362 MATERNAL DYSTOKIA. 



feeding so freely as usual. This condition continued until April 4, when it became 

 worse. Next day it showed symptoms of colic, followed by expulsive efforts as if in 

 labor, and which continued on the 6th and 7th. It was sent to the Toulouse Veteri- 

 nary School on the nth, and on its arrival it appeared to be weak and lay down. 

 Allowed to rest for some time, it was got up for the purpose of making an examination. 

 The pulse was " concentrated " and accelerated, and the abdomen somewhat distended. 

 Introducing the hand into the vagina, Gelle found the os uteri contracted, and thinking 

 that the non-dilatation of the os tincae and the absence of labor pains indicated that 

 parturition was not likely to occur soon, he decided to wait (eight days had already 

 elapsed), though it was noted that the calf was dead. Medical treatment was adopted, 

 but on the 12th the Cow died from exhaustion. 



An examination revealed, besides somewhat intense peritonitis, a foetus in the right 

 horn of the uterus. The body of that organ was engaged in an abnormal opening in the 

 mesentery belonging to the small intestine ; the borders of the tear were rounded and 

 thickened, and fibrous in appearance, and the opening itself was five or six inches in 

 diameter ; it strangulated the body of the uterus about seven or eight inches in front of 

 the cervix. Behind the strangulation the organ was thickened and swollen ; and imme- 

 diately in front of it, there was a vast ecchymosis. The foetus had its head turned back 

 on the right side of the neck ; the two front limbs being carried forwards and crossing 

 each other. The macerated condition of the foetus and the facility with which its hair 

 could be removed from its skin, proved that it had been dead for some time. The mem- 

 branes and liquor amnii exhaled a very foetid odor. 



It was the strangulation of the body of the uterus through this rent in the mesentery, 

 which rendered birth impossible. 



3. Rainard {Op. Cit., vol. i., p.. 456) describes the case of a Cow seven or eight years 

 old, extremely emaciated, and having a hernia in the right flank. Before he saw it, 

 the animal had been for some hours in labor, and the *' waters " had escaped after 

 attempts at delivery by a quack. It was lying, and continually straining in the most 

 violent manner. An examination proved the os to be so contracted that the fingers 

 could scarcely be passed into it, and it was necessary to have recourse to incision before 

 the hand could be admitted. The foetus was alive, but evidently very weak ; one of the 

 fore limbs presented, the other was bent backwards, and the head was curved downwards 

 in front of the pubis. These parts were put right, the creature being in the dorso- 

 lumbar position. Cords wfere attached to them, and traction made when the mother 

 strained. But no progress could be made, and at last the Cow emitted some plaintive 

 moans, ground its teeth, its breathing became hurried, the body was covered with a 

 cold perspiration, the eye dull, and the labor pains suddenly ceasing, the poor beast 

 died in a few seconds. 



Examining the body, it was observed that the hernial tumor at the flank, and consti- 

 tuted by the omentum which adhered at this point, sent off a thick inelastic fibrous cord, 

 which passed over the upper face of the uterus, compressing that organ, and preventing 

 its dilating. 



Rainard also states that he knew of another case of this description, in which a kind 

 of cord encircled the uterus ; it was thick, very resisting, and formed at the expense of 

 the lateral ligaments of the uterus. The calf could not be extracted, and the Cow per- 

 ished. 



4. Cartwright ( Veterinarian, vol. xxi., p. 494) was called to attend a Cow which was 

 reported unwell. The owner informed him that it should have calved some months 

 before, and that at that time it showed the usual signs of approaching parturition : these, 

 however, disappeared, but much offensive matter subsequently continued to escape from 

 the vulva On " touching " the animal for the calf, an inert tumor could be distin- 

 guished, and a rectal exploration could not detect a live calf. Examining the Cow per 

 vaginam, the hand encountered " a ligamentary band close to the os uteri, extending 

 from the upper to the lower side of the vagina, of the thickness of a penny cord." " It 

 was quite firm in its texture, and on pulling at it, I drew the vagina back and the band 

 in sight, so that the bystanders could see it : I divided it." The animal was affected 

 with pleuro-pneumonia, and was killed. 



" The uterus was about the size of a peck measure. It contained a quantity of red- 

 dish-colored matter, bones, and putrid flesh. The matter lay, in a great measure, in the 

 posterior parts of the horns. The posterior parts of the foetus were completely denuded 

 of flesh, and lay floating in the matter. The ribs were also bare. The contents of the 

 abdomen and thorax were not converted entirely into matter. The head and neck were 

 the least denuded of flesh. The foetus could not have been more than five or six months 

 old. The back of the neck lay against the os uteri, which was perfectly sound and 

 contracted. The internal surface of the uterus varied in color, and in many places 

 it looked as if it had been torn or bruised ; but, taking everything into consideration, it 

 was remarkably healthy, if we estimate the pressure it must have received, and also its 



