754 Infectious Vaginitis. 



Simultaneously with the development o£ the nodules,, a 

 vaginal discharge appears in the majority of cases, which is 

 at first very scanty, later somewhat more profuse, glassy, 

 tenacious, and sometimes more muco-purulent in character. It 

 is odorless, alkaline or neutral in reaction. The discharge soils 

 the parts surrounding the vulva, where it dries to brown crusts ; 

 exceptionally a profuse secretion forms, which passes in long 

 strings from the vagina. 



The general health of the patient is usually undisturbed, 

 and the body temperature is not elevated. The catarrh of 

 the vaginal mucous membrane however causes frequent micturi- 

 tion, and sometimes also straining for action of the bowels. 

 At the same time frequent shifting of the feet, swinging the 

 tail, occasionally also standing with, legs widely spread, a stiff 

 gait, rubbing, kicking against the abdomen, and arching of 

 the back is observed. Only in rare, severe cases are appetite 

 and rumination absent, or is the milk secretion suppressed. 



This clinical picture remains almost unchanged from 3 to 

 4 weeks, whereupon the process gradually passes into a chronic 

 stage, which is manifested by the nodules becoming pale, a dis- 

 appearance of the discharge and of all acute, inflammatory 

 symptoms, the mucous membrane appearing of a light yellowish 

 shade. The nodules are then glassy transparent or yellowish- 

 gray, and no longer surrounded by a reddened zone. The 

 process may remain in this form for weeks and months, until 

 finally recovery ensues. 



Heckelmann describes as a rare finding in the first eight days 

 numerous yellowish-gray-white spots on the mucous membrane, which 

 represent either erosions covered with broken-down epithelia or grayish- 

 yellow membranes adhering strongly to the mucous membrane, while 

 dark red nodules appeared later. Probably similar findings caused 

 Ladinyi to distinguish a special eroding form of the disease, which, 

 according to his observation is manifested so that on the swollen 

 yellowish mucous membrane, poppy seed to lentil-sized, always yellowish- 

 white, sharply circumscribed spots appear, which are not elevated over 

 the surrounding parts, and which degenerate from the center, whereby 

 the mucous membrane obtains a peculiar, reticulated appearance, until 

 finally, in from 10 to 14 days, the superficial loss of substance heals 

 without formation of nodules. 



Regarding the influence of vaginal catarrh on pregnancy 

 and subsequent conception, the views of the practical veteri- 

 narians vary widely. As nodules were found in some cases 

 on the mucous membrane of the uterus, apparently the result 

 of an extension of the inflammatory process from the vaginal 

 mucous membrane, and possibly also by aspiration of the in- 

 fected semen during copulation, an unfavorable influence on 

 the development of the fetus cannot be disregarded. In har- 

 mony with this many observers report on relatively frequent 

 cases of abortion in affected cows, and still more frequent are 



