626 
THE OS UTERI WANTING IN A HEIFER. 
dition. The symptoms were, pulse 84, and hard; countenance 
sharp and expressive of pain; constant straining ; urine and dung 
voided frequently, but in very small quantities; the faeces were 
loose, and the urine of its natural colour. I tried to pass my hand 
up the rectum for the purpose of examining the state of the uterus, 
but could not do so more than to the extent of six inches, in con¬ 
sequence of that viscus being in such a state of distention, forcing 
itself against the rectum. On withdrawing my hand, I discovered 
it was covered with blood, no doubt caused by the constant strain¬ 
ing and inflammation of the parts. I next endeavoured to accom¬ 
plish my object by examination per vaginam, but was frustrated 
by the smallness of the vagina, and the pressure upon the parts by 
the bladder and uterus. I now with great difficulty passed my 
male catheter into the bladder, and drew off an immense quantity 
of urine, which appeared to relieve her much. After doing so, I 
imagined I should have more room, and consequently be enabled 
to ascertain the nature of the contents of the uterus; but I could 
not pass the hand sufficiently far, either up the vagina or rectum, 
to be able to speak positively as to the nature of the case; and I 
must confess, therefore, I was exceedingly puzzled. It was cer¬ 
tainly not a case of hydrops uteri, there being a total absence of 
any pathognomonic symptoms warranting such condition of the 
womb. The bladder, too, was now empty. Tumours in those 
parts are in general pedunculated, giving to them more freedom, 
less bulkiness, and incapability of presenting such resistance. She 
could not be in calf, for the owner informed me, she was bulling 
a few weeks previous, but was not admitted to sexual intercourse. 
Weighing these things over in my mind, I determined to pass a 
canula into the womb per vagina?n, and through the os uteri; but 
even here I was foiled, for I could not by any means discover the 
opening into the womb. I thought for a moment of passing the 
trochar into the womb at haphazard, through the cervix; but such 
practice would have better suited the farrier of old than a member 
of the Veterinary College. Therefore, seeing no probability of 
doing any good, and as she was fit for the butcher, I recommended 
the owner to have her killed. He immediately acted upon my 
suggestions; and I had the pleasure of being present at the time 
she was opened. 
Post-mortem examination .—The stomachs and intestines were 
perfectly healthy, with the exception of the latter portion of the 
rectum, which was very much inflamed. The bladder waa nearly 
empty, was slightly inflamed, but much more so at its cervix. 
The vagina was particularly small, and also much inflamed. The 
uterus was of immense size, of an oval form, and without any os 
uteri , and did not communicate with the ovaries. On cutting into 
