METRITIS, METRO-PERITONITIS, ETC, 651 



1. The foetus of a heifer was dead in the uterus, and much distended with gas. Em- 

 bryotomy had to be resorted to, in order to extract it ; and this was accompUshed, ap- 

 parently, without causing any noticeable injury to the vagina. On the third day septikae- 

 mia became manifest, and the animal had to be killed. 



2. A Cow gave birth to a calf in a normal manner ; but the hoof of the young creature, 

 on its passage through the vagina, made a small wound. Twenty-four hours afterwards 

 a second calf, in a state of putrefaction, was removed by manual force, but without in- 

 juring the Cow. In two days the latter was attacked' with puerperal fever, and was 

 killed. 



3. Mombrini removed a dead calf from the uterus by embryotomy. Septic inflamma- 

 tion of the uterus and peritoneum set in, and the Cow died on the seventh day. 



4. It is well known that Bitches which retain the foetus in the genital canal for any 

 length of time (eighteen hours or thereabouts), frequently perish from Septikcetnia i)uer- 

 peralis. This appears to be due to the fact that the puppy so retained quickly dies ; 

 owing to the shortness of the umbilical cord, the early separation of the placenta, and 

 birth taking place in the amnion. The young creature also speedily putrefies, and the 

 large raw surface formed by the -maternal placenta Is a ready inlet for the direct intro- 

 duction of the septic material into the blood. Speedy death of the Bitch is the conse- 

 quence. 



Embryotomy, when the foetus is decomposing, is a dangerous operation, 

 if a wound chances to be inflicted during its performance. It is the same 

 with the removal of the foetal envelopes. 



A* Cow retained the foetal envelopes for five days after parturition, when they were 

 removed. The operator had evidently wounded a cotyledon or the uterine mucous 

 membrane in doing so, as his hand was stained with blood. In three days the animal 

 was affected with parturient fever and died. No injury to the uterus could be detected 

 on post-mortem examination. 



With the Mare, removal of the foetal membranes does not appear to be 

 dangerous. Retention of these is not usually followed by infection ; for 

 it is not until the second or third day after parturition that their decom- 

 position usually commences ; so that if small injuries have been pro- 

 duced during birth, it is most likely that they will be suppurating or 

 granulating by that time, and thus be proof against the passage of putrid 

 matter. If, however, a fresh w^ound is made, or the granulations are in- 

 jured by mechanical means, then removal of the putrid envelopes is full 

 of risk. F»elen mentions that a Cow had a wound on the vulva, and 

 this was infected by putrid membranes ; on the fourth day after, the an- 

 imal died with all the symptoms of parturient septikiemia. 



External infection does not appear to be so frequent as auto-infection 

 among animals. It takes place when septic materials are brought to the 

 recent wounds or lacerations of the genital organs by any means — as di- 

 rectly by the hand, instruments, sponges, straw, etc, or indirectly by 

 means of the atmosphere, when the septic materials are suspended there- 

 in — the so-called miasmatic infection. There is a dose relationship be- 

 tween abortion and parturient fever — a Cow suffering from the latter 

 being undoubtedly dangerous in a stable or pasture -where there are a 

 number of pregnant cattle ; while a case of abortion or placental reten- 

 tion occurring in a stable, might be considered nearly as serious among 

 parturient Cows. 



A retained and decomposed placenta is undoubtedly a fertile source of 

 parturient fever. Franck refers to three instances, in which the Cows 

 calved in a normal manner and the foetal membranes came away in four 

 hours after ; but a trifling wound existed in the mucous membrane of the 

 labia, at the commencement of the vagina. In two or three days after- 

 wards these animals showed very acute symptoms of parturient fever. 



