178 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
been clearly traced to the concentration of the mother’s mind on cor- 
responding injured organs in herself. Sire and dam alike tend to 
reproduce their individual defects which predispose to disease, but 
the dam is far more liable to perpetuate the evil in her progeny which 
was carried while she was individually enduring severe suffering 
caused by such defects. Hence, an active bone spavin or ringbone, 
causing lameness, is more objectionable than that in which the in- 
flammation and lameness have both passed, and an active ophthalmia 
is more to be feared than even an old cataract. For this reason all 
active diseases in the breeding mare should be soothed and abated 
as early as possible. . 
EXTRA-UTERINE GESTATION. 
It is rare in the domestic animals to find the fetus developed else- 
where than in the womb. The exceptional forms are those in which 
the sperm of the male, making its way through the womb and Fallo- 
pian tubes, impregnates the ovum prior to its escape, and in which 
the now vitalized and growing ovum, by reason of its gradually in- 
creasing size, becomes imprisoned and fails to escape into the womb. 
The arrest of the ovum may be in the substance of the ovary itself 
(ovarian pregnancy), in the Fallopian tube (tubal pregnancy), or 
when by its continuous enlargement it has ruptured its envelopes so 
that it escapes into the cavity of the abdomen, it may become attached 
to any part of the serous membrane and draw its nourishment di- 
rectly from that (abdominal pregnancy). In all such cases there is 
an increase and enlargement of the capillary blood vessels at the 
point to which the embryo has attached itself so as‘to furnish the 
needful nutriment for the growing offspring. 
All appreciable symptoms are absent, unless from the death of the 
fetus, or its interference with normal functions, general disorder and 
indications of parturition supervene. If these occur later than the 
natural time for parturition, they are the more significant. There 
may be general malaise, loss of appetite, elevated temperature, acceler- 
ated pulse, with or without distinct labor pains. Examination with 
the oiled hand in the rectum will reveal the womb of the natural, 
unimpregnated size and shape and with both horns of one size. Fur- 
ther exploration may detect an elastic mass apart from the womb, in 
the interior of which may be felt the characteristic solid body of the 
fetus. If the latter is still alive and can be stimulated to move, the 
evidence is even more perfect. The fetus may die and be carried 
for years, its soft structures becoming absorbed so as to leave only the 
bones, or by pressure it may form a fistulous opening through the 
abdominal walls, or less frequently through the vagina or rectum. In 
the latter cases the best course is to favor the expulsion of the foal and 
to wash out the resulting cavity with a solution of carbolic acid 1 part 
