404 



DISEASES OF THE GENITAL ORGANS. 



When the process is thus advanced we generally find the altera- 

 tions of septicemia and pyemia : purulent pleurisy, pericarditis, 

 ulcerous endocarditis, meningitis, arthritis, hemorrhagic gastro- 

 enteritis, metastic pneumonia and nephritis, and abscesses of the 

 mediastinum (Stohrer, Viborg), of the subcutaneous and inter- 

 muscular connective tissue, of the soft intra-ungulate parts ; tume- 

 faction and degeneration of the spleen, of the liver, the myocardium, 

 the mesenteric ganglions, and the lymphatic ganglions generally ; 

 thrombosis of the vessels of the lungs, of the liver, of the kidneys ; 

 ecchymoses in all the organs and especially under the endocardium, 

 badly coagulated blood, viscous, tar-like, soaking the tissues ; the 

 red corpuscles are destroyed ; there is a rapid decompositio;n of the 

 cadavers with considerable production of gas. 



Symptoms. Cases of general septic infection, whether of acute 

 or subacute evolution, are rare. The disease starts, as a rule, with 

 the phenomena of inflammation of the genital passages. The 

 mucous membrane of the vulva and of the vagina is red, tumefied, 

 hot, and covered with croupous ulcerations and putrid exudates; 

 these ulcerations are ordinarily grouped around the urinary meatus ; 

 sometimes the cedematous tumefaction of the vulva is extended 

 upon the internal side of the thighs ; by abdominal palpation per- 

 formed upon the right side, or on rectal exploration, the uterus 

 appears tumefied and sensitive. 



The animals seem to feel intense pain, they are restless, sway 

 the tail, arch the back, look at the flank, stamp, lie down, contract 

 the abdominal walls; they make violent expulsive exertions, which 

 result only in the expulsion of a fetid, ichorous, foul-looking liquid ; 

 they stretch themselves as if effecting micturition ; this is painful, 

 and the urine comes only drop by drop. 



The fever, which is always great, is expressed by chills and an 

 elevation of temperature, which, if taken in the rectum, is 40°, 

 41°, or even 42° ; the pulse beats 80, 100, or as much as 120 

 times per minute, it is small, filiform, often imperceptible ; the 

 muzzle is dry ; the extremities (limbs, horns, ears) are sometimes 

 hot, at other times cold. 



The animals refuse food and drink ; the lacteal secretion is ex- 

 hausted ; we observe constipation and slight meteorism. The gen- 

 eral sensitiveness becomes dulled, weakness increases, the movements 

 of the hind quarters are difficult, the animals soon stretch them- 

 selves upon the ground ; they remain continually down, and we 



