198 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



If parturition continues to make progress the displaced foot may 

 bruise and lacerate the vagina. By seizing the limb above the fetlosk 

 it may be easily pushed over the head to the proper side, when partu- 

 rition will proceed normally. 



Fore limb bent at knee. — The nose and one fore foot present, and 

 on examination the knee of the missing fore limb is found farther 

 back. (Plate XV, fig. 1.) First place a noose each on the pre- 

 senting pastern and lower jaw, and push back the body of the fetus 

 with a repeller, while the operator seizing the shank of the bent 

 limb extends it so as to press back the knee and bring forward the 

 fetlock and foot. As progress is made little by little the hand is 

 slid down from the region of the knee to the fetlock, and finally 

 that is secured and brought up into the passage, when parturition 

 Avill proceed without hindrance. If both fore limbs are bent back 

 the head must be noosed and the limbs brought up as above, one after 

 the other. It is usually best to employ the left hand for the right 

 fore limb, and the right hand for the left fore limb. 



Fore limb turned back from shoulders. — In this case, on explora- 

 tion by the side of the head and presenting limb, the shoulder only 

 can be reached at fu-st. (Plate XV, fig 4.) By noosing the head and 

 presenting fore limb, they may be drawn forward into the pelvis, 

 and the oiled hand being carried along the shoulder in the direction 

 of the missing limb is enabled to reach and seize the forearm just 

 below the elbow. The body is now pushed back by the assistants 

 pressing on the head and presenting limb or on a repeller planted 

 in the breast until the knee can be brought up into the pelvis, after 

 which the procedure is the same as described in the last paragraph. 



Head bent down between fore limbs. — This may be so that the 

 poll or nape of the neck, with the ears, can be felt far back between 

 the fore limbs, or so that only the upper border of the neck can be 

 reached, head and neck being bent back beneath the body. With the 

 head only bent on the neck, noose the two presenting limbs, then in- 

 troduce the hand between them until the nose can be seized in the 

 palm of the hand. Xext have the assistants push back the present- 

 ing limbs, while the nose is strongly lifted upward over the brim 

 of the pelvis. This accomplished, it assumes the natural position and 

 parturition is easy. 



When both head and neck are bent downward it may be impossible 

 to reach the nose. If, however, the labor has only commenced, the 

 limbs may be drawn upon until the operator can reach the ear, by 

 dragging on which the head may be so far advanced that the fingers 

 may reach the orbit; traction upon this while the limbs are being 

 pushed back may bring the head up so that it bends on the neck only, 

 and the further procedure will be as described in the last paragraph. 



