372 Veterinary Obstetrics 



movements of the organ. In themselves, the ligaments would not 

 suffice to sustain the weight of the gravid uterus, but they per- 

 form an important ofBce in tending to keep the uterus in its nor- 

 mal direction along the abdominal floor. It should be constantly 

 borne in mind, however, that the parietal attachments of the 

 broad ligaments do not change during pregnancy and neither 

 advance nor retreat. It is also to be noted that the gravid uterus 

 grows forward constantly and advances beyond the anterior attach- 

 ment of the broad ligaments to the abdominal walls, and that it 

 is because of this that torsion of the uterus can occur. 



The sensibility of the uterus is increased, presumably because 

 of a heightened development of the nerves of the organ. Upon 

 opening the bodies of pregnant animals under anaesthesia, or im- 

 mediately after death, the uterine walls undergo very marked 

 contractions, which closely resemble the peristalsis of the intes- 

 tines. These uterine contractions, or peristalsis, are especially 

 marked in the pregnant bitch or cat, where there are alternate 

 constrictions and dilations due to alternating contraction and 

 relaxation of the circular fibers, while the part taken by the lon- 

 gitudinal muscle fibers is shown by an alternating increase and 

 decrease in the length of the uterus. 



The sympathy between these uterine contractions and the 

 other parts of the genital apparatus is shown in a variety of ways. 

 It has been generally believed that copulation, in case of the 

 pregnant female, tends to produce sympathetic contraction 

 of the uterus, with an expulsion of its contents, or abortion. In 

 manipulations of the pregnant uterus, we constantly consider 

 that we should be very gentle and careful lest we induce con- 

 tractions which will end in the death and expulsion of the fetus. 

 Hess has asserted, moreover, that artificial abortion is readily 

 and uniformly induced by the dislodgement of the yellow bodies 

 from the ovaries by manual compression per rectum. It is a 

 common experience that the removal of the ovaries, or castration, 

 of the pregnant female tends constantly to induce abortion. 

 This contractility of the uterus during pregnancy probably has 

 an important relation to its functional activity and the nutrition 

 of the fetus, and tends to maintain the fetuses in their proper 

 position and direction by correcting any chance displacement 

 caused by any sudden movements of the body. 



