73 
It is advisable to begin the treatment of sterility as soon 
as possible after the last parturition, as it is then less diffi- 
cult to effect a cure. In old cases careful and often repeat- 
ed treatment is necessary to limit the secretion and to make 
the uterus normal again. The eventual pregnancy depends 
on the condition of the cervical canal, whether it be passable 
or not, and of the uterus mucosa, whether it be capable of 
complying with the needs of the ovum. The majority of 
old metritis cases is incurable, or if not the treatment would 
demand so much time and labor that only very expensive 
animals would be worth it. 
.Fig, 21—Sterilizer. 
The treatment of the uterus demands the most painstak- 
ing cleanliness, as there is always a danger of infection. The 
surgeon has to have clean hands and instruments; especially 
the latter may transmit the infectious material. They have 
therefore to be sterilized after each single case, which may 
be easily done in sterilizer I am using (See Fig. 21). 
It is remarkable how little the animals are disturbed by 
the treatment and how negligible the eventual complications 
are, provided that a careful technique is employed. The in- 
sertion of the instruments in the cervix does not produce any 
pain, nor is there a disagreeable reaction to the strain of the 
ligaments when the cervix is drawn into the vagina. The 
