584 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



come incarcerated there and remain persistently. This 

 should be searched for when such symptoms are present 

 and, if discovered, reduced by gentle pressure against it 

 with the hand. It is not essential to take away the mem- 

 branes. It is far more important to reduce the intussuscep- 

 tion and soothe the irritated uterus with oleaginous suspen- 

 sion of iodoform. Metritis with retained afterbirth, accom- 

 panied by great pain and straining, is most frequently ob- 

 served after imprudent attempts at the removal of the mem- 

 branes. It is believed by many that in such cases the after- 

 birth must be removed at any cost. The opposite is more 

 nearly correct : the membranes should be left strictly alone 

 and the irritated uterus soothed with iodoform-oil or other- 

 wise. 



Once the retained fetal membranes have been taken, or 

 have come away, the original disease which caused it is still 

 present. The important change in conditions is that the 

 uterus is now naked and curative measures directly appli- 

 cable. The uterus may then be, and as a rule should be, 

 douched in order to clear away any exudate or remaining 

 debris. The condition now facing the veterinarian is simple 

 metritis, and the method of handling is the same as though 

 the retention of the membranes had not occurred. 



The prevention of retained fetal membranes can be ac- 

 complished only by seeing that a cow at breeding time has a 

 clean uterus and cervix, and that she is bred to a bull free 

 from important infection. These matters are discussed in 

 their proper places. 



E. Puerperal Tetanus. 



Immediately following parturition the denuded endome- 

 trium opens an avenue for the invasion of specific infections 

 not commonly entering by the genital tract. Tetanus infec- 

 tion occasionally invades the genital organs at this time and 

 produces the ordinary clinical symptoms of that disease. I 

 have observed it but once in the cow, associated with re- 

 tained fetal membranes. It offers nothing special except 

 that a knowledge of the possibility makes even more de- 



