640 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



B. Retention of Menstrual Debris from Cervicitis 1 

 Uterine distension from cervical disease, due to the uter- 

 ine end of the cervical mucosa projecting conically into the 

 uterine cavity and acting as a collapsing valve, imprisoning 

 the uterine secretions, to which reference has been made 

 above, is extremely rare. I have observed but two cases, 

 both clinical. The uterus was firmly distended with fluid as 

 in pregnancy, but the two horns were symmetrical. A cor- 

 pus luteum was usually present but shifted from one ovary 

 to the other (alternation of ovulation at estrum). The uter- 

 ine arteries were not enlarged. The cervix was not sealed. 

 The introduction of the uterine catheter, which required 

 some patience, caused the evacuation of a thin, clear, odor- 

 less mucus. 



1 have not succeeded in restoring such animals to fertility. 

 Generally it is best to slaughter. In one instance I cathe- 

 terized the uterus several times and evacuated the fluid. In 

 another case, in swabbing the cervix, I pushed the swab into 

 the uterine cavity, beyond the conical projection of the 

 mucosa. When I attempted to withdraw the swab, the 

 valve-like projection closed upon it and pulled the swab 

 from the forceps. The recovery and withdrawal of the swab 

 gave considerable difficulty. I doubt the efficacy of handling. 

 With a very valuable animal probably the most hopeful plan 

 would be a complete trachelectomy, as described in the pre- 

 ceding paragraph. 



'There is a legendary atresia of the cervical canal in cattle, which 

 has been maintained generation after generation. It has its basis in 

 the common ignorance of the anatomy of the bovine cervix. A cow- 

 is sterile, a man attempts to pass his finger through the cervical 

 canal and naturally fails, and a diagnosis of cervical atresia or 

 ''closure of the womb" is made. The principle is the same as when, 

 a generation ago, if a cow was ill, a hole was bored in her horn, a 

 cavity was found and •'hollow horn" diagnosed. Atresia of the 

 cervix still appears in some textbooks as a disease. Rarely does 

 cervicitis occlude the cervical canal. More frequently embryologic 

 t in development occurs and the cervical canal is not formed. 

 In either case the menstrual debris is imprisoned and the uterus be- 

 distended. When the veterinarian attempts to pass the dilator, 

 catheter or other instrument through the cervical canal and fails, if 

 atresia exists, distension of the uterus inevitably co-exists. If the 

 -ion of the uterus is not present, a diagnosis of cervical atresia 

 i< unjustifiable and false. Atresia of the cervical canal without uter- 

 ine distension can not exist. 



