RETENTION OF THE FCETAL ENVELOPES. 



575 



the others nearer, and facilitate the task ; but the traction must be judi- 

 ciously managed, else tearing of the membranes, the adherent cotyledons, 

 invagination of the cornu, or even inversion of the uterus, may result. So 

 likely is this accident to happen, that some practitioners, instead of pull- 

 ing at the membrane in this way in order to disunite the most distant 

 cotyledons, %re content to await their natural separation, merely tying 

 near the vulva the portion of the membranes separated, and cutting away 

 the parts beyond — the separation generally occurring in from two to five 

 days. To facilitate the traction, Gunther recommends that the abdomen 

 of the animal should be well raised by a piece of wood placed under it, 

 and held by assistants. 



It has sometimes been found, as already mentioned, that the greater 

 part of the membranes has been expelled, when all at once expulsion has 

 ceased, notwithstanding the volume and weight of the pendulous mass, 

 which caused so much disturbance to the animal that it has refused to 

 eat, persisted in lying, and when compelled to get up, has kept stamping 

 its hind feet until it could lie down again. On introducing the hand into 

 the uterus, it has been discovered that this unusual interruption to the ex- 

 pulsion has been occasioned by one or two large maternal cotyledons be- 

 coming entangled in the loop of a duplicature of the membranes. Some- 

 times the drag on these cotyledons has been so great, that they have been 

 brought as far as, or even beyond, the os. 



Relief has been given by cutting the membranes off by scissors, close 

 to the vulva, and then releasing the cotyledons. 



When extraction of the membranes has been properly conducted, there 

 is no haemorrhage ; if bleeding ensues, then one or more of the maternal 

 cotyledons have been injured, or perhaps torn off altogether — an acci- 

 dent not without danger sometimes, and all the more serious if a number 

 of the cotyledons is involved. This injury may lead, in addition to he- 

 morrhage, to uterine irritation, metritis, or uterine phlebitis. 



Still, such an untoward accident is not always the result o/ injury to 

 the cotyledons, as instances are recorded in which great numbers, or even 

 the whole of the maternal placentae, have been torn away by ignorant 

 empirics, and yet the animals have survived — we have shown at the com- 

 mencement of this work that fecundation and gestation may even take 

 place after ablation of the cotyledons. Nevertheless, these cases must 

 be looked upon as entirely exceptional, and must not be relied upon as 

 evidence that these bodies can be injured with impunity. 



In order to be assured that the whole of the foetal envelopes has been 

 removed from the uterus, it is well to make an examination of them. 

 Knowing their conformation and extent, there should be no difficulty in 

 ascertaining whether they are all present. 



After the removal of the membranes, there always remains in the uterus 

 a quantity of thick, grumous, diversely-colored fluid, more or less unpleas- 

 ant smelling, which is derived from the foetal fluids, the blood which has 

 escaped from the umbilical cord, and the partly-decomposed envelopes. 

 As the retention of this fluid is likely to do harm, particularly if there is 

 any wound or abrasion of the mucous membrane, as much as possible of 

 it should be removed by the half-closed hand. It is often advisable to 

 wash out the interior of the organ with tepid water, and to inject a weak 

 solution of carbolic acid, chloral, or permanganate of potass. 



When extraction of the envelppes has been effected in good time, and 

 with the necessary precautions, the Cow bears the operation very well, 



