308 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



soap and warm water and the small wounds slightly cauterized. 

 For this purpose a 5 per cent, chloride of zinc or 5 per cent, 

 carbolic acid solution is employed. It is also advisable to 

 paint the wound with tincture of iodine. Wounds which 

 extend through the skin or mucous membrane into the mus- 

 cular layer, are cleansed, freshened and stitched. The suture 

 is covered with iodoform collodium or traumaticine. 



Injuries through the perineum into the rectum are cleansed 

 and made into fresh wounds by removing all necrotic tissue 

 and scarifying the edges of the wound. Next, the upper wall 

 of the vestibule is sutured with strong silk, and then the outer 

 skin. It sometimes happens in protracted labor, when the 

 labise are rendered tense for a long time, that the vulva swells 

 enormously. This may depend on a hemorrhage underneath 

 the skin, in the elastic tissue or muscular layer (hematoma). 

 Circulatory disturbance, especially venous stasis, may also 

 produce it. 



The hematoma, usually unilateral, may be underneath the 

 skin or mucosa. The coagulated blood is removed by an incis- 

 ion and the cavity irrigated with an antiseptic solution. 



Swelling of the vulva, due to venous stasis, involves both 

 labise. It increases when the animal remains down (hypostatic 

 oedema). Gangrene, usually confining itself to a small part of 

 the mucous membrane, or skin, may also follow circulatory 

 disturbances. Necrosis of a triangular piece is sometimes 

 observed, its basis lying in the mucous surface of a labia and 

 the apex in the muscular layer. This circumscribed necrosis 

 is due to thrombosis, interfering with the nutrition of that 

 tissue. 



The treatment of the cedematous vulva consists in encour- 

 aging circulation by keeping the animal standing. It is re- 

 markable how soon large swellings of the vulva will disappear 

 in this way. In a few hours already the skin of the vulva 

 becomes wrinkled, due to an equalized circulation and decrease 

 of the swelling. When the cow cannot stand, the hind 

 quarters must be elevated; the latter ought to be done anyway. 

 Some veterinarians employ stimulating remedies, as applioa^ 



