356 . MATERNAL DYSTOKIA. 



The diagnosis Migliano arrived at was the existence of new formations of a fibrous 

 nature, arranged in a circular form around the cervix uteri; and he asked if the quasi 

 atresia might not by chance be due to a spasmodic contraction or torsion. It did not 

 appear logical to attribute the condition of the uterus to spasm, because of the long 

 duration of parturition without any interval of relaxation in this insurmountable obstacle, 

 which would scarcely allow two fingers at most to be introduced ; and torsion could 

 scarcely be admitted, because in that condition the ridges are never transversal, but always 

 spiral or oblique. For these reasons, and seeing that the efforts of the animal could not 

 overcome the obstacle, it was proposed to cut through the fibrous rings by means of a 

 probe-pointed bistoury. But the owner would not consent to this operation, and obtained 

 the opinion of other two veterinary surgeons ; these recognized the presence of the 

 impediment, but did not share in the opinion given as to its nature, attributing it to 

 mere hyperaemia, with erethismus of the cervix; they bled the animal thrice at short 

 intervals, and prescribed emollient drinks. 



Migliano retired from the case, and he afterwards learned that the owner, alarmed 

 at the illness of his Cow, and not having any one at hand who could promptly relieve 

 it, sought the assistance of a milkman, who, notwithstanding the prostration of the 

 animal because of a second sanguine emission, attempted to operate by force. With 

 the aid of his hails he lacerated the primary obstacles, with his hand destroyed the 

 fibrous rings, and succeeded in producing a tear of some four or five inches in the left 

 side of the cervix, and another of less importance on the right side. The hand could 

 then be introduced into the uterus, and the Cow was delivered of a live calf. An hour 

 afterwards the placenta came away, followed by clots of blood weighing nearly seven 

 pounds, evidently derived from the lacerations. 



The dilatation which was thus accomplished irrespective of the rules of surgery, 

 rendered parturition possible ; otherwise this could not have taken place. 



Some months subsequently, this veterinarian encountered the same anomaly in an 

 equally young Cow, which, the first time also, brought forth a calf without any difficulty. 

 In this instance, the calf had been dead in the uterus for forty days at least, according 

 to the history elicited from the proprietor. 



But here the fibrous rings were incised, and by their resistance and inextensibility 

 they bore a great resemblance to those found in the other Cow. The fcetal membranes 

 being ruptured, the foetus appeared ; but it was so distended by gas developed beneath 

 the skin, and in the thorax and abdomen, that long and deep scarifications had to be 

 made in it. When reduced to a smaller volume in this way, it was in a short time, and 

 by means of gentle traction, withdrawn from the uterine cavity without occasioning 

 any great amount of suffering to the Cow, and without producing the slightest haemor- 

 rhage. 



It is to be observed that in this case recovery took place in fifteen days, and that, in 

 the preceding instance, it required a month. On the twenty-fifth day the animal was 

 sent to pasture, but could not be sold in perfect health until a month and a-half after 

 the extraction of the foetus. 



The author thinks it well to relate these facts, with a view to demonstrate that, in 

 the bovine species, there sometimes really exists constriction of the os uteri by new- 

 formations of fibrous or cicatricial tissue, notwithstanding the opinion of those who 

 pretend that it is only due to a simple spasm, which may be cured by belladonna or the 

 forcible introduction of the hand ; and also that probably in the two cases narrated 

 above, the constriction may have been consecutive to the lesions produced in the cervix 

 in the preceding parturition of the animals, which were too young for breeding with 

 safety. 



4. Complete Obliteration (Atresia) of the Os Uteri. 



Congenital atresia of the os uteri may at once be admitted as an impos- 

 sibility in obstetrics, as if this canal is completely closed impregnation 

 cannot take place. But between fecundation and parturition, certain 

 alterations may occur which, by leading to more or less persistent closure 

 of this passage, will prove an obstacle to birth. These alterations may, 

 indeed, exist at the period of fecundation, but then the uterine opening 

 ,must be only partially closed ; and, in fact, at parturition the os may be 

 superficially, and partially, as well as completely occluded. This condition 

 been has observed in the Mare, Cow, and Sheep. 



