DISEASES OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 361 



vegetables in a frozen state have proved effective factors, and 

 filthy, stagnant water is dangerous. Low condition in the 

 dam and plethora have in opposite ways caused abortion, and 

 hot relaxing stables and lack of exercise strongly conduce to 

 it. The exhaustion of the sire by too frequent service, en- 

 tailing debility of the offspring and disease of the foetus or of 

 its envelopes, must be recognized as a further cause. 



The symptoms vary mainly according as the abortion is 

 early or late in pregnancy. In the first month or two of 

 pregnancy the mare may miscarry without observable symp- 

 toms and the fact only appear by her coming in heat. If 

 more closely observed a small clot of blood may be found be- 

 hind her, in which a careful search reveals the rudiments of 

 the foal. If the occurrence is somewhat later in gestation 

 there will be some general disturbance, inappetence, neigh- 

 ing, and straining, and the small body of the foetus is ex- 

 pelled enveloped in its membranes. Abortions during the 

 later stages of pregnancy are attended with greater consti- 

 tutional disturbance and the process resembles normal par- 

 turition, with the aggravation that more effort and straining 

 is requisite to force the foetus through the comparatively 

 undilatable mouth of the womb. There is the swelling of 

 the vulva, with mucus or even bloody discharge; the abdo- 

 men droops, the flanks fall in, the udder fills, the mare looks 

 at her flanks, paws with the fore feet and kicks with the 

 hind, switches the tail, moves around uneasily, lies down 

 and rises, strains, and, as in natural foaling, expels first mu- 

 cus and blood, then the waters, and finally the foetus. This 

 may occupy an hour or two, or it may be prolonged for a day 

 or more, the symptoms subsiding for a time, only to reappear 

 with renewed energy. If there is malpresentation of the 

 foetus it will hinder progress until rectified, as in difficult 

 parturition. Abortion may also be followed by the same ac- 

 cidents, as flooding, retention of the placenta and leucorr- 

 haea. 



The most important object in an impending abortion is to 

 recognize it at as early a stage as possible, so that it may be 

 if possible cut short and prevented. Any general indefin- 

 able illness in a pregnant mare shov.ld lead to a close exam- 



