Uterine Infections 46 1 



open and normally developed but the vagina could not be 

 entered, as the hymen was very thick and imperforate. 

 Upon rectal examination the vagina was found to be greatly 

 distended with pus. The distension of the genital tube in- 

 volved the uterine cavity as well. The hymen was incised, 

 and about a gallon of highly fetid thin pus escaped. Re- 

 covery was slow. The ultimate result of the operation, so 

 far as breeding is concerned, is unknown to me, but it is 

 highly improbable that she will breed. The probabilities are 

 that, under the great mechanical pressure of the contents, 

 the pus was forced into the oviduct to cause pyosalpinx. 

 Had the condition been recognized early and relief given, 

 the prognosis should presumably have been good. 



(3) Other isolated cases of pyometra occur in heifers 

 the precise nature of which cannot be readily determined. 

 In one instance, when I was called in consultation with a 

 colleague, a valuable heifer was found to have voluminous 

 pyometra with complete paralysis of the uterus and passive 

 retention of the pus. The uterus had dropped far forward 

 into the abdomen, where it could not be efficiently palpated. 

 The cervical canal was open. There was no history of any 

 discharge from the genital tract. Apparently the pus lay 

 passively in the paretic uterus. The clinical history of the 

 animal was uncertain. She had been purchased by the 

 owner some months previously as a pregnant animal. It 

 was impossible to determine whether she had ever been 

 pregnant, since an accurate clinical history of such an ani- 

 mal ordinarily ceases to exist with change in ownership. 



My colleague had diagnosed pregnancy because the uterus 

 was enlarged and had dropped far forward in the abdomen 

 and because there was no evidence of pyometra in the way 

 of genital discharge. When it was attempted to examine 

 the uterus by douching in order to determine the character 

 of the trouble, a soft rubber horse catheter was introduced 

 deeply into the uterine cavity and a normal and physiologic 

 salt solution introduced into the uterus by gravity. After 

 two or three quarts had been introduced, the introduction 

 was suspended and an effort made to siphon out the con- 



