METRITIS, METRO-PERITONITIS, ETC. 645 



for the better, that one could scarcely believe it unless they saw it, and it 

 might excite a doubt whether metritis had really been present. In the 

 evening the animal is left in an almost hopeless condition, and next morn- 

 ing one is astonished to find it up, the eye limpid, the physiognomy bright 

 and cheerful, and caresses bestowed on the offspring which, previously, 

 was unheeded or repelled. The animal is certainly not cured, but it is 

 out of danger, and with a few days' care it may be on the way to conva- 

 lescence. The decrease in rectal temperature is always a favorable sign. 



But, as has been said, death is the most frequent termination ; and this 

 may occur in two, four, or six days from the commencement of the 

 malady — rarely a little later. Then all the symptoms become aggravated. 

 The tumefaction of the genital organs increases, and extends to the 

 mammae and hind-limbs ; the vulva is covered with ecchymosed patches 

 and becomes cold; the vaginal discharge is ichorous and brown in color, 

 and emits a most fetid odor ; the temperature suddenly falls \ the surface 

 of the body is covered by a cold glutinous perspiration — especially in the 

 Mare — and the animal expires either in a state of profound coma, or in 

 convulsions. 



In such cases death may be due to the violence of the inflammation 

 and its extension to the peritoneum, gangrene of the uterus, or to septic 

 infection by absorption of the putrid matters in the uterus, and general 

 poisoning therefrom. 



Franck mentions that in three instances the disease manifested itself on the day after 

 easy parturition, and it had become so severe that, on the second day, it was necessary 

 to slaughter the animals. On the inner surface of the vulvar labia — which was of a dark- 

 red hue — were one to three parturient ulcers, and in a few hours there had occurred an 

 enormous tumefaction of the labia, which extended to the pelvic connective tissue and 

 as low as the hocks, while the dependent parts of the body were also involved. Deep 

 scarifications— which caused no pain — were useless, and were not followed by bleeding. 

 On examination of the bodies after death, thrombi were discovered in the uterine and 

 ovarian veins. In these cases the infection seemed to have been derived from an ad- 

 joining Cow, which retained the placenta. 



Meyer refers to a case of this kind, in which death ensued during the evening of the 

 day on which the disease manifested itself. He found a, large blood-clot in the uterus, 

 and ecchymoses on the intestines. 



More frequently than rapid recovery, the malady passes into a chronic 

 state. Then the more acute symptoms gradually diminish, the appetite 

 returns, and the animal does not exhibit much suffering. But convales- 

 cence is not established — the mammae remain flaccid, and the secretion 

 of milk is either very scanty or altogether suppressed ; the swelling dis- 

 appears from the vulva, but the discharge therefrom persists or is in- 

 creased in quantity. This discharge is either of a white glairy character 

 — leucorrhoea ; greyish and grumous, resembling clotted milk \ or red, 

 brown, or sanguinolent. It is always more or less odorous, and some- 

 times extremely fetid ; more particularly is this the case when, as often 

 happens with the Cow, the discharge is mixed with or derived from the 

 retention in the uterus of the foetal envelopes, or even the foetus itself. 

 In some instances, the croupous exudates which have been formed on the 

 mucous membrane become broken up, and are cast ofif with the discharges. 

 Franck states that, in one case, a large croupous or false membrane, 

 which had covered the greater part of the interior of the uterus, was shed 

 in this way. 



In other instances the cervix uteri contracts, though the mucous mem- 

 brane is still inflamed ; consequently, the muco-purulent secretions are 



