SEPTIC METRITIS.
Septic metritis is also termed “metro-peritonitis” and “parturient septicæmia.” It may be compared with puerperal fever in woman.
These terms are sufficiently explicit to indicate that if at first the metritis is typical it frequently becomes complicated with peritonitis, and too often also with true septicæmia.
Causation. The disease only appears after parturition or abortion, and during the few days immediately succeeding delivery. Parturition may occur spontaneously in a perfectly regular and easy manner, and nevertheless be followed by fatal metritis as a consequence of infection. Usually the labour has been difficult, and the after-birth, or portions of the fœtal membranes, have been retained. Septic metritis then develops in consequence of their putrefaction.
Infection with microorganisms is therefore the essential cause, and the only one of importance. None of the conditions formerly invoked can do more than favour or check the course of this infection.
Moreover, the subsequent complications are entirely due to the special character of the infective agent.
These infective agents may be of various descriptions. They have been the subject of numerous investigations, on account of the gravity of puerperal fever in woman. Pasteur, Colin, Chauveau and Doléris were the first to take up this question. In veterinary medicine several inquiries have been instituted, but a great deal remains to be done. The most frequent agents are varieties of streptococci, of the colon bacillus, and of putrefactive bacteria.
Septic metritis may occasionally be purely accidental and only affect one animal, but infection of stables by a primary case is an obvious cause of propagation. Moussu has seen six animals successively die of septic metritis in one year, and in a stable which had not been disinfected after each death.
Symptoms. The first symptoms occur between the first and fourth days after parturition, when the uterine mucous membrane is still tender, discharging and bleeding, and the lochial discharge is abundant. The disease rarely appears after the first week. The earliest symptoms are dulness, depression, loss of appetite, and general weakness. The animals appear exhausted, the secretion of milk is diminished or altogether suspended, and all the chief functions of the body are interfered with.
The temperature varies in a peculiar and significant way. In some forms, due to infection with streptococci or to mixed infection, it rises to 104° or 105° Fahr.; in others it remains stationary or falls below normal. It might be thought that in these latter cases, which are usually due to infection with the colon bacillus, the general condition was not grave. This, however, would be a very serious error, for in such cases death follows as rapidly as in the others.