88 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



The walls of the vagina are physiologically soft, pliable, 

 and thin, but this is largely comparative which the examiner 

 must learn to appreciate by clinical study. In severe granu- 

 lar venereal disease and in other chronic inflammatory con- 

 ditions, the mucosa and entire walls become thickened and 

 hard. In the acute vesicular venereal disease the vulva and 

 vagina become highly sensitive and exceedingly painful to 

 the touch. 



In order that these variations in the vaginal walls may be 

 recognized by palpation, it is essential that the organ be 

 flaccid. ' It is impossible to determine clearly the state of 

 the vaginal walls while the patient is straining violently. 

 A still greater impediment to palpation of the vaginal walls 

 is the ballooning or inflation of the vagina with air. During 

 inspiration, if the vulva, the anus, or the cervical canal is 

 open, air may be drawn into the vagina, rectum, or uterine 

 cavity respectively, and the involved organ become greatly 

 inflated like a balloon. These inflations appear to be wholly 

 involuntary, but the tendency for them to occur varies 

 greatly in individuals. Once the vagina becomes inflated, 

 the ballooned organ completely fills the pelvis ; the walls are 

 hard and firm ; and, except for the rectum above, lie in imme- 

 diate contact everywhere with the pelvis. The condition of 

 the vaginal walls and of the surrounding tissues or organs 

 cannot be determined by palpation through this tightly 

 stretched, firm, unyielding structure. Sometimes, by mov- 

 ing the hand rapidly and vigorously from side to side and 

 slapping the tense walls, the cow or mare may be induced to 

 contract the vagina and expel the air. If the cervix is seized 

 with forceps and drawn backward, the vaginal cavity is 

 largely eliminated and the air forced out. The air may be 

 forced out of the vagina by exerting manual pressure upon 

 the ballooned organ from the rectum. In many cases the 

 evacuation of the air from the vagina is none too readily ac- 

 complished, but it must be done before the palpation of the 

 vagina and perivaginal structures can be accomplished. The 

 veterinarian must, therefore, be patient and persevere until 

 his object has been attained. Through the flaccid vaginal 



