196 AMPUTATION OF THE LIMBS AT THE TARSUS. 



of two or three of the exposed ribs. Introduce the chisel 

 through this opening and carry it back with the hand, 

 placing it against the shaft of the fetal ilium, I', have an 

 assistant drive it through the shaft from before to behind 

 and then withdrawing the chisel replace it against the pubic 

 brim either at the symphysis pubis or opposite the foramen 

 ovale, and drive it through the pubis and ischium at either of 

 these points. The coxo-femoral articulation is thus detached 

 and isolated so that the entire limb may drop backward 

 beyond its fellow, the remnant of the severed ilium, I', can 

 drop downward or move in any direction and the entire pel- 

 vis thus loses its rigidity and undergoes great diminution in 

 size so that it can readily be withdrawn. 



51. AMPUTATION OF THE LIMBS AT THE TARSUS. 

 PLATE XXXII. 



Object. It occasionally happens in the mare, far more 

 rarely in the cow in the posterior presentation with the hind 

 limbs retained at the hock that owing to the unusual size of 

 the fetus or its having been dead for some time, dry and 

 emphysematous, that the deviation can not be overcome or 

 its correction would entail an unnecessary amount of labor. 

 In these cases it is frequently easier for the obstetrist and 

 safer for the mother to amputate the limb at the tarsus. 



Technic. Pass a cord around the leg above the tarsus 

 as indicated in Plate XXXII and have an assistant hold the 

 leg steady by gentle traction. Introduce the chisel carefully 

 guarded in the palm of the hand , and place it against the lower 

 part of the tarsus as shown between TT. The chisel should 

 be placed as nearly perpendicular as possible to the long axis 

 of the metatarsus. The proper direction of the chisel may at 

 times be greatly favored by placing the cord upon the meta- 



