180 
W. L. WILLIAMS. 
(171) A Chester white boar, set. about 8 months and weigh¬ 
ing about 200 pounds, both testes entirely retained within ab¬ 
domen. Operation through left flank, the size of patient 
requiring the introduction of the entire hand into the abdomen 
in order to reach the right testis. Both testes were normal in 
size but soft and flabby. All four were castrated without 
anaesthesia, the abdominal incision was closed by skin sutures 
only, usual antiseptic precautions were observed and all re¬ 
covered promptly without incident. 
HYDROPS AMNII IN A COW. 
» 
(556) Occurring almost solely in the cow hydrops amnii 
presents an interesting problem in etiology, being so far with¬ 
out explanation. 
The patient in question was a Holstein cow of medium size, 
7 months pregnant, and had apparently gone well until 14 days 
prior to examination the owner noted unusual distension of the 
abdomen and was led to suspect twin pregnancy. She had not 
been grained but had plenty of grass and fodder and was in fair 
condition, and believing twin pregnancy to exist and parturition 
nearing, the owner began feeding a moderate amount of grain. 
The abdomen continuing to enlarge the owner became sus¬ 
picious and gave one pound mag. sulph. without producing any 
change in the constantly increasing abdominal tension, the 
patient Anally becoming unable to rise without assistance, 
though when up looked bright and ate and drank normally. 
Her inability to rise seemed more due to the excessive intra¬ 
abdominal weight than to any weakness of the patient. 
Being called to examine the patient it required the aid of 
six men to get her on her feet, when she stood and walked well, 
though as if overloaded. Percussion and rectal exploration re¬ 
vealed hydrops amnii, and a trocar passed into the amnion 
through the right flank showed the fluid to be perfectly color¬ 
less and odorless, as usually observed in these cases. Twenty 
gallons of it were allowed to run out through the canula. The 
os uteri was dilated, the membranes ruptured and the fluid left 
free to escape, the patient being now left for 24 hours, hoping 
