DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
625 
some pathological condition of the walls of the body (Eig. 30-a) 
which weakens them to such an extent that they cannot with¬ 
stand the tension brought upon them by the contractions of the 
organ during parturition. Besides a complete rupture of the 
walls there should also be taken into consideration a partial 
rupture of them ; such as the laceration of the mucous mem¬ 
brane and part or all of the muscular coat, forming a kind of 
hernia. Either of the above mentioned conditions may make 
parturition impossible ; but when the walls are completely rup¬ 
tured the condition is serious ; the fluid in the uterus will pass 
through the opening into the peritoneal cavity and cause an in¬ 
flammation ( peritonitis ) if the cavity is not opened and irrigated 
thoroughly. Haemorrhage is a factor that must not be over¬ 
looked when the uterus is ruptured, even if the foetus is re¬ 
moved through the vagina. When the rupture is complete and 
the fluid of the uterus has escaped into the abdomen the only 
course to pursue is to open the cavity ; remove the foetus ; suture 
it; irrigate the cavity and close it. 
8. Torsion of the Uterus. —This is a condition that is 
difficult to diagnose and one that may occur frequently in large 
domestic animals. It consists of a twist of the uterus on its 
longitudinal diameter ; the twist may be partial or complete, 
usually however it is only partial. Torsion generally follows 
colics in animals that are in the last month of pregnancy ; or, 
those that have been cast or fallen during the period mentioned. 
When the condition cannot be rectified by the common means 
usually adopted by obstetricians the operation in question 
should be performed. 
Operation .—This operation is generally undertaken with 
one of three objects in view, viz. : 
1. To save the life of the foetus when the mother is beyond 
recovery. 
2. To save the life of the mother when the foetus is dead or 
deformed. 
3. To save both mother and foetus. 
1. To Save the Life of the Foetus when the mother is beyond 
recovery. When the patient is in such a condition that it can¬ 
not stand the shock that accompanies such an operation, or 
when exhausted or injured to such an extent that it cannot live 
and death is inevitable, the obstetrician’s effort should be 
directed to the life of the foetus. 
The patient should be cast and placed in a dorsal position, 
a crucial incision made in the floor of the abdomen, the uterus 
