414 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



pregnant cow, and when it does occur the cyst is usually 

 very small. It is a very common condition in sterile cows 

 and is almost universal in complete adhesion of the ovary 

 within the pavilion of the oviduct or within the ovarian 

 pocket in the broad ligament. 



In the abattoir one encounters every possible degree of 

 cystic degeneration of the corpus luteum. At first there is 

 frequently a small cyst not much larger than an ordinary 

 pinhead. On the other hand, there occur cystic corpora 

 lutea in which the cysts are two to three inches or more in 

 diameter. Frequently the cystic degeneration destroys the 

 lutein tissue until there is merely a yellow band about the 

 periphery of the cyst. Sometimes the lutein tissue disap- 

 pears from all of the wall except a very small area. In other 

 cases, where the corpus luteum has been hemorrhagic, there 

 will be seen at the periphery of the cyst at one point a trace 

 of lutein tissue and at another a trace of the old hematoma. 

 Finally all traces of lutein tissue or hemorrhage disappear 

 and there is left behind a cyst that cannot be differentiated 

 structurally from that of nymphomania, though it does not 

 cause that disease. 



When examining a sterile cow clinically, one may recog- 

 nize the cystic character if the cyst occupies one-third to 

 one-half the volume of the corpus luteum. If pressure is 

 applied to the corpus luteum, the cyst ruptures and the 

 fluid escapes, after which, if the digital compression is con- 

 tinued, the lutein mass itself is pressed out and the cavity 

 feels like an empty bag. When the cystic degeneration has 

 extended to an extreme degree, the examiner merely recog- 

 nizes the cyst. It should be distinguished clinically from 

 the nymphomaniac cyst, because of the nymphomania itself. 

 It is further distinguishable in many cases by the fact that, 

 after rupturing the cyst and then applying digital compres- 

 sion to the crater, a small amount of hard tissue is detached 

 and forced out which is recognizable as the peripheral por- 

 tion of the corpus luteum. How large these cysts may grow 

 is wholly unknown. In discussing benign tumors in Chap- 

 ter XI, there have been included a number of large ovarian 



