466 BOVINE PATHOLOGY. 



and occasionally perhaps from abortion, or exposure 

 when the animal is heated. It is not very frequent 

 nor urgent, but during its course there may be false 

 pains, and usually the products of inflammatory action 

 accumulate in the cavity and so cause distension. Thus 

 this disorder leads to dropsy of the uterus, but sometimes 

 the products pass off as a continuous discharge. In some 

 cases the lining membrane is much disorganised by 

 ulceration, there is then frequent straining and rapid 

 loss of flesh. In cases of protracted labour the discharges 

 from the generative passages become acrid and may cause 

 endometritis by retention. This acridity is proved by the 

 ectkymatous disease which so frequently affects the arms 

 of veterinary ohstetristsj and which is fully described by 

 Professor Gamgee in the ' Edinburgh Veterinary Review,^' 

 vol. i, p. 23, where a beautiful illustration of the affected 

 arm of the professor is also given. Endometritis must be 

 treated by antiseptic injections and careful nursing. 

 When it occurs during pregnancy, separation of the fcetal 

 membranes from the lining of the uterus will cause 

 death of the foetus in some cases. Inflammation of the 

 muscular coat of the uterus without the other layers being 

 affected is seldom or never seen, 



Meteo-Peritonitis or Puerperal Peritonitis (Barlow). — 

 We have already alluded to septicaemia in general, and 

 noted that it especially occurs in connection with partu- 

 rition and its accidents. The substance of the womb 

 being inflamed, the peritoneum generally is involved, and 

 the diseased action spreads remarkably rapidly, and in- 

 volves a considerable extent of surface. Cases of this 

 kind used to be confounded with true parturient apoplexy, 

 but are now diagnosed with certainty since the symptoms 

 differ in many important particulars. Thus together with 

 the general signs of disorder succeeded by those of fever, 

 there is found a peculiarly hard quick pulse, which also 

 is frequent. The respirations as the disease progresses 

 becomes quickened, frequent, and often thoracic. There 

 is straining and the passage of a chocolate-coloured fluid 

 through the vulval opening, and the lining membrane of 



