474 VETERINARY LECTURES 



from the passage. Treatment. — If, on careful manual examination, 

 no rupture or rent in the womb is discovered, wash it out by means 

 of an enema syringe with warm water and fluid Sanitas or Condy's 

 fluid (par. 800), and give as a drench 15 to 20 ounces of raw linseed 

 oil, and if much pain be manifested, add from |to 1 wineglassful of 

 laudanum or 15 drops of Fleming's tincture of aconite. As a fever 

 medicine, 2 to 3 ounces of Epsom salts, and 3 drachms of nitrate of 

 potash in a mash of bran, or in water as a draught, may be given 

 every eight hours. Warm-water enemas thrown into the rectum, 

 and porridge poultices applied to the loins, also have a soothing 

 effect. 



803. Simple and Septic Metritis in Sheep. — The simple form 

 of metritis is rarely seen in the sheep, but in cold, frosty spring 

 weather lambing ewes often suffer extensively from septic metritis, 

 which, by its severity, causes great loss to stock-owners. Sheep show 

 similar symptoms to those described in the cow — great prostration, 

 and a dirty brown, coffee-coloured discharge running from the womb 

 and trickling down the legs being the prominent characteristics. This 

 disease is highly contagious, and immediately it makes its appearance 

 all the pregnant ewes must be at once removed from the place of 

 infection, and be attended to by another shepherd. Treatment. — 

 Wash the parts night and morning with a lotion made of one table- 

 spoonful of phenyle and 1 pint of cold water, which, after being 

 mixed, should be made warm by the addition of 1 pint of hot 

 water. Give internally, twice a day, 1 -drachm doses of chlorate 

 of potassium and 5 drops of hydrochloric acid in | pint of cold 

 water. 



804. Retention of the Placenta, or After- Birth.— In the mare 



the placenta ought never to be allowed to remain more than from six 

 to ten hours after the birth of the foal, more particularly when the 

 mare is on dry food in the stable, as it often brings on laminitis (in- 

 flammation of the feet — founder) (pars. 200 and 800) ; in some seasons 

 this complaint almost resembles an epidemic. It may be avoided by 

 the timely removal of the membranes, which must be carefully done, 

 as the smallest piece left is quite sufficient to cause a great deal of 



