318 MATERNAL UYSTOKIA. 



Leconte as always present in torsion ; but this is an error, as such a 

 lesion is found to be exceedingly rare after death. But rupture of 

 either or both of these important suspensory bands may take place 

 when pregnancy has well advanced, and there is a severe strain upon 

 them. Then it can be readily understood how the uterus, rolling about 

 among the digestive viscera and mainly retained b)^ the cervix and 

 vagina, may twist and twine on itself, and thus effectually occlude the 



OS. 



Torsion of the uterus has been witnessed by Pouchy, subsequent to a 

 birth in \vhich there was eversion of the vagina and uterus. 



In all likehhood, the stretching of the broad hgaments, through 

 repeated pregnancies, predisposes to it ; though this cannot be the sole 

 cause, as torsion is often met with in primiparae. 



Displacement of the uterus by the pressure of a diseased kidney has 

 been recorded by Eueff. The kidney was of great size, and weighed 

 more than thirty-three pounds. 



Sijmptoms. 



"We have stated that this accident always takes place towards the 

 termination of pregnancy- — from the eighth to the ninth month. But 

 Wegerer, Benzie, and other veterinarians, assert that they have 

 witnessed it so early as the fifth month. Without disputing the 

 correctness of their observations, it must be admitted that, during the 

 early periods of gestation, the means by which the uterus is retained in 

 its situation are sufficiently powerful to prevent any displacement of 

 this kind ; and that it can only be at a late period, when the foetus is 

 fully developed, and, with its membranes, has attained its maximum 

 size and weight — so far as uterine life is concerned, that such an occur- 

 rence is likely. And the existence of torsion is generally only dis- 

 covered when the time for the expulsion of the foetus has arrived ; 

 though it has been said that parturition takes place earlier when torsion 

 is present. 



As a rule there is no particular indication of inconvenience or suffer- 

 ing at the moment when torsion of the uterus has taken place, if it has 

 occurred before parturition ; and it would appear that gestation may go 

 on to its termination without any appreciable symptoms being noted, or 

 anything like functional disturbance observed. 



JEven in the initial stage of parturition, when enlargement of the 

 iidder, sinking of the croup, swelling and dilatation of the vulva, etc., 

 have become manifest, there is no sign w^hich can be relied upon to 

 prove the existence of torsion. Only in some instances it has been 

 remarked that the tumefaction of the vulva is not so great as in ordinary 

 cases, and that it remains dry, and appears to be buried more deeply 

 between the ischial tuberosities. 



Occasionally some difficulty in micturition is observed before partu- 

 rition, should torsion have occurred — the urine escaping only in small 

 quantity at a time ; or there may be total suppression. This interfer- 

 ence with the discharge of the urine is due to the compression the 

 bladder experiences from one of the twists in the uterus. 



The fii'st labour pains, which soon appear, are usually feeble, and are 

 separated by a comparatively long interval of quiet, during which the 

 animal appears to be nothing amiss. Nevertheless, as time goes on, 

 symptoms of colic are evinced now and again, and though the labour 



