78 GUIDE TO DAIRYING IN SOUTH AFRICA 



cow. First, fasten the membranes between two 

 sticks and slowly twist them round and round. 

 This is not a good method, however, as the 

 membranes are likely to break off, leaving a large 

 part of them in the womb. The second method is 

 to strip to the waist, take hold of the membranes 

 with the left hand, putting gentle weight on them. 

 Then pass the right hand into the womb and loosen 

 the membranes from the cotyledons which are 

 nearest the mouth of the womb first ; and as you 

 loosen a portion of the membrane pass that part 

 back to the left hand. Put on slight weight again 

 and loosen the membranes once more from the 

 nearest cotyledons, and so on until you loosen the 

 whole of the after-birth. It is like loosening or 

 undoing a coat, taking the cotyledons one at a time 

 between the first finger and thumb and unbuttoning. 

 Take great care not to damage the womb or the 

 cotyledons, undoing one at a time as though un- 

 buttoning your coat. Great care must be taken not 

 to pull off one of these cotyledons, for the resultant 

 bleeding may prove fatal to the cow. If, however, 

 this should be done by accident, cold water poured 

 over the loins of the animal will be the best means 

 of trying to prevent excessive bleeding. The 

 finger-nails must be cut before starting to work. 

 Some weak Condy's or J eyes' fluid should be at 

 hand, and the hands should be continually washed 

 in this. Pump out or wash out the womb after- 



