46 VETERINARY OBSTETRICS. 



nourishment much in the same way as in the uterus^ 

 the blood-vessels in the neighborhood becoming 

 enlarged to accommodate the new growth. 



In abdominal gestation, the foetus may undergo 

 mummification, becoming dried up, and remaining 

 attached to the abdomen for an indefinite period. la 

 other varieties, the foetus undergoes decomposition,, 

 and may destroy the parent by septicaemia, or may 

 destroy the abdominal wall and escape, the wound 

 ultimately healing and leaving a fistula, or causing a 

 hernia. 



In ovarian gestation, after development has gone 

 on for some time, the mass falls into the abdominal 

 cavity, the parent as a rule dying from hemorrhage 

 from the large vessels in the neighborhood of the 

 ovaries. 



Spurious Pregnancy. 



This is a disease which is at times seen in the 

 human subject, and may be due to pathological, or 

 other conditions ; but, when seen in the lower animals^ 

 it is generally the result of the former. The history 

 usually is, that the animal is believed to be pregnant, 

 but at some time during the period of gestation it 

 gives birth to a cyst, or irregular hollow mass, con- 

 taining a quantity of fluid, degenerated tissues, some- 

 times portions of teeth, partially formed bones, etc. 

 This cyst, as a rule, is floating in a quantity of 

 serous-looking fluid having a disagreeable odor. It 

 has attachment to, and draws its nourishment from, 

 some part of the abdominal and uterine walls. The 



