DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 195 



and the pains have been present for an hour or two, and by putting 

 the hand in you find the only thing protruding is the tail, then it is 

 difficult, and in some cases, it is impossible to deliver it without 

 cutting, and the way to proceed is to endeavour to get hold of the 

 hind legs, which is easier said than done. The crotch is useful to press 

 the foetus forward to some extent ; at the same time endeavour to get 

 the hind legs. Get a rope under the stifle and pull back some, and if 

 you can get the rope down to the fetlock and get one leg, you will 

 generally be able to get the other. Use force while the mare is strain- 

 ing. You may not be able to get the feet into position, when the only 

 chances are to cut the limbs off at the hock — that is, where the hocks 

 are protruding — and the best instrument is the chain saw, which I 

 would recommend you to have. Having removed the hock, put the 

 foetus forward, when you will be able to get the limbs. Another 

 method is embryotomy, or cutting away the foetus. Another way is 

 to make an incision just below the tail and remove the contents of the 

 abdomen, and by diminishing the size of the bowels you may be able 

 to deliver it. A hook is of use in this operation. If you fail in this, 

 then cut through to the brim of the pelvis and take off one hind leg. 

 This requires perseverance and hard work. Another false presentation 

 is where the fore legs protrude, and the head is turned back over the 

 shoulder. In such a case improperly applied force is of great danger. 

 In such a case apply a cord around the fetlock and push the foetus 

 back into the cavity and get hold of the head, and you may be able to 

 get a cord around the under jaw ; then push it back with the crotch 

 and straighten it out, and you will be able to deliver it. One of the 

 limbs may protrude and the other be back with the head, or the head 

 thrown down between the fore limbs. In such cases no amount of 

 force will be able to deliver it. Where the head is thrown down it is a 

 pretty difficult case. Push it back and endeavour to get hold of and 

 straighten the hand, and delivery will be easy. Another presentation 

 is the head protruding without the feet. In such a case the foetus 

 soon suffocates if relief is not afforded. Push it back into the cavity 

 and get hold of the limbs, and then deliver it. But if it is two or three 

 hours after the foetus has protruded, and it is dead and the head swol- 

 len, then disarticulate the head and attach a cord around the cervical 

 vertebra, then push it back and get hold of the fore feet and take it 

 away ; but do not be in too nluch of a hurry in giving up a case, and 

 use your head as well as your hands. As to medicines, there is benefit 

 in opium, chloroform, etc., and it is best sometimes to put the animal 

 under the influence of chloroform. Change the position of the animal, 

 elevate the hind quarters, etc. Sometimes we meet a case where the 

 side of the neck is presented and the feet turned upward. The best 

 way is to turn it and bring it into its natural position ; endeavour to 

 get a rope around under the head and a portion of the limb ; get an 

 assistant to pull, and get your hand in ; manipulate and you can gener- 

 ally turn it, but not always, and it is sometimes necessary to perform 

 embryotomy. Endeavour to sever the attachment of the fore extremity 

 from the trunk ; draw the leg out and make an incision as high up as 

 possible, and run the knife up the inside of the leg to the shoulder, 

 but do not ci^t the leg off about the knee, for it makes the case worse. 

 In some exceptional cases you may have to cut off the other leg. 

 Another is a back presentation. It is very difficult. When you ex- 

 amine perhaps you will find the loins or dorsal vertebrae presented, 

 and if the hind quarters are nearer than the fore, endeavour to make 

 it a breech presentation ; but if the fore quarters are nearer, try to 



