170 BUKIiAU OF ANIMAL IXDUSTKY. 



upon it will impel the animal to cut .short all labor pains. The 

 rounded swellincr surrounding the anus will at once suggest the con- 

 dition, when the obstruction may be removed by the well-oiled or 

 well- soaped hand. 



SPASM OF THE NECK OF THE WOMB. 



This occurs in the mare of specially excitable temperament, or under 

 particular causes of irritation, local or general. Labor pains, though 

 continuing for some time, produce no dilatation of the neek of the 

 womb, which will be found tirmly closed so as to admit but one or 

 two fingers, and this, although the projection at the mouth of the 

 womb may have been entirely effaced, so that a simple round opening 

 is left, with rigid margins. 



Treatment. — The simplest treatment consists in smearing this part 

 with solid extract of belladonna, and after an interval inserting the 

 hand w^ith fingers and thumb drawn into the form of a cone, rupturing 

 the membranes and bringing the fetus into position for extraction, as 

 advised under "Prolonged retention of the fetus." Another mode is 

 to insert through the neck of the womb an ovoid caoutchouc bag, 

 empty, and furnished with an elastic tube 12 feet long. Carry the 

 free end of this tube upward to a height of 8, 10, or 12 feet, insert a 

 filler into it, and proceed to distend the bag with tepid or warm water. 



FIBKOUS BANDS CONSTllICTING OR CROSSING THE NECK OF THE WOMB. 



These, occurring as the result of disease, have been several times 

 observed in the mare. They may exist in the cavity of the abdomen 

 and compress and obstruct the neck of the w^omb, or they may extend 

 from side to side of the vagina across and just behind the neck of the 

 womb. In the latter position they may be felt and quickly remedied 

 by cutting them across. In the abdomen they can only be reached by 

 incision, and two alternatives are presented: (1) To perform embry- 

 otomy and extract the fetus piecemeal and (2) to make an incision 

 into the abdomen and extract by the Cesarean operation, or simply to 

 cut the constricting band and attempt delivery b^- the usual channeL 



FIBROUS CONSTRICTION OF VAGINA OR VULVA. 



This is probably always the result of direct mechanical injury and 

 the formation of rigid cicatrices which fail to dilate with the remainder 

 of the passages at the approach of parturition. The presentation of 

 the fetus in the natural way and the occurrence of successive and active 

 labor pains without any favorable result will direct attention to the 

 rigid and enyielding cicatrices which may be incised at one, two, or 

 more points to a depth of half an inch or more, after ^vhich tl atural 

 expulsive efforts wdll usually prove effective. The resulting ounds 



