472 



Diseases of the Genital Organs 



ment. If a heifer, her udder enlarges, verifying the assump- 

 tion of pregnancy. Then comes a recession in the evidences 

 of approaching parturition. The abdominal enlargement re- 

 cedes imperceptibly for week after week, the enlarged udder 

 slowly resumes its pre-conceptional volume and appearance, 

 and the time for parturition draws near and passes by with- 

 out trace of sexual function of any kind. The general health 

 is unaffected. 



Vaginal exploration reveals a typical uterine seal of preg- 

 nancy. Rectal palpation, if by chance made soon after the 

 occurrence of the hemorrhage, reveals the uterus filled with 

 a rather firm, doughy, even mass, deeply embedded within 

 which a fetal cadaver (or sometimes twins) may be recog- 

 nized. As desiccation proceeds, every stage is encountered 



FlG. r68— Complete Desiccation of Fetus following- Inter- 

 Placental Hemorrhage. 



up to the completion of the process, shown in Fig. 168. Then 

 one may palpate per rectum the limbs, ribs, head, hollow- 

 orbits, and all skeletal details. The completion of the desic- 

 cation will naturally vary. In a fetus twenty-four inches 

 long from nose to base of tail, I think the completion of the 

 process requires six to eight months. 



Bang has procured cultures of the /»'. abortus from the 

 desiccated debris. He does not state that other bacteria 

 were or were not present. I am not aware of other bacterial 

 search. 



