334 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



(effective. The resulting wounds may be washed frequently with a 

 solution of 1 part of carbolic acid to 50 parts of water, or of 1 part 

 of mercuric chloride to 1,000 parts of water. 



FETUS ADHERENT TO THE WALLS OF THE WOMB. 



In inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the cavity of 

 the womb and implicating the fetal membranes, the resulting em- 

 bryonic tissue sometimes establishes a medium of direct continuity 

 between the womb and fetal membranes; the blood vessels of the 

 one communicate freely with those of the other and the fibers of 

 the one are prolonged into the other. This causes retention of the 

 membranes after birth, and a special risk of bleeding from the 

 womb, and of septic poisoning. In exceptional cases the adhesion 

 is more extensive and binds a portion of the body of the foal firmly 

 to the womb. In such cases it has repeatedly been found impossible 

 to extract the foal until such adhesions were broken down. If they 

 can be reached with the hand and recognized, they may be torn 

 through with theifingers or with a blunt hook, after which delivery 

 may be attempted with hope of success. 



EXCESSIVE SIZE OF THE FETUS. 



It would seem that a small mare may usually be safely bred to 

 a large stallion, yet this is not always the case, and when the small 

 size is an individual rather than a racial characteristic or the result 

 of being very young, the rule can not be expected to hold. There 

 is always great danger in breeding the young, small, and undevel- 

 oped female, and the dwarfed representative of a larger breed, as 

 the offspring tend to partake of the large race characteristics and to 

 show them even prior to birth. When impregnation has occurred 

 in the very young or in the dwarfed female, there are two alterna- 

 tives to induce abortion or to wait until there are attempts at par- 

 turition and to extract by embryotomy if impractical otherwise. 



CONSTRICTION OF A MEMBER BY THE NAVEL STRING. 



In man and animals alike the winding of the umbilical cord 

 around a member of the fetus sometimes leads to the amputation of 

 the latter. It is also known to get wound around the neck or a limb 

 at birth, but in the mare this does not seriously impede parturition, 

 as the loosely attached membranes are easily separated from the 

 womb and no strangulation or retarding occurs. The foal may, 

 however, die from the cessation of the placental circulation unless it 

 is speedily delivered. 



CONTRACTIONS OF MUSCLES. 



The foal is not always developed symmetrically, but certain 

 groups of muscles are liable to remain short, or to shorten because 

 of persistent spasmodic contraction, so that even the bones become 

 distorted and twisted. This is most common in the neck. The 

 bones of this part and even of the face are drawn to one side and 

 shortened, the head being held firmly to the flank and the jaws 

 being twisted to the right or left. In other cases the flexor muscles 

 of the fore limbs are contracted so that these members are strongly 

 bent at the knee. In neither of these cases can the distorted part 

 be extended and straightened, so that body or limbs must neces- 



