296 Veterinary Medicine. 



tion or abrasion, by congenital narrowing, by weakening of the 

 oviduct through constant laying, by excessive size of the egg, by 

 double yolked eggs, by presentation of a large egg with its thick end 

 first, or by an egg with broken shell, the oviduct may be rendered 

 incapable of passing the egg on and out, and as others continue 

 to press down from above an excessive and dangerous impaction 

 ensues. The bird refuses food, mopes around with ruffled feathers 

 and drooping head, wings and tail. The region of the anus and 

 in front of it hangs downward and feels firm and solid, and the 

 oiled finger introduced into the cloaca comes in contact with the 

 impacted mass. The bird strains violently but ineffectually and 

 rubs its anus on the ground. The swelling goes on steadily and 

 rapidly increasing, and the bird becomes more prostrate and hope- 

 less. Sometimes the overdistended and congested oviduct gives 

 way and the eggs escape into the abdomen. Reul has counted as 

 many as 24 eggs that had thus escaped into the abdominal cavity. 

 Or without rupture of the oviduct, the soft eggs pack together 

 into a solid, dry, yolk-like mass, the watery parts having been 

 pressed out or absorbed. In bad cases this may weigh i J^ lb. in 

 the hen (Weber) . In the way of treatment the cloaca and oviduct 

 should be thoroughly lubricated with a bland oil, which might be 

 injected with a syringe, so as to pass it, if possible, around the 

 impacted egg or mass. By careful manipulation the egg may now 

 be brought away. If the thick end is presented it is sometimes 

 possible to turn it so that the thin end will come first. Should 

 all fail the egg may be broken and its contents together with the 

 other impacted matter may be dislodged with a looped wire or 

 small spoon. The oviduct should be lubricated for some time 

 with a bland antiseptic oil (olive oil and boric or salicylic acid). 

 In obstinate cases the abdomen and oviduct may be laid open and 

 both evacuated of any egg matter that may be present. After 

 suitable antisepsis the wounds in the oviduct and abdominal walls 

 are to be sutured. If there appears to be danger of the further 

 early descent of eggs into the weakened oviduct the ovary may 

 be removed. 



Eversion of the Oviduct. This appears at times as a result of 

 the intromission of the penis (ducks) being shown immediately 

 after copulation as a pink, lax membrane one or more inches long, 

 dragging from the anus. In other cases it appears to result from 



