164 



likely to suffer from this. Still more rarely the wall of the vagina 

 becomes relaxed, aud being- pressed hf a mass of intestines will pro- 

 trude through the lips of the vulva as a hernial sac, containing a part 

 of the bowels. AVhere a tumor is small it ma}^ only retard and not 

 absolutel}^ prevent i)arturition. A hernial protrusion of the wall of 

 the vagina may be pressed back and emptied so that the body of the 

 ftjetus engaging in the passage may find no further obstacle. "When 

 a tumor is too large to allow delivery the onl}^ resort is to remove it, 

 but before proceeding it must be clearly made out that the obstruc- 

 tion is a mass of diseased tissue, and not a sac containing intestines. 

 If tlie tumor hangs bj^ a neck it can usually be most safel}^ removed 

 by the ecraseur, the chain being passed around tlie pedicel and 

 gradually tightened until that is torn through. 



HERNIA OF THE WOMB. 



The rupture of the musculo-fibrous floor of the bell}' and the escape 

 of the gravid womb into a sac formed by the peritoneum and skin 

 hanging towards the ground, is described by all veterinary obstetri- 

 cians, yet it is verj^ rarely seen in tlie mare. The form of the foetus 

 can be felt through the walls of the sac, so that it is easy to recognize 

 the condition. Its cause is usually external violence, though it may 

 start from an umbilical hernia. When the period of parturition 

 arrives, the first effort should be to return the foetus within the proper 

 abdominal cavity, and this can sometimes be accomplished with the 

 aid of a stout blanket gradually tightened around the bellj^ This 

 failing, the mare may be placed on her side or back and gravitation 

 brought to the aid of manipulation in securing the return. Even 

 after the hernia has been reduced the relaxed state of the womb and 

 abdominal walls may serve to hinder parturition, in Avhich case the 

 oiled hand must be introduced through the vagina, tlie foetus brought 

 into position, and traction coincident with the labor pains employed 

 to secure delivery. 



TWISTING OF THE NECK OF THE WOMB. 



This condition is veiy uncommon in the mare, though occasionally 

 seen in the cow, owing to the greater laxity of the broad ligaments of 

 the womb in that animal. It consists in a revolution of the Avonib on 

 its own axis, so that its right or left side will be turned upward 

 (quarter revolution), or the lower surface may be turned upward and 

 the upper surface downward (half revolution). The effect is to thi-ow 

 the narrow neck of the womb into a series of spiral folds, turning in 

 the direction in which the womb has revolved, closing the neck and 

 rendering distention and dilatation impossible. 



The i^eriod and pains of parturition arrive, but in spite of con- 

 tinued efforts no progress is made, neither water-bags nor liquids 

 appearing. The oiled hand inti'oduced into the closed neclc of the 



