. Dick [Ibid., vol. xix., p. 458) relates the case of a Cow at the full period of preg- 

 nancy, and which was straining for many hours without being a1)le to calve ; the os had 

 at last to be dilated, when the calf was removed with much difficulty. Uneasiness contin- 

 ued for two days afterwards — indeed the animal was quite ill, and no faeces or urine were 

 passed. A tumor was then observed in the vagina ; it was about eight inches in length 

 and the same in circumference, and was loosely attached, its anterior extremity being 

 fixed near the meatus urinarius ; it was not covered by the mucous membrane, which 

 was distinctly ruptured at that part of the vagina to which it was attached. No pain was 

 evinced on pressing the tumor, into which the fingers could be easily passed without 

 much bleeding ensuing ; it had all the appearance of imperfectly organized lymph, and 

 did not possess the usual characters of a polypus. As no harm seemed likely to arise 

 from its removal, it was excised. Soon after this micturition was easily effected. The 

 Cow was recovering when it was attacked by pleuro-pneumonia, and had to be killed. 



6. Lewis (Ibid., vol. xxv., p 184) attended a Cow which had gone a week beyond its 

 time, and could not deliver itself. The os uteri was sufficiently dilated to admit two 

 fingers, but it appeared to be so indurated that further dilatation was deemed impossible, 

 the constriction being so great that it felt as if a ligature had been passed around the 

 cervix. Next day nevertheless, a calf was with difficulty extracted ; and on the animal 



