Sequela of Crushing the Ovaries. 217 



their normal health. Evidently, fatal hemorrhage may also ac- 

 company more or less extensive lacerations of the rectum. 



In one cow we ruptured by compression on two occasions, 

 April and August, 1906, what we believed to be thick-walled ab- 

 scesses the .size of a hen's egg in the right ovary, which was fol- 

 lowed in each case 24 hours after operation by symptoms of se- 

 vere peritonitis, which persisted for 14 days, so that our view 

 was supported that in this case we were not dealing with a cyst, 

 but with an ovarian abscess. 



With a view to prophylaxis of fatal hemorrhage, we believe the 

 chief danger lies in too hasty, too careless operations, and in 

 a too loose generalization of cases. If, therefore, each case is 

 judiciously considered separately, as is undeniably demanded, 

 there is no fear of after-hemorrhage. The careful, experienced 

 practitioner will find cases of diseased ovaries which it is injudi- 

 cious to handle. 



From a prophylactic standpoint, it is desirable, in all those cases 

 where it is not perfectly certain that it is a cyst which is being 

 ruptured, that digital compression should be applied to the ovary 

 for 10 to 20 minutes after the operation, or, this being impractic- 

 able, the compression may be applied per rectum or per vaginam 

 to the ovarian artery, which lies just beyond the apex of the 

 uterine cornua. While the after-compression carried out per 

 rectum has the disadvantage of being rendered difiScult by the 

 straining, and is more certain, reliable and easier per vaginam, 

 either is efficient and trustworthy. In addition, the owner or 

 milker should keep the patient under observation, whether day 

 or night, for some fifteen hours after operation. 



