DISEASES OP THE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 173 



hocks as well as backward. The natural curvature of both fetus and 

 passages is thus followed, and the extraction rendered easier. 



LABOR PAINS BEFORE RELAXATION OP THE PASSAGES. 



Any of the various causes of abortion may bring on labor pains 

 before the time. Straining comes on days or weeks before the time, 

 and there is not the usual enlargement, swelling, and mucous dis- 

 charge from the vulva. There is little or no falling in by the sides 

 of the root of the tail; the abdomen has not dropped to the usual 

 extent, and the udder is less developed and yields little or no milk. 

 In spite of the pains no water bags appear, and the oiled hand cau- 

 tiously introduced into the vagina finds the neck of the womb firmly 

 closed, rigid, and undilatable. If it is known that the cow has not 

 reached her proper time of calving, the examination through the 

 vagina should be omitted and the animal should be placed in a dark, 

 quiet place by herself, and be given 1 to 2 ounces laudanum. Vibur- 

 num prunifolium, 1 ounce, may be added, if necessary, and repeated 

 in three hours. The pains will usually subside. 



In some instances the external parts are relaxed and duly prepared, 

 but the neck of the womb remains rigidly closed. In such a case the 

 solid extract of belladonna should be smeared around the constricted 

 opening and the animal left quiet until it relaxes. 



DISEASED INDURATION OP THE MOUTH OP THE "WOMB. 



From previous lacerations or other injuries the neck of the womb 

 may have become the seat of fibrous hardening and constriction, so as 

 to prevent its dilatation when all other parts are fully prepared for 

 calving. The enlarged, flabby vulva, the sinking at each side of the 

 rump, the full udder and drooping abdomen indicate the proper time 

 for calving, but the labor pains secure no progress in the dilatation of 

 the mouth of the womb, and the oiled hand introduced detects the 

 rigid, hard, and, in some cases, nodular feeling of the margins of the 

 closed orifice, which no application of belladonna or other antispas- 

 modic suffices to relax. Sponge tents may be inserted or the mechan- 

 ical dilator (PI. XX, fig. 6) may be used if there is opening enough to 

 admit it, and if not, a narrow-bladed probe-pointed knife (PI. XXIV, 

 fig. 2) may be passed through the orifice and turned upward, down- 

 ward, and to each side, cutting to a depth not exceeding a quarter of 

 an inch in each case. This done, a finger may be inserted, then two, 

 three, and four, and finally all four fingers and thumb brought 

 together in the form of a cone and made to push in with rotary motion 

 until the whole hand can be introduced. After this the labor pains 

 will induce further dilatation, and finally the presenting members of 

 the calf will complete the process. 



