178 



simple laceration of the anus is easily sewed up, but the ends of the 

 muscular fibers do not reunite and the control over the lower bowel is 

 never fully re-acquired. The successful stitching up of the wound com- 

 municating with the bladder or the rectum requires unusual skill and 

 care, and though I have succeeded in a case of the latter kind, I can 

 not advise the attem^it by unprofessional persons. 



BLOOD CLOTS IN THE WALLS OF THE VAGINA. 



See *' Obstructions to parturition." 



INFLAMMATION OF THE "WOMB AND PERITONEUM. 



These may result from injuries sustained by the womb during or 

 after parturition, from exposure to cold or wet, or from the irritant ac- 

 tion of putrid products within the womb. Under the inflammation the 

 womb remains dilated and flaccid, and decomposition of its secretions 

 almost always occurs, so that the inflammation tends to assume a putrid 

 character and general septic infection is likely to occur. 



The symptoms are ushered in by shivering, staring coat, small rapid 

 pulse, elevated temperature, accelerated breathing, inapx)etence, with 

 arched back, stiff movement of the body, looking back at the flanks, 

 and uneasy motions of the hind limbs, discharge from the vulva of a 

 liquid at first watery, reddish, or yellowish, and later it may be whitish 

 or glairy, and fetid or not in different cases. Tenderness of the abdo- 

 men shown on pressure is especially characteristic of cases affecting 

 the peritoneum or lining of the belly, and is more marked lower down. 

 If the animal survives, the inflammation tends to become chronic and 

 attended by a whitish mucopurulent discharge. If, on the contrary, 

 it proves fatal, death is preceded by extreme i)rostration and weakness 

 from the general septic poisoning. 



In treatment the first thing to be sought is the removal of all offen- 

 sive and irritant matters from the womb through a caoutchouc tube in- 

 troduced into the womb, and into which a funnel is fitted. Warm water 

 should be passed until it comes away clear. To insure that all of the 

 womb has been washed out, the oiled hand may be introduced to carry 

 the end of the tube into the two horns successively. When the offen- 

 sive contents have been thus removed, the womb should be injected 

 with a quart of water holding in solution one-half ounce permanganate 

 of potash, or, in the absence of the latter, two teaspooufuls of carbojic 

 acid. Eepeat twice daily. Fomentation of the abdomen, or the appli- 

 cation of a warm flax-seed poultice, may greatly relieve. Acetanilid, 

 in doses of half an ounce, repeated twice or thrice a day, or sulphate 

 of quinia in doses of one-third ounce, may be employed to reduce the 

 fever. If the great prostration indicates septic iwisouing large doses 

 (one-half ounce) bisulphite of soda, or salicylate of soda may be re- 

 sorted to. 



