Persistent Hymen 169 



severed it with a scalpel or with scissors. An insignificant 

 hemorrhage follows. There is virtually no sensation in the 

 structure and no material evidence of pain when it is 

 severed. 



4. Persistent Hymen 



In the development of the female embryo of cattle, the 

 hymen regularly disappears as a complete membrane, but a 

 series of fragmentary projections remains, marking the 

 vulvo-vaginal boundary line. Upon the floor of the genital 

 passage this line is located just in front (the ovarian side) 

 of the urethral opening. The vestiges of the hymen consti- 

 tute a well defined stricture between the vulva and the va- 

 gina. In the manual examination of heifers, passing this 

 stricture with the hand frequently causes a slight tearing 

 accompanied by hemorrhage. In numerous cases, remnants 

 of the hymen persist as fleshy cords, sometimes the dimen- 

 sions of a lead pencil, extending perpendicularly from the 

 floor to the roof of the passage, sometimes on the median 

 line, but generally to the right or left of the centre. Sel- 

 dom, if ever, do they cause difficulty of any consequence, 

 but they should be cut or ruptured when encountered. 



Rarely, the hymeneal constriction forms a slight cul-de- 

 sac in the vaginal floor, where debris accumulates and de- 

 composes, to imperil conception. Sometimes the cul-de-sac 

 may be overcome by dividing the stricture along the floor. 

 Otherwise, the peril is to be obviated by frequent vaginal 

 douches until conception occurs. Parturition will ordinarily 

 eliminate the defect. 



The hymen sometimes persists as an imperforate mem- 

 brane. I have observed but two cases, one in a heifer, the 

 other in a ewe. In Great Britain, I am told, it is common in 

 a certain strain of white cattle, so that it has become known 

 as "the white heifer disease". I have been unable to get 

 particulars about it. In any animal, imperforate hymen in- 

 evitably leads to the accumulation of menstrual and other 

 debris in the vagina, which becomes a great retention cyst. 

 Estrum may be regular, but copulation is impossible, be- 

 cause the penis of the male is prevented from entering the 



