200 Veterinary Obstetrics 



the existence of the prolapse of the vagina in non-pregnant cattle 

 is due to a chronic, permanent irritation of the genital organs 

 owing to the presence of diseased ovaries, because, if we can 

 bring about a normal state of the ovaries, the sinking of the broad 

 ligaments, the swelling of the vulva and theflaccidity of the vagina 

 all cease in from seven to twelve days, while the milk flow in- 

 creases. Furthermore, if ovariotomy be performed upon these 

 animals, the prolapse of the vagina disappears in 95 % of the 

 cases, thus demonstrating the co-ordination between the cysts 

 and the vaginal prolapse. 



We should not underestimate, as a cause of continued or newly 

 occurring prolap.se of the vaginaduring the first two to six weeks 

 afterbirth, an acute or chronic catarrhal or purulent endometritis 

 due to the relaxed state of the pelvic diaphragm. 



As prodromata of vaginal prolapse due to ovarian cysts, there 

 is observed a sinking of the sacro-sciatic ligament and a .swelling 

 of the lips of the vulva. As a general rule, the prolapse does not 

 occur at the same time as the formation of the ovarian cysts or 

 the sinking of pelvic ligaments, but follows these some days or 

 weeks later. It often appears simultaneously with a well marked 

 erethetic nymphomania. Now and then the quantity of milk 

 sinks one-half and along with it sometimes occurs a "holding 

 up" of the milk. In rare cases, some time after the appearance 

 of prolapse of the vagina there also appears a slight prolapse of 

 the rectum. In one such case we identified on the right side an 

 ovarian cyst the size of a hazelnut and in the left ovary a greatly 

 hypertrophied corpus luteum. 



The prolapse often involves only the superior wall of the vagina. 

 The swollen lips of the vulva are clearly sunken forward and ap- 

 parently small ; in many cases they hang loo.sely; in the superior 

 half of the vulva they are folded and wrinkled. The wrinkles 

 extend regularly from above and outward, downward and in- 

 ward, and are almost wholly caused by the muscular contraction 

 of the walls of the vestibule of the vagina or possibly are a result 

 of the flaccidity of the radiating muscle of the vulva and common 

 fibers of the sphincter ani extermis and constrictor cunni, 

 causing an invagination of the lips of the vulva, that is, an 

 e?itropium vulvae spasticus, from which, in place of the normal 

 mucous margins of the vulva, two haired cutaneous surfaces 

 come in contact. The last related symptoms (wrinkling and en- 



