Occlusion of the Os Uteri 259 



So, if a series of females which have failed to conceive are 

 "opened", are drugged with this or that nostrum, have j^east 

 injected into their vaginae, have " impregnators " applied, or 

 resort is had to artificial impregnation, some of them, possibh^ 

 all, may conceive. 



It is possible, though, we believe, highh' improbable, that the 

 forcible dilation of the cervical canal may indirectly favor fecun- 

 dation. The discharge of viable ova into the oviducts is a reflex 

 act. We know too little of the causes of the maturation and 

 rupture of the ovisacs and the part played therein by reflexes 

 from the other portions of the genital apparatus. 



It is believed by many breeders, and apparently not without 

 reason, that .sexual excitation tends to hasten and even determine 

 ovulation and hence some breeders practice forced service, at 

 times, in order to hasten or insure estrum and ovulation. It is 

 common experience and observation that the proximity of a male 

 stimulates sexual appetite in the female, and we have good reason 

 to assume that, with it, is associated the stimulation of ovula- 

 tion. If this be true, we are not in a position to deny that the 

 manual or instrumental dilation of the cervical canal may stimu- 

 late normal ovulation and hence indirectly favor conception. 



We cannot, however, in the present state of our knowledge, 

 place scientific reliance upon dilation of the os uteri as an effect- 

 ive remedy for sterility, except in isolated cases. 



On the other hand, there is much in the ordinary "opening 

 of the uterus" which is in violation of all surgical principles. 

 Time and again we have watched the stallion groom, without 

 any precautions whatever, proceed with his operation. Some 

 dirt\^ water in a filthy stable pail, to which is added some irritant 

 laundry soap, is used as a lubricant for the dirty unwashed 

 hands of the groom, while the long and rough finger nails, con- 

 cealing abundant filth, receive no attention. The rough, dirty 

 hand is forced through the vulva and vagina with scant regard 

 for their delicacy, and is then rudely forced onwards through the 

 cervical canal, tearing the ti.ssues and inducing extensive hemor- 

 rhage so that the hand, when withdrawn, is covered with blood. 

 The character of the uterine cervix of the cow renders such an 

 operation less practicable and it is virtually impo.ssible, withitv a 

 reasonable time, to force the entire hand into the uterine cavitv. 



