ON FLOODING AND INVERSION OF THE UTERUS. 361 
seriously, from repeated manipulations in returning the womb, in 
detaching the after-birth, or forcing off some of the cotyledons. 
Fourth query ( see case). 
Fifth. Not generally fatal ; chronic inversion of the uterus is 
rarely met with in cattle. I have seen a great many cases of 
partial protrusion of the womb in barren and feeding cattle and in 
sheep, and some few of the vagina in impregnated cattle when in 
a recumbent position ; but it generally recedes when the animal 
gets up. To prevent the entire expulsion of the womb, two or three 
stitches are put in the labii pudendi : some people put wire or irons 
through, and they fatten very well after. A discharge seldom takes 
place in the chronic kind ; but, of course, immediately after birth 
suppuration does, or gangrene. Mares are not so susceptible of in- 
version of the uterus as cows or sheep. I once knew a mare rupture 
the uterus in the act of foaling : the foetus, uterus, and intestines, 
were all expelled together through the vaginal opening : that was 
prolapsus uteri. It is more fatal in mares than cows, and it is more 
difficult to return the inverted womb, on account of the powerful, 
muscular and bearing-down efforts to throw it out again. One 
case will suffice, as all that I have met with were very similar : 
some mortified and died, others suppurated and did well. 
CASE. — Early in the morning of the 31st January last, I was 
aroused from my slumbers by a messenger from an agriculturist 
in the neighbourhood, with an urgent request to attend a cow im- 
mediately, that had “ dropping down of the calf bag,” subsequent 
to parturition. On my arrival and inquiry, I was acquainted that 
the cow calved herself some time in the night, or before 4 A.M. 
The herdsman found the calf up and walking about, the cow getting 
up — twisting about — lying down and heaving violently, with the 
womb turned inside out. I found the uterus completely inverted, 
tremendously swollen, and hanging down as low as the hocks, and 
very much contused from being rubbed against the boards of the 
shed and ground. There was a large quantity of short dusty straw 
attached to it, which I washed off with tepid water and milk. I 
detached as much of the placenta as I possibly could — washed the 
tumour, had the hinder quarters elevated, and then, with two assist- 
ants with wet cloths to support the uterus, proceeded to return it, 
which object 1 accomplished in about half an hour, by downright hard 
labour. During the operation I forced off two of the cotyledons, 
which bled freely from small arteries. After it was returned, I kept 
my arm in the vagina for ten minutes, otherwise the strong heavings 
would have instantaneously expelled the womb again. When I 
withdrew my arm, I had a sort of web harness put on the cow, 
which 1 keep on purpose for such cases : it has a back-strap 
fastened round the neck with a strap or girth behind the fore legs, 
