Examination of Vulva and Vagina 85 



with the forceps usually draws the uterus, the apices of the 

 cornua, and the ovaries up into the pelvis or against the 

 pubic brim, where they are readily palpated. At about the 

 90th to the 120th day of pregnancy, the fetus is sometimes 

 far forward in the gravid cornu and the uterus has fallen 

 down in a pendulous abdomen, where it is difficult to palpate, 

 making error in diagnosis easy. Here again the traction 

 upon the cervix tenses the genital tube so that it may be 

 readily followed and brings up within reach the gravid por- 

 tion of the horn, where its volume may be recognized and 

 the approximate duration of pregnancy determined. 



There are some important exceptions to this order of pro- 

 cedure. In heifers with narrow vulvae, and perhaps with 

 considerable hymeneal stricture, the force necessary in order 

 to introduce the hand in attaching the forceps may arouse so 

 great an irritation as to induce severe and obstinate strain- 

 ing, which may render rectal palpation very tiresome, fre- 

 quently inaccurate, and sometimes impossible, so far as any 

 reliable findings go. With heifers, therefore, I generally 

 prefer to postpone the vulvo-vaginal palpation and omit the 

 application of the forceps to the cervix until after the rectal 

 examination has been attempted. The very frequent in- 

 tense straining may thus be avoided. The traction upon 

 the cervix is by no means so important in the heifer as 

 in the cow. The uterus of the non-pregnant heifer, unless 

 long sterile, is of good tone, firm, small, and lies in the pel- 

 vis within easy reach. If the heifer is pregnant, her uterus 

 virtually always remains firm and retains its position with 

 a portion of the distended organ within, or just in front of, 

 the pelvis, where it is readily palpated and its volume recog- 

 nized. In a large proportion of pregnant heifers, reliable 

 and satisfactory diagnosis can be made readily by rectal 

 palpation without applying forceps to the cervix or insert- 

 ing the hand into the vagina, thus rendering these super- 

 fluous. 



If the heifer is not pregnant and after several copulations 

 her sterility is deemed serious or important, the vulvo-vagi- 

 nal and cervical canals and the uterine cavity need to be ex- 



