ACCIDENTS OF JPJiEGXJXCV. 103 



in a forcible manner, as recommended by Saint-Cyr, by means of a stick 

 placed transversely, a man at each end, another pulling' out the tongue 

 and pinchin«; the septum of the nose. Attempts at reduction can only 

 be made in the intervals of strainim,', and during the straining all that 

 can be done is to resist further expulsion. Having returned the dis- 

 placed organs into the pelvis, the arm and list must follow them, and by 

 pressing on the cervix of the uterus so act on the mucous membrane of 

 the vagina as to leave no folds or ridges in it ; when the straining has 

 ceased, which usually occurs very soon, the arm may be withdrawn, 

 though the practitioner must be on the outlook for its recurrence, and 

 prepared to prevent another extrusion. This may be guarded against 

 by the use of a pessary consisting of a wooden rod from one to two feet 

 long, furnished with a head several inches in diameter and covered with 

 some soft material, or a ring fixed horizontally at the end sufficiently 

 wide to go over the cervix ; this end, well greased, is to be inserted in 

 the vagina in such a manner as to keep the uterus in the pelvic cavity, 

 the other end being fixed by a cord at each side to a girth round the 

 body or elsewhere. An ordinary quart bottle with a concave bottom 

 may be employed on an emergency, a round piece of wood driven into 

 the neck making it sufliciently long. So long as this pessary is worn — 

 and it may be allowed to remain in the genital canal for a considerable 

 period — the vagina should be syringed daily with warm water and a 

 mild astringent. Death is often the result of such an accident ; and 

 to prevent a fatal termination, it has been suggested that artificial 

 delivery should be effected without delay. Premature delivery has been 

 counselled in those cases in which the Cow continues to strain and evert 

 the vagina, notwithstanding bandages, sutures, and other means, and 

 when grave consequences are likely to follow ; more especially is this 

 advice to be adopted when pregnancy has reached the 2G0th day, and 

 the Calf is alive. Perforation of the membranes may be effected by the 

 fingers after they have dilated the os. There is no difficulty in parturi- 

 tion, as a rule ; but care is necessary for some days afterwards to 

 prevent inversion. 



With ^leep, according to Cox, it is a common custom to return the 

 partially prolapsed vagina, and to tie the wool across the vulva ; on 

 other occasions a truss, similar to that used for cattle, is employed. 

 Both metiiods frequently fail, and in these cases nothing answers so 

 well as the ring-shaped pessary of a small size. 



Hernia of the Utehus (IIystekocele). 



Ilernia of the uterus is not uncommon in the domesticated animals, 

 and has been observed in the Mare, Cow, Sheep, Goat, and Bitch. In 

 the latter animal the organ is often displaced before conception, and 

 the fcctus is developed in the hernia ; but with the larger creatures the 

 empty uterus is too far removed from the abdominal parietes to escape 

 from the cavity ; and it is only when its volume is increased as gestation 

 advances, that it may form a hernia, should there exist an accidental 

 opening in the muscles wliich enclose the cavity. In the Bitch the 

 hernia may be inguinal ; in the other animals it is always accidental 

 and ventral, and usually towards the inferior part of the abdomen — on 

 the right or left side, or in the pubic region. 



Its ordinary cause, when accidental, is due to the natural or spon- 

 taneous relaxation of the abdominal aponeuroses ; or to traumatism, as 



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