40 THE HOUSE BOOK. 



the womb and manipulating it. Leave it alone. 

 Pushing the hand still gently inward and past 

 the meatus the hard tough neck of the womb 

 will be encountered a stick-like dependent 

 body about two inches in diameter and circu- 

 lar. This will be found with a hole in it in 

 most cases. If it is closed a little exploration 

 with the finger will discover a transverse inden- 

 tation in it. Gentle pressure of the finger will 

 effect an entrance and when one finger has been 

 inserted the orifice may be rimmed out to per- 

 mit the ingress of two fingers, when it is large 

 enough. If it is necessary thus to open the 

 neck of the womb it should always be done a 

 short time before service, because it will quickly 

 resume its contracted condition. It should be 

 needless to say that when such explorations are 

 made the nails should be carefully trimmed, the 

 arm and hand plentifully smeared with vase- 

 line. A hand on which there is any abrasion, 

 even a bad agnail, should never be employed 

 in such work. The benefit of " opening " a 

 mare is not, as is generally supposed, so much 

 in providing free entrance for the spermatozoa, 

 but in removing toughened coagulated acid 

 mucous secretions collected in the mouth and 

 neck of the womb. 



Impregnation of mares artificially, as it has 

 been termed, by syringe or capsule, is admitted- 

 ly a successful operation. As the spermatozoa 

 must first get within the womb before they can 



