TH6 JOURNAL 



OP 



Tfie department of Agriculture. 



Vol. V. Part 2. 



8th February, 1907. 



DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS. 



(Continued irom page 64.) uiBRARV 



S. S. Cameron, M.R.C.V.S., Chief Veterinary Oificer. ^^^ \Q!9iL 



BOTANICAL 

 VI.— VETERINARY OPERATIONS, METHODS, AND OaKDEN. 

 PRACTICES. 



I. — Operations— '-W^<^rt^<e(/. 



Embryotomy. 

 This is an operation involving the cutting out of tlie foetus or unborn 

 young. It has to be performed in some cases of difficult parturition, in 

 order that the mother's life may be saved, when, from either the great 

 size or some other abnormality of the foetus, it cannot be passed out of 

 the womb or removed whole. Embryotomy is always a serious and tedious 

 urdertaking, for the foetus has usually to be cut away limb by limb and 

 piece by piece, and besides it is only possible to use one hand, because of 

 the constricted character of the passage. While a skilful practitioner can 

 remove a limb when in normal position with apparently little trouble, the 

 alteration in position of the limbs ot other parts of the foetus, which 

 renders the operation necessary, also makes the remo\'al a matter of great 

 difficulty. 



Although it is not hoped by written description to convey a full con- 

 ception of the method of an operation, which, above all things, requires 

 experience and actual practice, still some information may be given by the 

 application of which total failure may be avoided. A description of the 

 removal of a fore limb will serve to indicate the methods to be adopted 

 in the removal of other limbs or parts. The instruments required are a 

 wooden or bone spatula, a!x)Ut an inch wide, and with a rounded blunt 

 extremity, and a curved knife with blunt point, and provided with a ring 

 ^ for a fingerhold. Both instruments should be attached to a string before 

 CD being introduced, so that, if they are lost inside, they may be withdrawn. 

 ^ As a preliminary measure, a cord must be attached to the foot or any 

 other part that is available, in order that it may be kept in position, and 

 155. C 



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