182 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
At the natural period of parturition preparations are apparently 
made for that act. The vulva swells and discharges much mucus, the 
udder enlarges, the belly becomes more pendent, and the animal 
strains more or less. No progress is made, however; there is not 
even opening of the neck of the womb, and after a time the symptoms 
subside. The mare usually refuses the male, yet there are exceptions 
to this rule. If the neck of the womb has been opened and putrefy- 
ing changes in its contents have set in, the mare loses appetite and 
condition, pines, discharges an offensive matter from the generative 
passages, and dies of inflammation of the womb and putrid infection. 
In other cases there is a slow wearing out of the strength, and she 
finally dies of exhaustion. 
The treatment is such as will facilitate the expulsion of the fetus 
and its membranes and the subsequent washing out of the womb with 
disinfectants. So long as the mouth of the womb is closed time 
should be allowed for its natural dilatation, but if this does not come 
about after a day or two of straining, the opening may be smeared 
with extract of belladonna, and the oiled hand, with the fingers and 
thumb drawn into the form of a cone, may be inserted by slow oscil- 
lating movements into the interior of the womb. The water bags 
may now be ruptured, any malpresentation rectified (see “ Difficult 
parturition”), and delivery effected. After removal of the mem- 
branes wash out the womb first with tepid water and then with a solu- 
tion of 2 ounces of borax in half a gallon of water. 
This injection may have to be repeated if a discharge sets in. The 
same course may be pursued even after prolonged retention. If the 
soft parts of the fetus have been absorbed and the bones only left, 
these must be carefully sought for and removed, and subsequent daily 
injections will be required for some time. In such cases, too, a course 
of iron tonics (sulphate of iron, 2 drams daily) will be highly bene- 
ficial in restoring health and vigor. 
ABORTION. 
’ 
Abortion is, strictly speaking, the expulsion of the impregnated 
ovum at any period from the date of impregnation until the foal can 
survive out of the womb. If the foal is advanced enough to live, it 
is premature parturition, and in the mare this may occur as early as 
the tenth month (three hundredth day). 
The mare may abort by reason of almost any cause that very pro- 
foundly disturbs the system; hence, very violent inflammations of 
important internal organs (bowels, kidneys, bladder, lungs) may in- 
duce abortion. Profuse diarrhea, whether occurring from the reck- 
less use of purgatives, the consumption of irritants in the feed, or a 
simple indigestion, is an effective cause. No less so is acute indiges- 
tion with evolution of gas in the intestines (bloating). The presence 
