PERSISTENCE OF THE URACHUS. 721 



Artificial respiration is sometimes required when syncope or asphyxia 

 is present, and this alone often suppresses the haemorrhage. 



The transfusion of blood may be urgently demanded in extreme cases. 



CHAPTER HI. 



Persistence of the Urachus. 



In studying the development of the foetus, we described the urachus 

 (pp. 77, 87), and pointed out that it was a canal formed by the middle 

 portion of the allantois, which passed through the umbilical ring, and 

 during fcetal life communicated with the bladder, from which it conveyed 

 the urine into the allantoid sac. After birth this canal is obliterated, its 

 walls become a thin cord, and the bladder is retracted within the pelvic 

 cavity, the urine then passing through the urethra. It not unfrequently 

 happens, however, that from accidental circumstances or some malforma- 

 tion, the canal of the urachus is only partially or not at all obliterated 

 after birth ; consequently, the urine continues to escape by drops or in a 

 thin stream from the umbilicus or umbilical cord. This condition is far 

 more frequent in solipeds than ruminants, owing to the urachus — like the 

 umbilical artery — being firmly attached to the umbilical ring in the for- 

 mer, and therefore not at oace withdrawn into the abdomen, as in the 

 latter, when the umbilical cord is divided at birth. Therefore it is, that 

 escape of urine from the navel is very seldom noticed in the calf ; while 

 in the foal it is often witnessed, particularly when the abdominal ring re- 

 mains very open, or the cord is excised close to the body. This condi- 

 tion has, however, been seen in calves. 



It appears to be more frequent in male than female animals, and is 

 most dangerous in the former ; in the latter, the discharge of urine by 

 this abnormal channel often ceases spontaneously, only passing at first 

 in drops ; whereas, in the male, it generally escapes in a stream, little or 

 no urine being discharged from the urethra. 



Treatment, 



In some cases scarcely any treatment is necessary, the escape of urine 

 ceasing in a few days after birth ; and when interference is demanded, a 

 cure can generally be effected in a short time, if the urethra is pervious. 

 Be'nard {Recueil de Med. Veterinaire, 1828) mentions an instance of this 

 accident, in which death occurred two days after applying a ligature to 

 the urachus ; it was then discovered that the urethra was imperforate, so 

 that the urine could not be expelled at all. It is therefore necessary, 

 before adopting remedial measures, to ascertain that the urethra is 

 patent. 



When the urachus protrudes sufficiently from the umbilical ring, a lig- 

 ature may be fastened firmly around it. 



When it is close to the abdominal ring, and consequently too short to 

 be secured by the ordinary ligature, it must be secured by a curved 

 needle. The foal is thrown on its left side, and the operator, holding 

 the nejedle armed with the thread in his right hand, seizes the urachus, 

 which is covered by the skin, between the thumb and index-finger of the 

 left hand, and pulls it outwards ; the needle is then passed through be- 



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