DIFFICULT PARTURITION. 183 



Having noosed the pastern, a circular incision is made through the 

 skin around the fetlock, and a longitudinal one from that up to the 

 groin, and the skin is dissected from the limb as high up as can be 

 reached, over the croup, if possible. Then cut through the muscles 

 around the hip joint, and, if possible, the two interarticular ligaments 

 of the joint (pubio-femoral and round), and extract the limb by 

 strong dragging. 



Amputation of the fore limbs. — This may usually be begun on the 

 fetlock of the limb projecting from the vulva. An embryotomy knife 

 is desirable. This knife consists of a blade with a sharp, slightly 

 hooked point, and one or two rings in the back of the blade large 

 enough to fit on the middle finger, while the blade is protected in the 

 palm of the hand. (See Plate XV, fig. 4.) Another form has the 

 blade inserted in a mortise in the handle, from which it is pushed 

 out by a movable button when wanted. First place a noose around 

 the fetlock of the limb to be amputated, cut the skin circularly 3n- 

 tirely around the fetlock, then make an incision on the inner side of 

 the limb from the fetlock up to the breastbone. Next dissect the skin 

 from the limb, from the fetlock up to the breastbone on the inner side, 

 and as far up on the shoulder blade as possible on the outer side. 

 Finally, cut through the muscles attaching the limb to the breast- 

 bone, and employ strong traction on the limb, so as to drag out the 

 whole limb, shoulder blade included. The muscles around the upper 

 part of the shoulder blade are easily torn through and need not be 

 cut, even if that were possible. In no case should the fore limb be 

 removed unless the shoulder blade is taken with it, as that furnishes 

 the greatest obstruction to delivery, above all when it is no longer 

 advanced by the extension of the fore limb, but is pressed back so as 

 to increase the already thickest posterior portion of the chest. The 

 preservation of the skin from the whole limb is advantageous in 

 various ways; it is easier to cut it circularly at the fetlock than at 

 the shoulder; it covers the hand and knife in making the needful 

 incisions, thus acting as a protection to the womb; and it affords a 

 means of traction on the body after the limb has been removed. In 

 dissecting the skin from the limb the knife is not needful at all 

 points; much of it may be stripped off with the fingers or knuckles, 

 or by a blunt iron spud pushed up inside the hide, which is mean- 

 while held tense to render the spud effective. 



In case the limb is bent forward at the hock, a rope is passed round 

 that and pulled so as to bring the point of the hock between the lips 

 of the vulva. The hamstring and the lateral ligaments of the hock 

 are now cut through, and the limbs extended by a rope tied round the 

 lower end of the long bone above (tibia). In case it is still needful 

 to remove the upper part of the limb, the further procedure is the 

 same as described in the last paragraph. 



