THAl'MATIC LESIDXS OF THE (IKXITAL OliUAXS, ETC 6i:{ 



to take its chance, and get rid of the foetus as in extra-uterine footation, 

 shoulil it survive the accident. 



Rupture of the Uterus after Parturition. 



Rupture of the uterus after parturition generally complicates inver- 

 sion of the organ, and is due to mechanical injury either on the part 

 of amateurs, or even of the veterinary surgeon, when endeavouring to 

 replace it ; sometimes it is produced by the animal itself, or by other 

 animals when the prolapsed organ gets in their way. In some instances 

 it has been caused by the jagged bones of the fujtus in embryotomy, 

 and in others by pessaries introduced into the genital canal to retain 

 the inverted organ. 



In such instances the diagnosis is easy ; for if the uterus is still 

 inverted the rent is visible, and its dimensions, situation, and gravity 

 can be taken into account. 



It is somewhat remarkable that laceration or rupture of the extruded 

 organ is much less serious than the same amount of injury to the 

 uterus in situ, and it would appear that in inversion there is the 

 greatest tolerance of the most serious lesions. Why this should be 

 has not been explained; but the fact is nevertheless patent, that in 

 very many instances, when reposition of the uterus has been effected, 

 the rupture has readily cicatrised, and union has been so complete and 

 substantial that the animals have afterwards been successfully bred 

 from. 



Some autiiorities have closed the rent by suture ; but very many 

 have not, and the termination has been as favourable in the one series 

 of cases as the other. Unless the rupture is in the lower wall of the 

 uterus, sutures are at least supertluous. 



Beyond the measures for reduction of the inversion, and the necessary 

 antiseptic after-treatment, little more has to be observed. \Vhen the 

 rupture is serious in inversion, and grave results are to be apprehended 

 should the uterus be returned, then it may be advisable to amputate 

 the organ. This may be accomplished in the manner already indicated. 



II. — Laceration and Rupture of the Vagina. 



Lacerations and rupture of the vagina are not at all infrequent in the 

 larger domesticated animals, and they are generally as serious as those 

 of the uterus. They may occur during copulation, as well as in parturi- 

 tion ; but they are more common in the latter. TriHing laceration of 

 the vagina and vulva is often observed in primiparu-, or those animals 

 in which the soft parturient passages are narrow or rigid^ 



The injury may be either sj)0)itniieons or accidental. The accidental 

 injuries are those produced artificially during assisted labour, and are 

 due either to the instruments employed — hooks, forceps, knives, etc., 

 the hand or the nails of the fingers of the obstetrist, the sharp exposed 

 bones of the foetus when embryotomy has been practised, or from some 

 salient part of the young creature during the uterine contractions. In 

 the latter case, the feet generally cause the laceration or rupture. 

 Deformity of the pelvis, or roughened nodules of bone in the vicinity of 

 the genital canal, may also lead to serious lesions of the vagina. 



When the lesion occurs in what we may call a "spontaneous manner," 

 it happens either that the vagina is lacerated along with the uterus, 



