On October 26, 1945 a Guernsey cow was presented at the Stange Memorial Clinic with a history of having chewed off a stomach tube and swallowed it. The cow was in excellent spirits and showed no symptomatology relative to the foreign body in the rumen.

The billion dollar poultry industry of the United States has grown tremendously in the last three decades. Almost all of the scientific advancement in this field has occurred in this period. The disease control has definitely lagged behind the growth of the industry. In 1920 the death rate among chickens was 10 per cent; in other words, ten birds in every hundred placed in the laying house died. By 1930 the death rate had increased to 15 per cent; by 1934 to 20 per cent and by the end of 1937, it had increased to 24 per cent. These were the laying house mortalities. The brooder house mortality was reported to be about 20 per cent which is another additional loss to the poultry raiser. The Bureau of Animal Industry's 1942 report shows losses in all animals in the United States due to disease to be $418,000,000; of this amount $255,000,000 is reported to be due to poultry disease.

This condition occurs chiefly in cows and mares as a post-parturient accident. The etiology has never been satisfactorily explained. In its early stages it is uncomplicated by any pathological condition of the organ itself. Soon, however, due to impaired circulation, exposure to cold, filth and trauma, complications are almost certain to arise unless the uterus is immediately restored to its normal position.

This article is not intended to be complete regarding the subjects discussed. It is hoped that some of the information contained may be of value to a practitioner, particularly one just entering the field.

In solving some of the breeding problems and treating diseases of the reproductive system, the question of diagnosis of pregnancy has occupied a prominent position in the minds of many veterinarians. The value of an accurate diagnosis of pregnancy can not be overestimated. Although biochemical tests for pregnancy are available, they are less efficient than the clinical methods now available to the veterinarian in most instances. Clinical diagnosis of pregnancy is most important in the mare and cow and is most readily made in these animals because of the availability of their internal genitalia to rectal palpation. The failure to identify an existing pregnancy may result in abortion, should the corpus luteum be expressed or the uterus douched. On the other hand, failure to identify a sterile animal will result in delay and financial loss.