Rectal Palpation 89 



walls, the examiner may recognize perivaginal abscesses of 

 lymph glands, tumors, pelvic fractures, diseases of the uri- 

 nary bladder, ureters, and other organs. In advanced preg- 

 nancy in the cow, the head of the fetus commonly lies in the 

 pelvis above the vagina, as shown in Plate I, possibly mis- 

 leading the unwary veterinarian and causing him to suspect 

 extra-uterine pregnancy. 



2. Rectal Palpation 



The palpation of the genitalia of the cow per rectum is on 

 the whole the most important part of the clinical examina- 

 tion, because it reveals such an extended list of data. The 

 essential preliminaries to rectal palpation of the genitalia 

 are that the rectum shall be empty of feces, that it shall not 

 be ballooned with drawn-in air, and that straining or tenes- 

 mus shall not be present. Some have advised emptying the 

 rectum by means of an enema, but the liquid is rarely all 

 evacuated until after the operator inserts his hand, at which 

 time the liquid feces are often forced out, causing unpleasant 

 soiling. Hess recommends inserting the hand into the anus 

 in the form of a cone, spreading the fingers apart and di- 

 lating the anal ring enough to admit some air which is com- 

 monly followed by defecation. But one must wait for a 

 time and although defecation finally occurs, quantities of 

 feces usually still remain in the rectum which must be in- 

 vaded for successful palpation. It is essential that the rec- 

 tum be emptied as far as the operator wishes to insert his 

 hand and, in the end, this must be accomplished largely by 

 the manual removal of the feces. 



The ballooning of the rectum is an annoying impediment 

 to rectal palpation, holding the examination completely in 

 abeyance so long as it persists. Rapid movements of the 

 hand, as suggested for ballooning of the vagina, frequently 

 suflice, causing the rectum to contract and expel the air.> 

 The ballooning generally involves but twelve to sixteen 

 inches of the rectum at the anal end, and the operator may 

 reach beyond into an empty section of the gut, cautiously 

 engage his fingers in the intestinal folds, and, drawing the 



