198 PATHOLOGY OF PliEGXANCY. 



day, when it entirely ceased. The Mare subsequently produced a strong healthy Foal 

 at the usual time. The author had no doubt that this was a case of jjlacenta j^rcwia, and 

 the result of some distention or looseness about the cervix or os uteri, whereby the parts 

 immediately within these became detached, and allowed a flow of arterial blood at that 

 point. 



5. The same observer {Ibid.) saw a young Cow within a fortnight of second calving, 

 which for two days had been discharging large quantities of clotted blood. It began 

 with the escape of arterial blood, but changed to venous, and finally became mixed with 

 some of the uterine fluid. The Cow ultimately gave birth to a living Calf soon after, 

 and did well. There was an entire absence of labour pains up to a short time before 

 delivery, the os uteri being only partially dilated. The same animal had suffered from 

 severe post-paitum haemorrhage at her first calving the previous year. 



6. Kotelmann records the case of a Mare, seven months pregnant, which suddenly lost 

 about half a pound of blood by the vagina ; this happened again during three or four 

 days, then the discharge changed to a yellow serum and ceased on the seventh day, when 

 the animal regained its health and brought forth a Foal in due course, but died after- 

 wards of paralysis. 



7. Vogel speaks of a Mare which had four regular parturitions, and had reached the 

 thirty-seventh week of her fifth pregnancy, when, without any precursory symptoms, 

 thfre was an emission of blood from the vulva ; this could not be checked, though cold- 

 water compresses were applied to the loins for two hours. The blood continued to flow 

 until the vagina was plugged ; after some hours the plugging material was removed, 

 when it was found that the 03 uteri was dilated. The hemorrhage having recommenced, 

 it was deemed advisable to induce abortion. The membranes were therefore ruptured 

 and the fcetus extracted. But the Mare died immediately afterwards, and at the autopsy 

 a fibroid tumour was found in the uterus, the pedicle of which was two and a half inches 

 long, and near which the fcetal placenta had become adherent to the mucous membrane. 

 Vogel was of opinion that the hemorrhage was due to rupture of the placenta caused by 

 movements of the foetus. 



8. Anacker refers to the case of a Cow which, when six months pregnant, exhibited 

 symptoms of severe colic, during which she emitted strange bellowings. Some days 

 afterwards a considerable quantity of blood was expelled from the vulva, and the follow- 

 ing day there was another quantity, blood only coming away by drops in the interval. 

 Being treated by bleeding and soothing medicines, and topical astringents, recovery took 

 place in four days. The Cow did not abort. 



9. The same authority alludes to the case of another Cow which, in the sixth month of 

 pregnancy, after a severe attack of colic, discharged a large quantity of blood from the 

 vulva, without any lesion being detected in the vagina. The same treatment was pur- 

 sued, and the animal completely recovered. 



10. Violet (SaintC}>r's Traite, p. 222) mentions the case of a Cat which had nearly 

 reached the time for parturition, when it fell from a height of about eighteen feet, expir- 

 ing soon afterwards. An autopsy was made immediately, and it was noted that the 

 uterus was deeply congested and full of dark blood, which had partially separated the 

 placentas, 



11. The same authority alludes to another Cat, also pregnant, which died very sud- 

 denly, and the uterus of which showed the same appearances as in the above case. 



When there is no escape of blood externally, the diagnosis of this 

 accident is most difficult ; but when the haemorrhage is apparent, then 

 topical remedies might be applied in severe cases, and if these are of no 

 avail, then artificial delivery should be attempted and the' same treat- 

 ment adopted as iox post-partum haemorrhage (wJtich see). 



Abnormal Eetention of the Fcetus. 



It was remarked, when speaking of the normal period of gestation, 

 that this varied within considerable limits, and that the foetus might 

 remain in the uterus for a comparatively long period beyond the 

 ordinary time, without any serious inconvenience to itself or its 

 bearer. 



But when, from any special cause, delivery cannot take place, then 

 very grave results may, and indeed nearly always, follow. 



Cases of abnormal retention of the foetus were observed in the last 



