DISEASES OF HORSES 331 



EMBRYOTOMY. 



This consists in the dissection of the fetus, so as to reduce its 

 bulk and allow of its exit through the pelvis. The operation will 

 vary in different cases according to the necessity for the removal of 

 one or more parts in order to secure the requisite reduction 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 parts. 



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 the 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 is 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 vertebra (neck bones) are severed by cutting 

 completely across the cartilage of the joint. The bulging of the 

 ends of the bones will serve to indicate 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 connections. 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 through an artificial opening in 

 the skin, and tied firmly around the skin, to be employed as a 

 means of traction when the missing limbs or the second head have 

 been brought up into position. 



Amputation of the Hind Limb. This may be required when 

 there are extra hind limbs or when the hind limbs are bent forward 

 at hock or hip joint. In the former condition the procedure re- 

 sembles that for removal of a fore limb, but requires more anatom- 

 ical knowledge. Having noosed the pastern, a circular incision is 

 made through the skin around the fetlock, and a longitudinal one 

 from that up to the groin, and the skin is dissected from the limb as 

 high up as can be reached, over the croup, if possible. Then cut 

 through the muscles around the hip joint, and, if possible, the liga- 

 ments of the joint, and extract the limb by strong dragging. 



Amputation of the Fore Limbs. This may usually be begun 

 on the fetlock of the limb projecting from the vulva. An embry- 

 otomy knife is desirable. This knife consists of a blade with a 

 sharp, slightly hooked point, and one or two rings in the back of 

 the blade large enough to fit on the middle finger, while the blade 

 is protected in the palm of the hand. Another form has the blade 

 inserted in a mortise in the handle, from which it is pushed out by- 

 a movable button when wanted. First place a noose around the 

 fetlock of the limb to be amputated, cut the skin circularlv entirely 

 around the fetlock, then make an incision on the inner side of the 



