DYSTOKIA Fi;OM DISPLACEMLWT OF THE UTERUS. 301 



The chief and essential lesion is, of course, to be found in the 

 abdominal parietes. The fleshy or tendinous fibres of the oblique 

 muscles may be merely separated, especially at the commencement ; 

 though most frequently some of them are ruptured. The great rectus 

 muscle always shows a solution of continuity, the rupture being 

 sometimes as clean and sharp as if it had been made by a knife ; 

 though at other times it is irregular and lacerated. In every case 

 there results a variable-sized opening, more or less circular, oval, or 

 triangular, its larger diameter corresponding to the axis of the animal's 

 body ; Eodet has seen an opening of this kind measure nearly twenty 

 inches. 



The seat of the rupture varies ; sometimes the rectus nmsclc is per- 

 forated at its pubic insertion, as Favre has seen it ; in other cases it is 

 elsewhere, but in every instance it is inferior — posterior to the umbilicus, 

 ;ind to the right or left of the linea alba. The latter structure is at 

 lirst never involved ; but when the hernia increases largely in size, it 

 may in its turn give way ; so long as it I'emains intact it forms a kind 

 of cord extending from the pubis to the sternum, and by partially 

 dividing the tumour, gives it a bilobular appearance. 



In a few cases the tunica ahdominalis resists the strain imposed on it, 

 being only extended, and in this way the hernia has another covering 

 in addition to the skin ; but in many instances it tears, like the muscles. 

 Delplancjue has shown that the peritoneum may escape rupture, stretch 

 and, accompanying the descending viscera, constitute a serous tunic to 

 the hernia ; most frequently, however, it gives way, the uterus passes 

 through it, and then there is no hernial sac. 



In a recent hernia, the connective tissue surrounding it is greatly 

 ecchymosed and infiltrated, and the muscular fibres broken up and 

 separated ; the tendinous fibres are also disassociated and torn, and 

 numerous red and partly decolorised blood-clots lie among their inter- 

 stices. At a later period no extravasated blood is found between the 

 skin and the uterus, but the parts are uniformly red ; and, later still, 

 attempts at repair are evidenced by cicatrisation of the borders of the 

 inapture, which have then a rounded, thickened, and fibro-tendinous 

 aspect, and are dense and resisting. The connective tissue beneath the 

 skin is condensed into a kind of smooth membrane, continuous with 

 the margin of the rent, and forms a second tunic to tiie hernia. 



Before parturition the hernia is occui)ied exclusively, or nearly so, by 

 tin- gravid uterus, which is wlioUy or in part lodged in tliis accidental 

 diverticulum. After delivery, however, the uterus often, though not 

 always, ascends into the abdominal cavity ; but whether it does so or 

 not, other viscera — such as the rumen with the Cow, and the colon and 

 small intestine with the Mare — find their way into the pouch; Rodet 

 has even found the uterus and the entire intestinal mass included in it. 



Diagnosism 



The diagnosis of uterine hernia in the larger animals is not difficult 

 in the great majority of instances, and especially if labour has com- 

 menced. In the first place, it is usually known to the owner that the 

 animal is pregnant ; and in the second place, if parturition has begun 

 there can scarcely be any mistake made as to the nature of the expul- 

 sive efforts. Besides, there is the abdominal tumour with its peculiar 

 characteristics, and by manipulating it the fcctus can be detected. 



