Pycemic Infection 907 



The peritoneum shows here and there ecchymoses. Ente- 

 ritis may be present. The liver, spleen and kidneys show well- 

 marked degeneration, and are somewhat enlarged and friable. 



Handling. All attempts at therapeutics usually fail. De 

 Bruin recommends camphor, turpentine and alcohol, but without 

 having any faith in their bringing about a cure. He very prop- 

 erly places the chief emphasis upon the question of prophylaxis. 

 Especially is it important that the veterinary obstetrist should 

 take due precautions against acting as a bearer of the infection 

 through his person, instruments or apparatus. 



Any animal suffering from septic infection of the genital tract, 

 or, for that matter, of any other organs or tissues, should be care- 

 fully excluded from the stable and vicinity of parturient animals, 

 and there should be no intermediary communication between 

 them by which the transportation of infecting material from one 

 to the other is rendered possible. 



Whenever a veterinarian is called to attend a parturient ani- 

 mal suffering from fever or other systemic disturbance, the 

 genital tract, and especially the uterus, should first of all be 

 thoroughly examined in order to determine whether it be the 

 avenue of a serious infection. 



Should the examination reveal septic utero-vaginal disease, no 

 time should be lost in thoroughly cleansing and disinfecting the 

 genital tract. 



Time and again the careless veterinarian treats an animal, 

 especially a cow, for indigestion, constipation, diarrhea or some 

 other symptom of disease, without taking the trouble to examine 

 the uterus and learn therefrom that the constipation, diarrhea or 

 or other symptom which he is handling is dependent upon a 

 serious puerperal infection, which demands prompt and vigorous 

 treatment. The handling of these conditions falls essentially 

 under " Retained Placenta." page 791, and "Acute Metritis," 

 page 872. 



9. Puerperal Laminitls. Patiriext Lamixitis. 



While describing endometritis in the mare we had occasion to 

 refer to parturient, or puerperal laminitis. So far as we have been 

 able to determine, parturient laminitis occurs in the mare only, 

 though there is no reason why it may not occur in ruminants, 

 where laminitis from other causes is not unknown. Flem- 



