8o4 Veterinary Obstetrics 



us, and some of our colleagues, with very satisfactory results. 

 Possibly other antiseptics, such as powdered boric acid, would 

 prove of similar value, introduced in the same manner. 



The patient should be examined daily. If it is found that the 

 inflammation in the cotyledons has abated, so that the chorion 

 may be effectively detached, the manual removal of the membranes 

 should be proceeded with. If they are still firmly held, the treat- 

 ment should be repeated, and so, day by day, the case should be 

 carefully watched, until finally it is possible to remove the chorion 

 complete, including all the placental tufts. 



3. Removal of the Cotyledons. The preceding plans may fail 

 and the disease proceed rapidly to the necrosis of the cotyledons. 

 Sometimes this necrosis is very acute, and calls for prompt recog- 

 nition and handling. We observed especially, in one case, where 

 apparently infection had been carried into the uterine cavity by 

 the operator, while overcoming dystokia, that placental gangrene 

 was well established in about 24 hours. The cotyledons were 

 enormously enlarged, very firm and tense. They were about four 

 times their normal volume. The fetal placentae could not be de- 

 tached from the cotyledons, but it was found that the cotyledons 

 themselves were very easily detached from the uterus, and this 

 was not followed by hemorrhage or by any apparent pain. 



The cotyledons were, one after another, detached and with- 

 drawn, with the chorion still firmly attached to them. No mate- 

 rial hemorrhage followed. The uterus was immediately irrigated 

 with warm water, to which about '%.% oi carbolic acid had been 

 added. The cow, which had previously shown all the cardinal 

 symptoms of septicaemia, accompanied by a very high tempera- 

 ture, improved immediately after the operation, and within 24 

 hours her temperature, appetite, and general candition were 

 normal. She made an uneventful recovery, and in due time 

 again became pregnant. 



In other cases of retained placenta in the cow, we have fre- 

 quently found many or all of the cotyledons lying free within the 

 uterine cavity, still attached to the chorion. Sometimes we have 

 been able to distinguish these enlarged necrotic cotyledons when 

 they were almost ready to drop off, and have removed them with 

 good results. In one case, in a valuable cow which had been 

 neglected, we found the os uteri rather firmly closed. In the 

 uterine cavity lay the entire chorion, with the cotyledons still 



