492 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



sibility are concerned, their study can be greatly simplified. As Rainard 

 says: "The fcetns, when covered by its envelopes, is oval shaped, or like 

 an olive, which it is desired to pass down the neck of a bottle, and which 

 may be presented to this in three ways — either by one of its two ends or by 

 its middle." These ends are the anterior part of the chest in front, and 

 the croup behind ; and it is these parts on which the classification of these 

 presentations is based. This classification gives two longitudinal and an 

 anterior and posterior presentation ; and, as the foetus may also ofifer itself 

 across the long axis of the uterine cavity, we have a transverse presentation, 

 which may again be dorso-lunibar or sterno-ahdommal, according to the 

 side of the fcetus which presents. These four fundamental presentations 

 are, therefore: 



1. Anterior Presentation. — The chest of the foetus presents towards the 

 inlet, and is preceded, accompanied or followed by the head and fore 



VENTRAL (or BELLY ) PRESENTATION. 



limbs; the situation and direction of wliich may vary without altering the 

 essential features of the presentation. 



2. Posterior Presentation. — The croup or breech is facing the inlet, and 

 the presence or absence of the limbs there only constitute varieties of the 

 presentation. 



3. Dorso-lumhar Presentation. — Any portion of the upper part of the 

 body opposite the inlet. Lecoq and Rainard admit presentations of the 

 withers, back, loins, shoulder or haunch, as distinct presentations; but I 

 agree with Saint-Cyr in declaring the distinction to be practically useless. 

 On exploring the pelvic cavity, no matter what part of the back is first 

 touched, the hand always encounters the spine of the foetus, either directly 

 in the axis of the pelvis, or obliquely and at some distance from it. All 



