592 
INVERSION OF THE UTERUS, &c. 
the irritation necessarily produced by the rupture, that the uterus 
might be protruded, we raised her hinder parts higher than the 
fore ones; and, desiring that nothing should be given to her but 
a little gruel, I left her. 
Two hours had scarcely passed when a messenger was sent to 
inform me that the womb had protruded. I returned, and found 
that the whole of that viscus had protruded through the vulva. 
The animal, although still lying down, had changed her situation 
by dragging herself along, and her hinder parts were now the 
lowest, w hich had facilitated the passage of the womb. 
After having placed a linen cloth under the uterus, in order to 
preserve it from being irritated by the dung and urine of the 
stable, I washed it with w T arm wine, for the double purpose of 
stimulating and cleansing it. Then two assistants raising the 
uterus by means of the cloth, I endeavoured to return it. This 
was easily effected, for the animal did not make a single effort to 
prevent its return. I then determined to introduce a pessary 
into the vagina, and, having pushed one end of it up to the neck 
of the womb, I entrusted the other end to an assistant, while I 
contrived some means to retain it in its situation. 
In the meantime the cow made some efforts to get up, and 
raised herself on her fore legs ; the uterus consequently returned 
again into the vagina, and pressed upon and buried the pessary 
in its substance ; and as the assistant endeavoured to prevent the 
expulsion of the pessary, it perforated the fundus of the uterus, 
and entangled itself in the peritoneum, and the womb once more 
protruded. A portion of the small intestine followed it, passing 
through the rent in the vagina. 
Having never witnessed a complication of difficulties like this, 
I was somewhat embarrassed ; however, I soon set to work once 
more to reduce these formidable herniae. 
I experienced much more difficulty in returning the womb than 
after the first expulsion of it; and before I attempted it, I 
brought as nearly together as I could the edges of the two rup- 
tures, and retained them in contact by a few stitches, leaving a 
long thread which would afterwards protrude from the vagina. 
The rent in the womb was full five inches long — that in the 
vagina was not quite so much. 
This second reduction being accomplished, I contrived a kind 
of bandage with the leathern traces by which the oxen are at- 
tached to the yoke, and brought two of them to press upon the 
vulva, bringing them afterwards twice round the flanks. I then 
caused the hind parts of the cow to be somewhat elevated, covered 
her, and ordered her to be watched. Warm white water only 
was allowed as diet. 
