TRAUMATIC LESIONS OF THE (I EXIT A L ORGANS, ETC. 611 



In all these cases, when the organ romanis in situ, the diagnosis is 

 ditticult, and generally it is only on post mortcin. examination that the 

 lesion is discovered. The moment of its occurrence may ho inferred 

 when a crotchet suddenly loses its hold, or the feet of the fa-tus pene- 

 trate the uterine walls. 



Certain clinical symptoms are often ohservcd during life, which, if they 

 were constant, niiglit lead to a suspicion of the existence of rupture. 

 Thus, the expulsive efforts are very energetic and regular up to a 

 certain period, when all at once they cease ; the animal hegins to 

 manifest symptoms of abdominal pain — lying down and getting up, 

 stamping and pawing, looking towards its flanks, moving about uneasily, 

 moaning, bellowing, neighing, or even screaming, when the rupture 

 occurs. It has been stated that the Cow opens its mouth and protrudes 

 the tongue, extends the head, and utters a moan or grunt at each ex- 

 piration, but does not strain — these symptoms being indicative of 

 uterine rupture. 



Non-perforating lacerations do not, as a rule, give rise to very marked 

 symptoms immediately; though subsequently they may produce metritis 

 or metro-peritonitis, or induce septic infection. Their presence is not 

 easily diagnosed during Ufe. 



In some few instances, the existence of complete rupture has been 

 ascertained by manual exploration of the uterus ; in others it has been 

 discovered de visit in inversion of the organ. The pulse soon becomes 

 feeble if there is much luemorrhage, and exhaustion quickly supervenes. 

 If death does not occur promptly, acute fever ensues, with symptoms of 

 peritonitis or septic infection. 



The complications attending this accident are always serious, and 

 render the prognosis unfavourable in nearly every case. When, how- 

 ever, the laceration occurs at the upper part or sides of the uterus, the 

 accident is not so grave as when the lloor of tlie organ is involved ; if 

 the OS remains closed, so as to prevent the admission of air, the prog- 

 nosis is still more favourable, though this can rarely be the case. 



The chief complications are lnemorrJioijc, hernia of the intcsti)ics, and 

 peritonitis. 



Death from direct luemorrhage is less frequent than might be antici- 

 pated, knowing the great vascularity of the uterus at parturition. This 

 infrequency is explained by the fact that bleeding from such a lacera- 

 tion is less profuse than from an incised wound of tlie same dimensions. 

 Nearly always, too, the foetus is partially or entirely expelled from the 

 uterus into the abdominal cavity, or is born immediately after the 

 accident, and the organ then may firmly contract. 



Nevertheless, in some instances, the luemorrhage is so great that a 

 fatal termination soon takes place, witli all the symptoms ah'eady 

 described at p. oTo. 



Hernia of the intestines occurs when the rent is somewhat large, and 

 the uterus, flaccid and uncontracted, allows them to enter its cavity — ■ 

 they being pushed therein by the action of the abdominal muscles. In 

 some instances the intestinal mass received into the uterus has been so 

 large that they have passed through the vagina and vulva, reached the 

 ground, and the animal has trodden upon them — thus hastening 

 death ; while in others, the hernia has been reduced and the creature 

 survived. 



Peritonitis may be primary or secondary. \Vhen primary, it is due 

 to the escape of blood, the fcetal fluids or envelopes, or the foetus itself. 



