96 
N. H. PAAREN. 
rection. Should the membranes part, it is best to wait a few days, 
when they may be found loosened. As there nearly always is 
more or less of putrescent fluid accumulating within the uterus, of 
which a portion is expelled with the membranes, it is proper, with 
a view of furthering its escape, to arrange the stall so that the 
cow may lie lower with the hinder parts. 
The other method of removing the afterbirth consists in de¬ 
tachment of its adhesions by aid of the hand inserted into the 
uterus. While that portion of the membranes which extends out¬ 
wardly is taken hold of by one hand, the other hand is inserted 
between the membranes and the wall of the vagina, and passed 
through the os uteri as far forward as may be necessary. The pla- 
centulse are then sought for and each one carefully separated 
from its attachment with the cotyledons of the uterus. In some 
cases the operator may thus succeed in removing the placental 
sac entire and without rupturing it. To succeed in removing the 
secundines, the os uteri must yet be in a relaxed and open state. 
It is known that its closure generally takes place about twenty- 
four hours after calving, but when a large portion of the secun 
dines protrude through the same, it will be found possible after 
six to eight days, with proper care, to penetrate it with the hand. 
The application of great force on the walls of the os uterus, after 
it has closed, should be avoided, as such force may result in rup¬ 
turing the organ. Such rupture is not always dangerous, but cases 
have occurred where the contact of putrid matter with fresh 
wounds have been the cause of dangerous metritis. Should it ap¬ 
pear that the placentae adhere too tightly to the cotyledons, it will 
be best to desist from any effort at removal of the secundines for 
the present, for not only will a continued effort at removal result 
in tearing the membranes, but only a portion may be removed 
and the rest remain to decompose. The irritation caused by such 
forcible attempts is very apt to result in dangerous inflammation 
of the uterus. 
The consequences of removal of the secundines by the hand 
can never be anticipated or foreseen. Thus, in cases where we 
have occupied several hours in detaching the membranes by the 
hand, and where the cow before and after the removal of these 
