650 PA THOL OG Y OF PA R TURITION. 



fever, are injuries to the genital canal or interior of the uterus, during or 

 after birth. The manipulations necessary for the artificial removal of 

 the foetus or its envelopes, and by which the mucous membrane is abrad- 

 ed or wounded, are a frequent cause ; inversion of the organ, and es- 

 pecially when it has been exposed for some time to the air and the action 

 of irritating substances, or bruised or lacerated in returning it, is another 

 cause. Retention of the foetus or fcetal envelopes has also been given 

 as a cause of metritis. 



But other cases have been noted in which birth was easy and natural, 

 and at the usual time ; and yet towards the second, fourth, or sixth day 

 after parturition, the animal began to lose its appetite, the vulva became 

 swollen, fever set in, and all the symptoms of metro-peritonitis became 

 rapidly developed. In these cases, the occurrence of disease has been 

 attributed to some imprudence in management, which brings about de- 

 rangement in the functions of the skin or digestive organs — as exposing 

 the animal to wet and cold out of doors, or draughts of cold air in stables, 

 or giving it cold water to drink, or unsuitable food. 



Sometimes the disease occurs among such a large number of animals 

 almost simultaneously, that it has been looked upon as epizootic, and 

 due to a miasma. More particularly has this been the case with par- 

 turient fever, but which must now be considered as due solely to' the 

 absorption of septic matter, i.e., decomposing organic material. 



The production of parturient fever in animals, as in the human female, 

 requires two conditions : i, a fresh wound by which the septic poison can 

 enter. The wound need not be large, but it appears to be almost essen- 

 tial that it is recent ; for suppurating or granulating sores do not absorb, 

 so long as the infecting agent does not destroy the suppurating or gran- 

 ulating surface. If the mucous membrane is intact and protected by its 

 epithelium, absorption is also prevented ; 2, an active septic substance, 

 either produced in the animal which is to be the subject of parturient 

 fever — auto-infection, or introduced from without — external infection. 



Birth rarely takes place in animals without more or less laceration or 

 abrasion of the cervix uteri, vagina, or labia of the vulva ; and those in- 

 juries which are on the floor of the genital canal are more likely to 

 be followed by septic fever than those which are on the sides or roof, 

 simply because they are brought more directly in contact with the decom- 

 posing material. Infection less frequently takes place from the interior 

 of the uterus under normal conditions, as injury is much less likely to 

 occur there from the passage of the foetus. Exceptionally, it may take 

 place 'in the uterus through the cotyledons, when some of these are torn 

 during the separation of the foetal membranes. 



As has been already mentioned, the parturient period is eminently 

 favorable for the absorption of septic matters ; as the mucous membrane 

 of the genital canal is exceptionally vascular, and the blood-vessels and 

 lymphatics are greatly developed. 



Auto-infection occurs generally when there is a fresh wound, and when 

 the foetus is dead, and, still retained in the uterus, has become decom- 

 posed through the access of air ; or from retention and putrefaction of 

 the envelopes. The ichorous putrefaction of wounds, or new growths in 

 the uterus or vagina, may also lead to septic infection. 



PYanck gives the following illustrations which could be easily and largely supple- 

 mented. 



