DECAPITATION. 185 



46. DECAPITATION. 



Objects. The facilitation of repulsion and correction of 

 deviation of fetal parts. The operation is generally carried 

 out when the foetal head is far advanced in the pelvic canal 

 or has passed beyond the vulva. 



Technic. Attach a cord to the inferior maxilla or around 

 the neck of the foetus and have one or more assistants draw 

 the head out as far as possible. Make a circular incision 

 through the skin encircling the head at a convenient point 

 and separate the skin backward toward the occiput "by forc- 

 ing the hand between it and the bones or by using the chisel 

 as a spatula or dissecting it away with the Colin 's scalpel, 

 continuing the separation over the occiput to the atloid 

 region. Make a transverse incision below across the trachea 

 and oesophagus and surrounding muscles and above through 

 the ligainentum nuchae. Grasp the head firmly with both 

 hands and twist it forcibly on its long axis rupturing the 

 articular ligaments and the remaining muscles and other soft 

 tissues, detaching the head at the occipito-atloid articulation. 

 The removal of the head greatly diminishes the bulk of the 

 foetus and it may now be repelled, or deviated parts brought 

 into the desired position or other operations performed. 



47. SUBCUTANEOUS AMPUTATION OF ANTERIOR LIMB. 



Objects. Amputation of the anterior limbs is very 

 frequently called for in obstetric practice especially in 

 the mare, chiefly in cases of transverse presentation with 

 all four feet presenting where it may be impossible to safely 

 correct the deviation, in cases of wry neck in the foal in the 

 anterior presentation, dprso-sacral position when it is impos- 

 sible to correct the deviation of the head or in any case in 

 the mare or cow where deviation of the head cannot 



