126 DISEASES OP CATTLE. 



extended and widely parted, and the baek is arched as if to urinate, 

 but the effort is vain. If the oiled hand is introduced into the rectum 

 or vagina in the early stages of the affection, the bladder may be felt 

 beneath partially filled, but not overdistended with liquid, and its neck 

 or mouth firm and rigid. In the more advanced stages of the affection 

 the organ is felt as a great, tense, elastic bag, extending forward into 

 the abdomen. In this condition the overdistended muscular coat of 

 the bladder has lost its power of contraction, so that true paralysis has 

 set in, the muscle closing the mouth, of the sack alone retaining its 

 contractile power. 



In paralysis of the body of the bladder attention is rarely drawn to 

 the urinary disorder until the bladder has been distended to full reple- 

 tion and is almost ready to give way by rupture and to allow the 

 escape of the contained liquid into the abdomen. Overdistention is 

 the most common cause of the paralysis, yet it may occur from inflam- 

 mation of the muscular wall of the bladder, or even from injury to 

 the terminal part of the spinal marrow. In this last condition, how- 

 ever, the tail is likely to be powerless, and the neck of the bladder 

 may also be paralyzed, so that the urine dribbles away continuously. 



Causes. — Among the causes of spasm of the neck of the bladder may 

 be named the lodgment of small stones or gravel, the feeding on irri- 

 tant diuretics (see " Bloody urine, or nephritis"), the enforced reten- 

 tion of urine while at work or during a painful or difficult parturition. 

 The irritation attendant on inflammation of the mucous membrane 

 of the bladder may be a further cause of spasm of the neck, as may 

 also be inflammation of the channel (urethra) back of the neck. Exten- 

 sive applications of Spanish flies to the skin, the abuse of diuretics, 

 and the occurrence of indigestion and spasms of the bowels are 

 further causes. So long as spasmodic colic is unrelieved, retention of 

 water from spasm of the neck of the bladder usually persists. 



Treatment. — Treatment will depend largely on the cause. In indiges- 

 tion the irritant contents of the bowels must be got rid of by laxatives 

 and injections of war m water ; Spanish-fly blisters must be washed from 

 the surface ; a prolonged and too active exertion must be intermitted. 

 The spasm may be relaxed by injecting one-half ounce solid extract 

 of belladonna in water into the rectum or by a solution of tobacco. 

 Chloroform or ether may be given by inhalation, or chloral hydrate (1 

 ounce) may be given in water by the mouth. Fomentations of warm 

 water may be made over the loins and between the thighs, and the 

 oiled hand inserted into the rectum may press moderately on the 

 anterior part of the bladder, which can be felt as an elastic fluctuat- 

 ing bag of an oval shape just beneath. 



All other measures failing, the liquid must be drawn off through a 

 tube (catheter). This is, however, exceedingly difficult, alike in male 

 and female, and we can not expect an amateur to succeed in accom- 

 plishing it. In the cow the opening into the bladder is found in the 



