SCOTTISH METROPOLITAN VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 647 
brium, bearing in mind that whatever tends to upset the balance of 
the circulation, must tend to bring on this disorder. 
The placenta is subject to congestion and inflammation and its 
consequences, which may not unfrequently be the cause of the death 
of the foetus. There is another cause which seems to me not to 
have received that amount of attention that is due to it ; that is, the 
allowing the aborted animal to continue to mix with the rest of the 
pregnant herd or flock, very often leaving the placenta in a semi- 
putrified state hanging out of the vagina, allowing it to drop off in 
a state of rottenness, all the time giving off the most offensive 
effluvia. I daresay you have all seen what a state of excitement a 
whole herd are thrown into when one of their number happens to 
be delivered in the open field. Now, when non-pregnant animals 
are so affected by such an occurrence, what influence must it exert 
upon animals that are approaching a certain period of utero- 
gestation. 
Symptoms . — These may be divided into two heads, 1st. Those 
which forebode the approach of the disease, such as a general 
uneasiness, sudden dropping of the abdomen and filling of the mam- 
mary gland, relaxation of the ligaments of the pelvis, and a glairy 
discharge from the uterus. 2nd. Those which indicate that labour 
is already begun, increased discharge from the vagina, uterine con- 
tractions, and the appearance of the membranes per vaginam. 
Treatment . — There is no system of treatment that I am aware of 
that will arrest the process if already begun ; nor do I think it 
would be advisable to do so if it was in our power, as in most 
instances the foetus is already dead, and cannot prove otherwise 
than a source of irritation to the uterus and injurious to the general 
health of the mother. Consequently our efforts ought to be directed 
to assist nature in freeing the uterus from its now useless burden. 
Almost the only after-treatment that I have found necessary is to 
hasten the expulsion of the placental membranes ; these may be 
detained for some time, especially if the process of abortion has 
been protracted and severe. Should they still be retained after twenty- 
four hours have elapsed, they ought to be removed mechanically, by 
gently introducing the hand into the uterus and separating the 
placenta from its uterine attachments, using gentle traction by 
the cord, when the uterus will expel both the hand and membranes. 
Should the foetus have been dead for some time previous to expul- 
sion, foetid discharges will continue to come from the vagina. I 
have been in the habit of throwing up with a syringe a solution 
composed of one part of carbolic acid to sixty of water, which has 
the effect of cleansing the uterus and destroying any offensive odour. 
In all cases of difficult parturition, where the os uteri and lining 
membrane of the vagina may be lacerated, a little of this lotion 
applied to the parts with a sponge disposes them to heal very 
kindly. 
I have refrained from saying anything as to the treatment of the 
offspring. Should it happen to be born alive it is in most 
cases so sickly that it is almost always best to destroy it at once. 
