198 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



may be passed around the leg as far down toward the hock as possible 

 and pulled on forcibly, while the hand presses forward strongly on 

 the back of the leg above. When both hocks have been lodged above 

 the brim of the pelvis the further procedure is as described under the 

 last heading. 



If, however, the case is advanced and the buttocks wedged firmly 

 into the passages, it may be impossible safely to push the fetus back 

 into the womb, and the calf must either be dragged through the pas- 

 sage as it is or the limbs or the pelvis must be cut off. To extract 

 successfully with a breech presentation the cow must be large and 

 roomy and the calf not too large. The first step in this case is to 

 separate the pelvic bones on the two sides by cutting from before 

 backward, exactly in the median line below and where the thighs 

 come together above. This may be done with a strong embryotomy 

 knife, but is most easily accomplished with the long embryotome 

 (PI. XX, fig. 3). The form which I have designed (PI. XX, fig. 1), 

 with a short cutting branch jointed to the main stem, is to be pre- 

 ferred, as the short cutting piece may be folded on the main stem so 

 that its cutting edge Avill be covered, and it can be introduced and 

 extracted without danger. This is pushed forward beneath the calf's 

 belly, and the cutting arm opened, inserted in front of the brim of 

 the pelvis and pulled forcibly back through the whole length of the 

 pelvic bones. The divided edges are now made to overlap each other 

 and the breadth of the haunch is materially reduced. One end of the 

 cord may then be passed forward by means of a cord carrier (PI. 

 XXI, fig. 5) on the inner side of one thigh until it can be seized at 

 the stifle by the hand passed forward on the outer side of that thigh. 

 This end is now pulled back through the vagina, the other end 

 passed through the cord carrier and passed forward on the inner side 

 of the other thigh until it can be seized at the stifle by the hand 

 passed forward outside that thigh. This end is drawn back through 

 the vagina like the first, and is tied around the other so as to form a 

 running noose. The rope is now drawn through the ring until it 

 forms a tight loop, encircling the belly just in front of the hind 

 limbs. On this strong traction can be made without interfering 

 with the full flexion of the limbs on the body, and if the case is a 

 suitable one, and the body of the fetus and the passages are both 

 well lubricated with oil or lard, a successful parturition may be ac- 

 complished. A less desirable method is to put a rope around one 

 thigh or a rope around each and drag upon these, but manifestly 

 the strain is not so directly on the spine, and the limbs may be 

 somewhat hampered in flexion. 



This method being inapplicable, the next resort is to cut off one or 

 both hind limbs at the hip joint. Free incisions are made on the side 



