DISPLACEMENT OF THE PREGNANT UTERUS 157 



partly or entirely sunk in ; now and then pains, followed by 

 long intervals of rest, are manifested. When called early the 

 pains are quite intense, then later where the uterus has become 

 atonic. After the necessary preparations are made, examina- 

 tion per vagina is practiced. In some cows we notice that the 

 superior commissure of the vulva has retracted. On introduc- 

 ing the hand into the vagina, we feel, after passing the vesti- 

 bule, that the further advance of the hand up to the os uteri is 

 difficult. Under normal conditions the vagina is wide and the 

 hand can be spread in it, especially in cows which have calved 

 repeatedly. This is impossible in torsions. The vagina is 

 twisted like a screw. In order to advance with the hand 

 between the folds by allowing the fingers to follow the spirals 

 the dorsal surface of the hand must be rotated until it becomes 

 the lower surface of the hand, or, in other words, the palm is 

 uppermost. 



When a right torsion is examined by the right hand, the 

 folds run from the superior wall of the vagina from left to right 

 and obliquely forward and downward, or while the right hand 

 is introduced in a state of pronation [palm downwards, W.] it 

 arrives, when following the cords, at a state of supination 

 [palm upwards, W.]. I use here the term " cords," as it comes 

 closest to reality. 



Saake very properly says that the expression, " spiral 

 twists of the vagina and cervix uteri," is based more upon a 

 subjective interpretation than objective observation. 



In a right torsion of 180 degrees, two cords crossing each 

 other are felt in front of the os uteri, the upper one running 

 postero-anteriorly from left to right. In half torsion, the haud 

 following the cords reaches the os uteri and usually enters the 

 uterus. In rotations of more than 190 degrees, the cervix uteri 

 cannot be reached any more ; only in old cows with flabby, 

 broad ligaments we may occasionally succeed. 



The constriction of the cervix uteri, leading to the forma- 

 tion of those cords, is caused by the broad uterine ligaments. 

 At half torsion both are rendered tense, allowing us to feel two 

 cords on vaginal exploration. Quarter rotation only reveals one 



