168 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



can bo folt tnrough the walls of the sao, so that it is easy to recognize 

 the condition. Its cause is usuall}- external violence, though it may 

 start from an umbilical hernia. When the period of parturition 

 arrives, the first elTort should be to return the fetus within the proper 

 abdominal cavity, and this can sometimes be accomplished with the 

 aid of a stout blanket gradually tightened around the bell}'. This 

 failing, the mare may be placed on her side or back and gravitation 

 brought to the aid of manipulation in securing the return. Even 

 after the hernia has been reduced the relaxed state of the womb and 

 abdominal walls may serve to hinder parturition, in which case the 

 oiled hand must be introduced through the vagina, the fetus brought 

 into position, and traction coincident with the labor pains employed 

 to secure delivery. 



TWISTING OF THE NP:CK OF THE WOMB. 



This condition- is very uncommon in the mare, though occasionally 

 seen in the cow, owing to the greater laxity of the broad ligaments of 

 the womb in that animal. It consists in a revolution of the womb on 

 its own axis, so that its right or left side will be turned upward 

 (quarter revolution), or the lower surface may be turned upward and 

 the upper surface downward (half revolution). The effect is to throw 

 the narrow neck of the womb into a series of spiral folds, turning in 

 the direction in which the womb has revolved, closing the neck and 

 rendering distention and dilatation impossible. 



The period and pains of parturition arrive, but in spite of con- 

 tinued efforts no progress is made, neither waterbags nor liquids 

 appearing. The oiled hand introduced into the closed neck of the 

 womb will readily detect the spiral direction of the folds on its inner 

 surface. 



The method of relief which 1 have successfull}' adopted in the cow 

 maj" be equall}' happ\' in the mare. The dam is placed (with her 

 head uphill) on her right side if the upper folds of the spiral turn 

 toward the right, and on her left side if they turn toward the left, 

 and the oiled hand is introduced through the neck of the womb and a 

 limb or other part of the body of the fetus is seized and pressed 

 against the wall of the womb, while two or three assistants turn the 

 animal over on her back toward the other side. The object is to keep 

 the womb stationary while the animal is rolling. If success attends 

 the effort, the constriction around the arm is suddenly relaxed, the 

 spiral folds are effaced, and the waterbags and fetus press forward 

 into the passage. If the first attempt does not succeed it may be 

 repeated again and again until success crow^ns the effort. Among my 

 occasional causes of failure have been the prior death and decompo- 

 sition of the fetus, with the extrication of gas and overdistention of 

 the womb^ and the supervention of intiammation and inflammatory 



