216 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



der my observation. I am of the opinion that they are very 

 rare. The vagina of the cow is very long and elastic. Dur- 

 ing estrum it is highly lubricated with an abundant, thin 

 mucus, rendering it virtually impossible for the penis of the 

 bull to become caught in the lateral walls. If the heifer or 

 cow were not in estrum and the vagina were dry, the case 

 would be quite different. 



I have seen a number of cows which could not copulate 

 without great peril because of severe vaginal stricture. Per- 

 haps that is the explanation of the cited instances of vagi- 

 nal injury by the penis. 



Lacerations of the vagina by the penis are also liable to 

 occur in other domestic animals, though less probable than 

 in the mare. Their symptoms, prognosis, and treatment 

 are essentially the same. 



D. Rupture of the Uterus by the Penis of the Bull 



Duranton( ] ) states that in one instance the penis of the 

 bull passed through the cervical canal and ruptured one of 

 the uterine cornua. This is highly improbable, if not abso- 

 lutely impossible. It is almost certain that the real culprit 

 was a man, who had either committed sadism or had at- 

 tempted to "open the womb". 



Veterinarians should be always on their guard in accept- 

 ing accounts of injuries to the vagina or uterus of the cow 

 by the penis of the bull. Many owners and caretakers have 

 an abiding faith in the efficacy of "opening the womb" just 

 before coitus, as a remedy for sterility, and not infrequently 

 are not publicly proud of their faith. As a consequence, 

 the operation is often kept secret, especially if the layman 

 has become frightened because hemorrhage has followed 

 his efforts. Later, if disaster follows, the true history is 

 not given the veterinarian. Often a workman will under- 

 take such an operation without the knowledge of the owner, 

 and, suspecting he has injured the animal, quite naturally 

 keeps his bungling work a secret, so that the bull is blamed 

 with having caused the lesions. 



'Journal de I.n < .11, l838. 



