202 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



Presentation or breast and abdomen. — This is tlie reverse of the 

 back presentation, the foal being extended across in front of the 

 pelvic opening, but with the belly turned toward the passages and 

 with all four feet engaged in the passage. (Plate XVI, fig. 2.) 

 The most promising course is to secure the hind feet with nooses and 

 then push the fore feet forward into the womb. As soon as the fore 

 feet are pushed forward clear of the brim of the pelvis, traction 

 is made on the hind feet so as to bring the thighs into the passage 

 and prevent the reentrance of the fore limbs. If it proves difficult 

 to push the fore limbs back, a noose may be passed around the fetlock 

 of each and the cord drawn through the eye of a rope carrier, by 

 means of which the members may be easily pushed back. 



EMBRYOTOMY. 



Embryotomy consists in the dissection of the fetus, so as to reduce 

 its bulk and allow of its exit through the pelvis. The indications for 

 its adoption have been furnished in the foregoing pages. The op- 

 eration will vary in different cases according to the necessity for the 

 removal of one or more parts in order to secure the requisite reduc- 

 tion in size. Thus it may be needful to remove head and neck, one 

 fore limb or both, one hind limb or both, to remove different parts 

 of the trunk, or to remove superfluous (monstrous) parts. Some of 

 the simplest operations in embryotomy (incision of the head in 

 hydrocephalus, incision of the belly in dropsy) have already been 

 described. It remains to notice the more difficult procedures which 

 can be best undertaken by the skilled anatomist. 



Amputation of the head. — This is easy when both fore limbs are 

 turned back and the head alone has made its exit in part. It is more 

 difficult when the head is still retained in the passages or womb, as 

 in double-headed monsters. The head is secured by a hook in th& 

 lower jaw, or in the orbit, or by a halter, and the skin is divided 

 circularly around the lower part of the face or at the front of the 

 ears, according to the amount of head protruding. Then an incision 

 is made backward along the line of the throat, and the skin dissected 

 from the neck as far back as possible. Then the muscles and other 

 soft parts of the neck are cut across, and the bodies of two vertebra3 

 (neck bones) are severed by cutting completely across the cartilage 

 of the joint. The bulging of the ends of the bones will serve to indi- 

 cate the seat of the joint. The head and detached portion of the 

 neck may now be removed by steady pulling. If there is still an 

 obstacle, the knife may be again used to sever any obstinate con- 

 nections. In the case of a double-headed monster, the whole of the 

 second neck must be removed with the head. When the head has 

 been detached, a rope should be passed through the eyeholes, or 



