Some Observations on Parturition Fever in Ruminants. 601 
infective character of the process is well established, the vagina 
will exhibit variously disposed ecchymoses and patches of 
blood extravasation, with certain ill-conditioned sores scattered 
over the membrane extending to the labia?, with occasionally 
croupous exudations ; the whole being much swollen from infil- 
tration into the submucous tissue. Within the uterus itself there 
is usually a greater or less amount of dirty grey, or brown 
coloured grumous fluid, composed of effused blood, secretion 
from the membrane, broken up foetal membranes, and various 
cell growths, all in a state of decomposition, and emitting an 
offensive smell. The viscus is never contracted as in a healthy 
condition. The walls are thickened, soft, heightened in colour, 
and largely infiltrated with the usual inflammatory products. 
The lining membrane is of itself thickened, and is of an uniform 
dark colour, with darker patches from blood clots and extravasa- 
tions ; these darker markings, and more advanced changes, are 
particularly noticeable in the vicinity and around the cotyledons, 
which of themselves seem deeply infiltrated, and of a greyish 
tint, from the greater amount of purulent material connected 
with them. Many of these latter appear as if undergoing sepa- 
ration from their uterine attachment, and when manipulated 
feel extremely friable, and liable to be detached. 
Beside these changes in the mucous membrane, it will be 
found that the submucous and connective and muscular struc- 
tures have undergone changes of a destructive character. These 
are swollen from inflammatory infiltration ; the products of 
which are also in their turn undergoing putrefactive changes, 
this infiltration and these changes extending into the subserous 
or peritoneal covering — metro-peritonitis. When the serous 
covering is much involved, we find fluid of varying character 
and quantity in the abdominal cavity. This fluid is rarely of 
an uniform character or consistence, usually coloured, having 
floating in it shreds of ill-formed, unhealthy-looking lymph. 
Occasionally this lymph may form adhesions extending from 
the uterine surface to some of the adjacent structures. While, 
in addition to such adhesions, the diseased process may have 
invaded contiguous textures and organs within the pelvic basin 
— para-metritis — amongst which putrefactive and other changes 
have taken place. This extension of the morbid process to the 
several structures in the pelvic basin is the usual feature of 
that terribly fatal form of parturition fever in the ewe which has 
such a close relation in many of its features to the parturient 
fever of the human female. The extension of the inflammatory 
and other morbid products, where such is observed, may in part 
be accounted for from the contiguity and similarity of structures 
or organs, in this way passing anteriorly to the diaphragm and 
2 R 2 
