690 Veterinary Obstetrics 



With an ordinary bistoury, the os uteri was sufficiently dilated, by cutting, 

 to allow of the ready insertion of the hand. Introducing the hand into 

 the uterus, we encountered the remains of the fetus there being re- 

 cognizable the tail and a small fragment of the skin of the buttocks. Be- 

 yond lay an inextricable mass of fetal bones, which had separated into 

 their basic parts, the shafts and epiphyses being separated from each other. 

 Deep down in the anterior part of the uterus there was found an accumula- 

 tion of whole grains of corn and other foods. Along the left side of the 

 uterus there were two openings, which would admit of the passage of one 

 or two fingers directed toward the rumen. Apparently the uterus had be- 

 come adherent to the rumen, and portions of the fetus had sloughed into 

 that organ and, passing out through the intestinal , canal, had caused the 

 fetid diarrhea which the owner had observed. 



The walls of the uterus were hard, immensely thickened, and wholly de- 

 void of contractile power. Judging from the sense of touch, the walls 

 seemed to be more than one inch thick. 



There was no unfavorable reaction to the operation, and the heifer con- 

 tinued her usual flow of milk. Later she was fatted and sent to market. 



Malignant and Other Newgrowths Involving the 

 Genital Passages. 



Veterinary literature records occasional cases , of malignant 

 tumors or other diseased: growths in the cervix uteri and other 

 portions of the genital tract. They are very rare, and very di- 

 verse in character. The symptoms are frequently unlike those 

 of induration or atresia of the cervix in that their presence may 

 be revealed by symptoms before the end of gestation. Naturally, 

 they probably develop chiefly after impregnation, because, were 

 they present and had acquired any great development before 

 breeding, they would probably prevent fertilization. 



They may be of the nature of carciuom or sarcom and, more 

 rarely, of actinomycosis or tuberculosis. 



During pregnancy their presence may be revealed or suggested 

 by the existence of a vaginal discharge, accompanied possibly by 

 some constitutional symptoms of debility, especially in cases of 

 malignant tumors. 



If not revealed by the presence of discharge during gestation, 

 they may be discovered because of their acting as an impediment 

 to parturition. When the veterinarian is called because of 

 dystokia, and examines the patient, he recognizes the tumor by 

 touch. 



