Uterine Infections 453 



to cystic changes in remnants of the Wolffian bodies. Since clinically 

 these small cysts may closely resemble hydrosalpinx, they should be 

 examined with very great care. So far as I know, they are never of 

 any consequence in the cow, although in the mare they may become 

 very large and interfere in a variety of ways with the physical well- 

 being of the animal, as already related in Chapter XI. 



^ C. Uterine Infections 



1. The Diseases of the Uterus of the Heifer Calf and 



Virgin Heifer 



A. Intra- Uterine Infection and Endometritis 

 Numerous heifers, arriving at breeding age, are found to 

 be absolutely sterile. In many of these cases it is impossible 

 to determine the date of invasion. Sometimes, where the 

 records are defective, conception may have occurred and 

 abortion has followed early, though the embryo was not of 

 sufficient size to be recognized. Sometimes, probably, the 

 embryo has not been expelled, but has broken down and has 

 been absorbed. Sometimes the infection may have been 

 transmitted to the heifer by the bull in coitus. In any of 

 these cases the fundamental clinical fact is that, so far as 

 can be seen, the heifer is sterile when she reaches the age 

 for breeding. Upon examining such an animal, little may 

 be found clinically to indicate the character of the disease. 

 The genital organs appear normal upon palpation. Upon 

 post-mortem examination of such animals, the uterus, as 

 well as the oviducts, which have already been discussed, is 

 found to contain infection, and histologic changes have oc- 

 curred in the genital mucosa. If the heifer is kept over a 

 long period of time and repeatedly bred to the bull, lesions 

 gradually develop which are clinically recognizable. The 

 first of these is an enlargement and atony of the uterus, as 

 shown in Fig. 162, testifying to the existence of endometri- 

 tis. Clinical examination generally reveals also the pres- 

 ence of cervicitis with thickening and sclerosis of the annu- 

 lar mucous folds of the cervix. These deform and press 

 aside the cervical canal so that it is difficult to pass a sound 



