398 Diseases of the Genital Orgafis 



There is such a distinct modification in the voice that it can 

 scarcely be distinguished from that of a bull. The female 

 appears to be in estrum of an exaggerated type. She will 

 mount other cows whenever opportunity offers and, when 

 free with other cows which are in estrum, she will ordinarily 

 permit them to mount her. As a rule she will copulate at 

 any time with the bull, but there are notable exceptions. 

 Although the animal shows every evidence of an erratic 

 estrum, in some cases she will not copulate. The manifesta- 

 tion of the erratic sex desire is not confined to other cows or 

 to the bull. The nymphomaniac cow may mount any animal, 

 or for that matter man, if he is not on his guard. In some 

 cases, cows kept in stalls with low partitions will mount the 

 partition. 



After the disease has progressed for a time, usually not 

 more than a few weeks, notable changes take place in the 

 pelvic ligaments. The postero-superior border of the sacro- 

 sciatic ligament, where it passes from the tuberosity of the 

 ischium upward and forward to the sacrum, becomes re- 

 laxed, soft and flaccid. The broad expanse of the ligament 

 suffers similarly and sinks into the pelvis, so that the gluteal 

 muscles drop inward toward the median line of the cavity, 

 causing a deep excavation. The relaxation of the ligaments 

 causes marked deformation of the pelvis : the tuberosity of 

 the ischium becomes elevated and the tuberosity of the ilium 

 depressed. The sacrum participates in this change of posi- 

 tion. Its caudal end becomes greatly elevated and its lum- 

 bar end depressed. The result is a sharp depression at the 

 sacro-lumbar articulation, with a very marked elevation of 

 the caudal end of the sacrum. The intei"osseous ligaments 

 between the ilium and sacrum share in the relaxation, so 

 that the sacro-ilial articulation is relaxed. This results in 

 an uncertain, rolling or wobbling gait. If one stands near 

 the animal when she is walking, he will now and then hear 

 a loud grating sound caused by the slipping of "the ilium 

 upon the sacrum, which may be heard with considerable 

 uniformity if the external tuberosities of the ilium are 

 grasped and the rump of the cow is pushed back and forth. 



