Puerperal Diseases of the Uterus 549 



viscera upon the paralyzed distended uterus. Thus invol- 

 untary discharges of large volumes of scarlet-gray exudate 

 are observed frequently behind recumbent cov^^s which 

 otherwise appear well. Upon rectal palpation the uterus of 

 such a cow is enlarged, atonic and flabby. Whatever the 

 amount of exudate present, the walls of the uterus are not 

 ordinarily stretched, but lie dormant and powerless. If the 

 uterine cavity is douched, there may be siphoned or washed 

 out a variable quantity of scarlet exudate. 



In the abattoir endometritis of the type described is com- 

 mon. Apparently dairymen and breeders frequently dis- 

 card females which have recently aborted, owing to the com- 

 mon theory that a cow or heifer which has aborted because 

 of intra-uterine infection should be isolated in order to pre- 

 vent the "spread of contagious abortion" to other pregnant 

 females in the same herd, which already have in large 

 measure the same infections in their uteri. Every grade of 

 endometritis is seen. When of an aggravated degree, it is 

 officially designated "recent parturition" and the carcass is 

 condemned by the inspectors, but as a matter of fact it is 

 not a consequence of recent physiologic parturition. The 

 uterus in these cases is readily recognized by external ap- 

 pearances. It varies from twenty-four to sixty or more 

 inches in length along its convex (free) border, and trans- 

 versely from three to eight or ten inches at the base of the 

 recently gravid horn. The uterus is flat, collapsed, thin- 

 walled, and flabby. It collapses from side to side : that is, 

 it collapses like an empty bag with the line of attachment of 

 the mesometrium, or broad ligament of the uterus, and the 

 convex, free border serving as the two margins of the flat- 

 tened tube. The exterior of the uterus shows scarlet or red 

 vascular lines, and here and there numerous bright red 

 hemorrhages beneath the peritoneum. When incised, the 

 uterine cavity is found to contain variable quantities of 

 bright red exudate mixed with pus and placental debris of 

 a dirty grayish-yellow color, which as a rule is not fetid but 

 has a faintly sweetish odor. 



