Cystic Degeneration of the Uterine Walls with Hydrometra 613 



It is desired here to describe a disease of the uterus 

 itself resulting in the formation of a large amount of fluid 

 which is passively retained within the uterine cavity. I 

 have seen clinically several cases in which the cervical canal 

 was free and readily admitted the catheter, while the uterus 

 contained a large volume of clear, odorless, watery fluid. 

 I have been able to secure the uterus of one of these cases, 

 illustrated in Fig. 193. This valuable cow had long been 

 sterile. Upon examination I found the uterus greatly en- 

 larged, flabby, and dropped far forward so that only the 

 cervical end could be palpated. No cotyledons were palp- 

 able and the uterine arteries signified non-pregnancy. The 

 cervical canal, which was open, though the insertion of the 

 metal uterine catheter caused but little fluid to escape, was 

 gently dilated. I introduced a rubber horse catheter and, 

 using it as a siphon, obtained a large amount of clear, 

 watery fluid estimated at ten gallons. A few weeks later 

 I siphoned out about five gallons more. A colleague re- 

 moved the fluid several times, but there was no improve- 

 ment and the cow was slaughtered. The uterus was greatly 

 distended at time of slaughter, showing that the fluid was 

 quickly renewed. The uterine mucosa, as shown in Fig. 

 193, is filled everywhere with small transparent cysts. The 

 normal mucosa has disappeared completely. The fluid con- 

 tents of the uterus apparently emanated from the cystic 

 degeneration of the mucosa. So far as known, the disease 

 is beyond remedy, at least in so far as reproduction is 

 concerned. 



This condition may be responsible for a few of the ex- 

 treme cases of pyometra I have cited. They might very 

 well have been identical at first with the case just described, 

 and colleagues, having unsuccessfully attempted to douche 

 the uterus, may have carried infection into the vast re- 

 servoir of fluid and converted the hydometra into pyometra. 

 The only important element in connection with hydrometra, 

 according to my observation, is an accurate diagnosis. 

 Slaughter should follow. 



