570 Diseases occurring after Parturition in Cows and Sheej). 



it is sufficiently often present after parturition to entitle it to 

 notice in this treatise. The most frequently assignable cause is, 

 from its having been protruded for several weeks before parturi- 

 tion ; and although, when that act takes place, it is temporarily 

 redrawn within the pelvic cavity, yet the muscular fibres have 

 been so relaxed, that after the swelling consequent upon calving 

 has disappeared it again protrudes. Cows that have had several 

 calves are most commonly the subjects of this lesion. It will be 

 better to fatten and consign them to the butcher ; but in the 

 mean time, for the comfort of the animal, and to get rid of a dis- 

 gusting spectacle, as well as to guard against any possible inversion 

 of the uterus, the metal fastening (which will be described when 

 treating of this last accident) should be placed through the labia. 

 Not unfrequently an animal, a day or two after calving, will be 

 found straining from the rectum, the tail is elevated, and bloody 

 mucus will occasionally be passed per anum. The hand should 

 be passed into the rectum, to ascertain the extent to v»'hich the 

 lining membrane is lacerated, and whether sloughing is about to 

 take place. This lesion occurs from the gut being jammed be- 

 tween the calf during its passage and the bones of the sacrum 

 above ; heifers more especially are its subjects, from the causes 

 before adverted to. A saline cathartic should be administered, 

 and a digestive applied with the hand, as directed in bruised 

 vagina ; the beast should be housed and dieted, and no further 

 ill consequences will ensue. It does happen — but very rarely in 

 the cow — that the rectum becomes inverted, from one to two 

 yards of the gut hanging from the anus to the ground, and it 

 will even be lacerated from the beast treading upon it ; the acci- 

 dent occurs during violent efforts made to expel a calf lying in 

 an unnatural position. The knife of the slaughterman had better 

 be immediately put in requisition ; all surgical assistance is un- 

 availing. Almost as rare an occurrence is inversion of the 

 bladder; the same causes are in operation to produce this, it 

 taking place before the calf is born ; it projects between the 

 labia, in the form of a circumscribed scarlet tumour. If the 

 beast have any meat upon her at all, she also had better be con- 

 signed to the butcher. It is recorded that this viscus has been 

 returned, and has remained in its natural position, the animal 

 doing well ; but this is certainly the exception to the rule, for it 

 is generally impossible to return it from its being so much 

 bruised, and consequently swollen, during the extraction of the 

 calf, and it is useless to return it before, as the first strong pain 

 would cause its re-inversion. Its extirpation may be attempted 

 with better success : this may be accomplished by tying tightly 

 a strong ligature of packthread around the bladder, and imme- 

 diately below the ureters or ducts which bring the urine from the 



