402 



DISEASES OF THE GENITAL ORGANS. 



in other organs : skin, subcutaneous connective tissue, digestive 

 mucous membrane, etc. 



5. In the various general diseases which are consecutive to the 

 resorption of soluble toxic substances, the uterus may be found ab- 

 solutely intact, as is the case in paresis of parturition. Even in 

 acute septicemia having for its startiug-point wounds of the uterine 

 mucous membrane, the disease may develop with such rapidity that 

 at the autopsy the tissues of the womb are found almost unchanged. 



In the majority of cases, however, the septic matters determine 

 at their point of entrance a phlegmonous or necrotic inflammation, 

 which sometimes extends over the whole womb and adjacent organs. 

 Among the wounds of the vulva, vagina, and uterus, the most 

 dangerous are those located upon the floor of these organs and 

 in permanent contact with the infectious liquid ; they are very often 

 found covered with necrotic or " diphtheric scabs, and accompa- 

 nied by lesions of phlegmonous metritis, perimetritis, parametritis, 

 or peritonitis. 



When these ulcerations are located upon the lips of the vulva 

 they may become complicated within a few hours by an enormous 

 œdematous tumefaction, which is propagated to the cutaneous in- 

 tegument, and which simulates malignant œdema. The great 

 analogy which exists objectively between this latter and symp- 

 tomatic anthrax^ has led to the erroneous belief of the identity 

 of septic vitulary fever and anthrax (Himmelstoss). 



6. We need only call to mind the septic form of vitulary fever, 

 the septic origin of which is acute metritis itself immediately related 

 to parturition, to have all the phlegmonous, diphtheric," and 

 necrotic forms of metritis. All the other varieties of this disease 

 (endometritis, acute or chronic, etc.) enter into the group of true 

 organic diseases of the uterus. They are described in works on 

 surgery and obstetrics. 



I. Puerperal Septicemia (Septic or Pyemic Form of 

 Vitulary Fever). 



Puerperal septicemia is observed in all our domestic species. It 

 is frequent in carnivorous animals, rare in the cow ; its recognized 

 cause is at times the inoculation of septic matters coming from parts 

 of the placenta, and which are in process of putrid decomposition, 



1 Kitt: Munch. Jahresber., 1883-84. 



