142 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



intestinal lumen followed. The bones were expelled with the 

 faeces. The uterus was empty, its fundus thickened, but with- 

 out a cicatrix. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. — From conception until the end 

 of pregnancy nothing abnormal is noticeable in such cows. 

 Their general behavior does not differ from a normal pregnant 

 state. Graviditas abdominalis is not established with certainty 

 during life. An external examination does not reveal anything, 

 while rectal or vaginal exploration allows us to surmise this 

 abnormality. 



Therapeutics. — In cases where the air is excluded, we may 

 wait for mummification, although it is to the interest of our 

 client to slaughter the cow. The proper treatment is laparo- 

 tomy, which should not be postponed too long ; when operated 

 under proper aseptic precautions, this procedure is less formid- 

 able than is usually imagined. 



Another form of graviditas abdominalis extra uterina is 

 known as secondary foetal pregnancy, in which the first develop- 

 ment of the foetus occurred in the uterus. This may follow 

 rupture of the uterus. As a consequence, the foetus glides into 

 the abdominal cavity and dies, although the possibility exists 

 that union with many maternal placentae might be continued 

 and the foetus live (Hess). Such a rupture is mostly followed 

 by a serious haemorrhage, often causing death of the mother. 



Developments of the foetus in the ovary is tei'med gravidi- 

 tas ovarialis. The causes of this state are still rather obscure. 

 Miiller describes such a case in a cow ; the foetus having reached 

 the-age of two and one-half months. The specimen is in the 

 museum at Vicuna. Ovarian pregnancy is so rare in the cow, 

 that, considered from an obstetrical point of view, it only need 

 be discussed briefly. The same refers to graviditas tubaria ; 

 which so far has not been observed in the cow. 



Franck is of the opinion that complete development of the 

 foetus is not possible in the two last named forms, as the walls 

 are not sufficiently elastic, resulting in a rupture. Following 

 such a rupture, a secondary abdominal pregnancy, if not death 

 from internal haemorrhage, would follow. 



