312 MATERNAL DYSTOKIA. 



published by Bordonnat, Eossignol, Gaven, Bouley, Canu, Lemaire, 

 Cliambon, Goubaux, Chauveau, Weber, Liautard, Dagoureau, Lessona, 

 Ollivero, Ercolani, Lafosse, Chuchu, Goron, Obig, Heu, Eocco, ]\Iarlot, 

 Gourcy, Coquet, and many other foreign veterinarians ; while it is 

 alluded to with more or less detail in the treatises of Eainard, Bau- 

 meister and Eueff, Ziirn, Harms, Lanzillotti-Buonsanti, Cruzel, Saint- 

 Cyr, etc. 



In this country it did not receive much attention for some years, if 

 we are to judge from the paucity of allusions to it ; though there can be 

 no doubt that the accident frequently occurred. But in recent years 

 many cases have been described by "Cartwright (^A^hitchurch), Woods 

 (Wigan), Bennet, Cox, Eussell, Macgilli\Tay, Cunningham, and others. 

 Their observations refer to torsion of the uterus in the Cow. 



With the Mare, in which the accident is nearly always fatal, it has 

 been witnessed by Belhomme, Elsen, Delwart, Hamon, Noll, Devaux, 

 Canu, Leconte, Schmidt, Miinich, Anderson, and Cox. 



It has been observed in the Ewe by Lewis, in the Bitch by Macgilli- 

 vray, and in the Cat by Yivier. 



Nature, and Frequency. 



Before proceeding to describe the symptoms and other features of 

 this curious accident, it may be well to inquire into its nature and 

 frequency. 



As the designation indicates, the accident consists in a rotation of the 

 uterus on its axis, by which its upper surface may successively become 

 lateral and inferior ; and lateral on the opposite side and superior, when 

 the revolution is complete. This revolution may take place in two 

 opposite directions ; the upper face may at first be left lateral or right 

 lateral— -the first constituting left torsion, the second right torsion. 



Torsion may be incomplete or complete. There may be quarter-torsion, 

 half-torsion, three-quarter torsion, or complete torsion, according to the 

 degi-ee of rotation the uterus has experienced. In those instances in 

 ■which the organ has made two complete turns, we have a double 

 torsion. 



The consequences of this rotation are easily seen. The vagina and 

 its prolongation — the cervix uteri — because of their attachments, 

 cannot follow the uterus, and therefore become twisted in a cord-like 

 manner ; whence arises stricture of the os — the constriction being all 

 the greater as the rotation is comj)lete — and utter impossibihty to 

 effect delivery of the foetus unless the uterus is replaced in its normal 

 position, or its contents are removed otherwise than through the os. 



Incomplete torsion is by far the most frequent form encountered in 

 practice. It is often so slight that it might rather be classed among 

 the deviations of the uterus already alluded to. For instance, very 

 frequently there is only a trifling displacement of the cornu containing 

 the foetus, and this may carry the uterus with it, giving rise to a condi- 

 tion which bears a certain analogy to the uterine obliquity met with in 

 woman, in which the organ is inclined laterally. Schaack, Eainard, 

 Weiss, and Zundel have often noted these cases in animals ; and the 

 latter states that they occur in greatest proportion among the larger 

 lymphatic Cows. In other instances, the torsion consists of a quarter 

 or half-turn, the upper face of the uterus having become lateral or 

 inferior; sometimes the gravid cornu occupies the inferior region of the 



