PATHOGNOMONIC SYMPTOM 93 



A PATHOGNOMONIC SYMPTOM OF FETAL 

 DEATH 



It is a common occurrence for the practitioner to be 

 called in attendance on cows heavy in calf and pre- 

 senting symptoms of a somewhat doubtful character. 

 These cases, in cows nearly due to calve, are always 

 important from the standpoint of their effect on the 

 reputation of the attending surgeon. An error in 

 diagnosis and wrong treatment in these cases usually 

 results disastrously for the doctor, even if not for the 

 cow. 



A variety of pathological conditions within the uter- 

 us present very complex symptoms and it requires con- 

 siderable experience to recognize and classify them 

 correctly. There is, however, one symptom in this 

 class of cases which is almost absolutely reliable and 

 can always be depended upon. This is the rapid, some- 

 times chorea-like twitching of the vulva in those cases 

 in which the fetus is dead and undergoing degenerative 

 changes. This twitching of the vulva is also seen in 

 other diseases, but, in cows nearing the end of the 

 period of gestation it is a sure diagnostic sign of fetal 

 death when accompanied by fever, anorexia and other 

 usual symptoms. 



For many years I have not hesitated to base my 

 diagnosis of fetal death on this sign and I have never 

 yet been deceived by it. Remember I say this sign 

 is reliable when the fetus is dead and undergoing de- 

 generative changes. 



I have not been able to test its reliability in other 

 animals than cows, in fact, am not sure whether it is 

 a symptom in other animals. However, in the cow I 

 have so much confidence in this sign that I never hesi- 



