DISEASES OF HORSES 335 



sarily. present double, and natural delivery is rendered impossible. 

 The bent neck may sometimes be straightened after the muscles 

 have been cut on the side to which it is turned, and the bent limbs 

 after the tendons on the back of the shank bone have been cut 

 across. Failing to accomplish this, the next resort is embryotomy. 



TUMORS OF THE FETUS, OR INCLOSED OVUM. 



Tumors or diseased growths may form on any part of the foal, 

 internal or external, and by their size impede or hinder parturition. 

 In some cases what appears as a tumor is an imprisoned and unde- 

 veloped ovum, which has grafted itself on the fetus. These are 

 usually sacculated, and may contain skin, hair, muscle, bone, and 

 other natural tissues. The only course to be pursued in such cases 

 is to excise the tumor, or, if this is not feasible, to perform embry- 

 otomy. 



ENTRANCE OF TWINS INTO THE PASSAGE AT ONCE. 



Twins are rare in the mare, and still more rare is the impac- 

 tion of both at once into the pelvis. The condition would be easily 

 recognized by the fact that the two fore.limbs and two hind would 

 occupy the passage at once, the front of the hoofs of the fore feet 

 being turned upward and those of the hind feet downward. If 

 both belonged to one foal they would be turned in the same direc- 

 tion. Once recognized, the condition is easily remedied by passing 

 a rope with a running noose round each foot of the foal that is 

 farthest advanced or that promises to be most easily extracted, and 

 to push the members of the other fetus back into the depth of the 

 womb. As soon as the one fetus is fully engaged in the passage it 

 will hold its place and its delivery will proceed in the natural way. 



FORE LIMBS INCOMPLETELY EXTENDED. 



In cases of this kind, not only are the back tendons behind the 

 knee and shank bone unduly short, but the sinew extending from 

 the front of the shoulder blade over the front of the elbow and 

 down to the head of the shank bone is also shortened. The result 

 is that the fore limb is bent at the knee and the elbow is also rigidly 

 bent. The condition obstructs parturition by the feet becoming 

 pressed against the floor of the pelvis or by the elbow pressing on its 

 anterior brim. Relief is to be obtained by forcible extension. A 

 rope with a running noose is passed around each fetlock and a 

 repeller planted in the breast is pressed in a direction upward and 

 backward while active traction is made on the ropes. If the feet 

 are not thereby raised from the floor of the pelvis the palm of the 

 hand may be placed beneath them to protect the mucous membrane 

 until they have advanced sufficiently to obviate this danger. In 

 the absence of a repeller, a smooth rounded fork handle may be em- 

 ployed. If the shortening is too great to allow of the extension of the 

 limbs in this way, the tense tendons may be cut across behind the 

 shank bone and in front of the elbow, and the limb will be easily 

 Straightened out. This is most easily done with an embryotomy knife 

 furnished with a ring for th'e middle finger, so that the blade may be 

 protected in the palm of the hand. 



