1006 
JAMES M. REED 
METRO-PERITONITIS. 
By James M. Reed, V. S., Mattoon, III. 
Read before the Illinois Medical and Surgical Association, at Decatur, Jan. io, 1902. 
Metritis may be limited to one or more of the internal layers 
of the generative organs, or it may extend to its outer covering; 
the peritoneum may produce certain symptoms which may be 
called metro-peritonitis. Inflammation of the uterus and par¬ 
turient septicaemia may ensue very soon after birth, rarely be¬ 
fore the second day with the cow, and seldom beyond the eighth 
day ; with the mare and bitch may be more retarded. The 
temperature increasing is the first indication of disease, and 
within twenty-four hours the rise may be as much as two to 
three degrees. At the commencement of the rise there are well 
marked rigors ; the animal becomes dull and loses its appetite, 
the pulse small and hard ; may increase in the mare and cow to 
one hundred per minute ; the respiration is hurried and shallow, 
the mouth hot and pasty, and the mucous membranes injected. 
The horns and ears are very warm, the animal grinds its teeth 
and betrays the existence of colicy pains. 
When metro-peritonitis is fully present there always occurs 
symptoms very rapidly of an effusion of serum into the abdom¬ 
inal cavity in large quantities. The abdomen becomes enlarged 
and round, as if the animal had been feeding freely. The course 
of metro-peritonitis is generally very rapid and may not occupy 
more than a few days, usually three or four days and rarely five 
or six days. In such cases death may be due to the violence of 
the inflammation and its extension to the peritoneum, gangrene 
of the uterus, or to septic infection by absorption of the putrid 
matter in the uterus and general poisoning; therefore, when re¬ 
covery appears to be progressing favorably relapse may occur. 
The predisposing causes of metro-peritonitis are septic in¬ 
fection following absorption, or peritonitis by infection of the 
genital canal, or infection of the uterus during birth, or expos¬ 
ure to cold. 
