502 Veterinary Obstetrics 



dead fetus rather than as a sign of impending fetal death. The 

 disease has already worked its greatest harm by destroying the 

 life of the fetus. It should be noted that such a condition does 

 not occur in the non-pregnant animal as a result of exposure to 

 infectious abortion. 



Indeed we have no evidence to show that the micro-organism of 

 infectious abortion has any power to produce symptoms of dis- 

 ease of any kind whatever in a non-pregnant animal. Even 

 when pure cultures are injected into the jugular vein, they cause, 

 according to Bang, only a temporary slight fever which quickly 

 abates, and no further evidence of disea.se is observed until abor- 

 tion occurs. It would consequentl}' seem that there is .some- 

 thing in the composition of the fetus, its fluids or membranes 

 which makes it possible for organisms to multiply and to bring 

 about pathologic conditions. 



Hutyra and Marek state that the mucous membrane of 

 the vagina sometimes shows granular enlagements as large as 

 hemp seed. This seems to correspond with the most prominent 

 .symptom of the infectious nodular vaginitis of cows and 

 may be simply a co-existence of the two diseases in one animal. 

 It is to be remembered also that the nodular or granular venereal 

 disease may cause abortion in 60 to 70 % of pregnant cows. See 

 page 98. There occurs a white, reddish gray or yellow vaginal 

 discharge. Two or three days later abortion occurs. Reindl 

 records that, in the case of a bull, he observed small nodules 

 upon the penis, which were similar to those seen in the 

 vaginae of cows ju.st prior to their having aborted. This suggests 

 that he also was dealing with the infectious nodular catarrh 

 of cattle, possibly complicated with true infectious abortion. 



When abortion occurs early in gestation, the fetus is usually 

 expelled included in its membranes. Later in gestation the fetus 

 is usually expelled nakM and the membranes follow somewhat 

 tardily. In a large proportion of ca.ses, the afterbirth is retained 

 and requires artificial removal. After the abortion has occurred, 

 if the afterbirth has come away spontaneously or has been 

 promptly removed, there frequently occurs a discharge from the 

 genital tract, which continues for two or more da3^s or as many 

 weeks. This discharge is usually of a reddish-brown or reddish 

 color, generally a repulsive appearing liquid containing small 

 clumps of pus and fragments of afterbirth, and in some cases is 



