598 



ACCIDENTS AFTER PARTVPdTION. 



Lund's plate, which, much diminished in size and made of a piece of 

 strong iron wire, might be serviceable for the Ewe, Sow, Goat, or large 

 Bitch. For small animals Eainard recommends a bandage made by 

 folding a piece of strong cloth in a triangular manner. The base of 

 this triangle lies over the loins, is carried down the flanks to beneath 

 the abdomen, where the corners are tied; the apex of the triangle is 

 passed over the croup and vulva — a hole being made for the tail to 

 pass through and another for the anus — brought between the hind-legs, 

 and either by means of tapes attached to it, or, if sufficiently long, by 

 splitting up the end to a short distance so as to make two strips of it, 

 fastening the piece to the ends already tied beneath the belly. 



It must be acknowledged that these trusses, no matter how skilfully 

 they may be contrived or however well they may be adjusted, will not 



Fig. 219. 

 LuNu's Truss applied. 



hinder vaginal inversion of the uterus ; all they can do is to prevent 

 the organ from being suddenly protruded beyond the vulva again, and 

 so exposed to the air and the irritating effects of extraneous matters 

 before it can be returned once more. This alone, however, is an im- 

 portant object achieved, and is a great step towards permanent reten- 

 tion. Besides, by maintaining the labia of the vulva in close apposition, 

 the truss, if well applied, prevents the admission of air into the genital 

 canal, and thus does away with one source of irritation. And as the 

 apparatus does not cause any pain or inconvenience to the animal, it 

 is to be preferred to any other means for retaining the uterus. 



With regard to the best kind of bandage, this is of secondary im- 

 portance to its proper application. Simplicity and efficiency are the 

 desiderata, and these will be found, we believe, in the trusses we have 

 described, and particularly in those of Eenault and Lund. 



If reposition of the uterus is properly effected and the truss well 



