DISEASES OF THE GENEKATIVE ORGANS. 169 



animal over on her back toward the other side. The object is to keep 

 the womb stationary while the animal is rolling. If success attends 

 the efl'ort, the constriction around the arm is suddenly relaxed, the 

 spiral folds are effaced, and the water bags and fetus press forwai'd 

 into the passage. If the first attempt does not succeed it may be 

 repeat-ed again and again until success crowns the effort. Among my 

 occasional causes of failure have been the prior deiith and decompo- 

 sition of the fetus, with the extrication of gas and overdistention of 

 the womb, and the supervention of inflammation and inflammatory 

 exudation around the neck of the womb, which hinders untwisting. 

 The first of these conditions occurs early in the hoi^se from the detach. - 

 ment of the fetal membranes from the wall of the womb, and as the 

 mare is more subject to fatal peritonitis than the cow, it may be con- 

 cluded that both these sources of failure are more probable in the 

 equine subject. 



When the case is intractable, though the hand may be easily intro- 

 duced, the instrument shown in Plate IX, figure 7, may be used. 

 Each hole at the small end of the instrument has passed through it a 

 stout cord Avith a running noose, to be passed around two feet or 

 other portion of the fetus which it may be possible to reach. The 

 cords are then drawn tight and fixed around the handle of the instru- 

 ment; then, by using the cross handle as a lever, the fetus and womb 

 may be rotated in a direction opposite to that causing the obstruction. 

 During this process the hand must be introduced to feel when the 

 twist has been undone. This method may be supplemented, if neces- 

 sary, by rolling the mare as described above. 



EFFUSION OF BLOOD IN THE VAGINAL WALLS. 



This is common as a result of difficult parturition, but it may occur 

 from local injury before that act, and may seriously interfere Avith it. 

 This condition is easily recognized by the soft, doughy swelling so 

 characteristic of blood clots, and by the dark-red color of the mucous 

 membrane. I have laid open such swellings with the knife as late as 

 ten days before parturition, evacuated the clots, and dressed the 

 wound daily with an astringent lotion (sulphate of zinc 1 dram, 

 carbolic acid 1 dram, water 1 quart). A similar resort might be had, 

 if necessary, during parturition. 



CALCULUS (stone) AND TUMOR IN THE BLADDER. 



The pressure upon the bladder containing a stone or a tumor may 

 prove so painful that the mare will voluntarily suppress the labor 

 pains. Examination of the bladder with the finger introduced 

 through the urethra will detect the offending agent. A stone should 

 be extracted with forceps. (See " Lithotomy.") The large papillary 



