DISEASES OF THE GENEEATIVE ORGANS. 199 



of the haunch so as to expose the hip joint, and the muscles are cut 

 away from the head of the thigh bone down to its narrow neck, 

 around which a rope is passed and firmly fixed with a running noose. 

 The joint is now cut into all around, and while traction is made on 

 the cord the knife ^ inserted into the inner side of the joint and the 

 round ligament severed. The cord may now be dragged upon forci- 

 bly, and the muscles and other parts cut through as they are drawn 

 tense, until finally the whole member has been extracted. Traction 

 on the rope round the other thigh will now suffice to extract, in most 

 cases, but if it should fail the other limb may be cut off in the 

 same manner, and then hooks inserted in front of the brim of the 

 pelvis or in the openings in the bones of its floor (obturator fora- 

 mina) will give sufficient purchase for extraction. Another method 

 is to insert a knife between the bone of the rump (sacrum) and the 

 hip bone and sever their connections; then cut through the joint 

 (symphysis) between the two hip bones in the median line of the 

 floor of the pelvis, and then with a hook in the opening on the 

 pelvic bones (obturator foramen) drag upon the limb and cut the 

 tense soft parts until the limb is freed and extracted. 



Presentation of the hack. — In this presentation straining may be 

 active, but after the rupture of the water bags no progress is made, 

 and the hand introduced will recognize the back with its row of 

 spinous processes and the springing ribs at each side pressed against 

 the entrance to the pelvis. (PI. XVII, fig. 6.) The presence or 

 absence of the ribs will show whether it is the region of the chest 

 or the loins. By feeling along the line of spines until the ribs are 

 met with we shall learn that the head lies in that direction. If, on 

 the contrary, we follow the ribs until they disappear, and a blank 

 space is succeeded by hip bones, it shows that we are approaching 

 the tail. The head may be turned upward, downward, to the right 

 side, or to the left. 



The object must be to turn the fetus so that one extremity or the 

 other can enter the passage, and the choice of which end to bring for- 

 ward will depend on various considerations. If one end is much 

 nearer the outlet than the other, that would naturally be selected for 

 extraction, but if they are equidistant the choice would fall on the 

 hind end, as having only the two limbs to deal with without any risk 

 of complication from the head. When the head is turned upward 

 and forward it will usually be preferable to bring up the hind limb, 

 as, owing to the drooping of the womb into the abdomen, rotation of 

 the fetus will usually be easier in that direction, and if successful tile 

 resulting position will be a natural posterior presentation, with the 

 back of the calf turned toward the rump of the cow. Similarly with 

 the croup turned upward and forward, that should be pushed on for- 



