96 
H. P. KEELY. 
liveries. Sloping floors have been blamed, but it also occurs 
on floors that are level. Prolapsus of the vagina during preg^ 
nancy making traction on the uterus and straining its ligaments, 
has been urged as a cause, but we know that lots of cows have 
prolapsus of the vagina during pregnancy, but no eversion of the 
uterus. It appears that certain predisposing causes are necessary 
and then it requires but very little to excite an eversion. I be¬ 
lieve that we must have a relaxed condition of the ligaments 
holding the uterus in place. This may be due to a general soft¬ 
ness or looseness of the tissues caused probably by soft sloppy 
feeding. Given such a condition and it requires only a little 
turning in of the fundus or one of the cornua like the end of 
the finger of a glove and severe straining perhaps from consti¬ 
pation or excessive peristalsis or contractions in the womb itself, 
probably from drinking very cold water, and away it goes,, 
gathering momentum as it goes, until everything is turned in¬ 
side out. It is a practice among drovers and some farmers to 
ofive their cows all the cold water thev want to drink im- 
mediately after calving to make them clean, and it often cleans 
them more thoroughly than they care for ; of course, the owner 
will never admit anything of this kind. 
Treatment. —Preliminary, reduction, retention. 
Preliminary.—Very often we find our patient down, especi¬ 
ally if any considerable time has elapsed since the accident oc¬ 
curred. If possible, get her on her feet, as it is much more con¬ 
venient to work at the animal in this position and the uterus is 
better retained when once returned, as it goes in on a level or 
down-hill, instead of being all up-hill work, as it is when the cow 
is down. If impossible to get her on her feet we may try to 
raise the hind part by means of bundles of straw placed under 
the hips ; but this will usually be found unsatisfactory and there 
is then nothing to do but to get down on your knees and go to 
work. Of course, to cleanse the organ of all foreign substances 
is the first step. If any of the foetal membranes are still adher¬ 
ent they can easily be removed. A good plan, if you have 
plenty of help, is to have two men, one on each side, to support 
