888 Veteri7iary Obstetrics 



narrowing of the os. The mucous membrane completely loses 

 its ordinary character ; ulcerating patches appear ; and, as shown 

 in Fig. 141, the cornua become displaced from their normal po- 

 sition at right angles to the uterine body, and push forward 

 somewhat in the direction assumed by the cornua of the uterus 

 of the cow. The normal longitudinal folds in the nuicous mem- 

 brane are entirely obliterated, and in their place there appear 

 numerous transverse ridges in the muscular walls. 



The handling of chronic metritis in the mare must be based 

 upon the problem of local disinfection, the principal obstacles to 

 which are the sclerotic condition of the cervix uteri and the pare- 

 tic state of the uterine walls. The fundamental duty of the 

 practitioner is to bring about a thorough dilation of the os uteri 

 to such a degree as to permit the insertion of the operator's hand 

 into the suppurating cavity. This requires much patience and 

 hard work in many cases, but is of such great importance that it 

 should be persevered in until fully accomplished. In some cases 

 it requires patient endeavor, extending over several hours, to 

 dilate the os sufficiently to insert a finger. When this has been 

 attained, the uterus can be irrigated somewhat ineffectiv^ely by 

 passing a tube through the os, injecting a large volume of anti- 

 septic fluid, and then siphoning it out b}^ means of the tube 

 through which it entered. But the further dilation of the os 

 uteri must be completed before recovery can be assured. This 

 may be accomplished with the finger and hand of the operator, 

 by repeated efforts upon succeeding days. 



The partially dilated os may also be tamponed with antiseptic 

 gauze or other material, which, remaining in place for twenty- 

 four hours, tends to cause a dilation or softening of the parts. 

 A large and powerful uterine dilator may be of great service in 

 forcibly dilating the os, rendering it very much easier for the 

 operator. 



Once the os uteri is sufficiently dilated to admit freely the 

 operator's hand, he is in a position to proceed with the final pro- 

 blem of disinfection. With good drainage, the question of a 

 choice of disinfectants is not supremely important. Any reliable 

 disinfectant will accomplish the end, but it needs be intelligent- 

 ly applied, and by the veterinarian himself. It is needless to 

 say that the disinfecting solution should be sufficiently volumin- 

 ous to fill the uterus two or three times successively, so as to in- 



