THAi'MATIC LESIONS OF THK HEXITAL (>/i(;.L\S, ETC. t)15 



been allowed to remain in the genital canal, especially during hot 

 weather. Wounds or lacerations of the tloor of the vagina are generally 

 more serious than those on the roof or sides, for the reasons mentioned 

 with regard to rupture of the uterus. And even wounds, or rupture of 

 the sides or roof of the caiuil, are much more serious than the incisions 

 made through its walls in ovariotomy, owing to the presence during 

 parturition and the puerperal state of fluids which may quickly become, 

 or are already, putrescent. 



Hiemonhiujc is generally not so much to be dreaded as in lacerations 

 of the uterus ; though occasionally it may be so serious as to endanger 

 the life of the animal. 



Hernia of the intestine occurs when perforation of the vaginal wall 

 near the cervix is complete, and the peritoneal cavity is opened. This 

 is a serious complication, as is also licniia of tlic bladder, which may 

 happen when the rent is adjacent to that viscus ; though sometimes it 

 is deemed a fortunate circumstance that cystocele is present, as the 

 bladder effectually closes the rupture in the vagina, and thus prevents 

 the escape of the lochial and other fluids into the abdominal cavity. 



Vaginal fistula, due to perforation, has been described. The single 

 opening is on the floor or at the side of the vagina ; an exploration by 

 the linger proves that the canal runs in an oblique direction, and does 

 not communicate with the bladder or rectum. It contains a quantity 

 of thick yellow pus which flows intermittently from the vulva, and might 

 lead to tlie supposition that the case was one of vaginal catarrh. 

 Cagny, who gives this description, says it is readily cured by tearing the 

 superficial wall of the fistula with the finger, so as to convert it into a 

 simple wound which needs no further attention. It might be well, 

 however, to apply an antiseptic dressing until cicatrization was well 

 advanced. 



Peritonitis and pelvic cellulitis are also very serious complications of 

 laceration, and are a consequence either of the extension of vaginal 

 inflammation to the neighbouring tissues, or the escape of septic matters 

 or inflammatory products into the pelvic connective tissue or the peri- 

 toneal cavity. 



It will be observed that, if extensive laceration of the vagina does 

 not produce rapid death, there are other grave dangers to be appre- 

 hended from either present or subsequent complications. The inflamma- 

 tion of the vagina and submucous tissues, with suppuration and partial 

 gangrene, may lead to the formation of fistulic, or even of wide-spread 

 destruction of the soft parts in the i)('lvic cavity, which sooner or later 

 induces a fatal termination. Should this not occur, and some of the 

 neighbouring organs have been injured at the same time as the vagina, 

 then there may be such important damage intlicted as to render the 

 animal nearly valueless. Some of these injuries will be alluded to 

 presently. 



The si/mpt&ins of injury to the vagina and neighbouring organs will, 

 of course, vary with their nature and extent. 



Much constitutional disturbance is generally only manifested when 

 the lesions are serious, or when septic infection has taken place. Small 

 rents may not give rise to any perceptible derangement, except perhaps 

 a little fever and tumefaction ; hut if they extend deeply into the con- 

 nective tissue, then acute fever, infiltration, and other grave symptoms 

 may supervene. 



