DISEASES OF THE HORSE. I7l 



may be washed f requentl}^ with a solution of 1 part of carbolic acid to 

 50 parts of water, or of 1 part of mercuric chloride to 1,000 parts of 

 water. 



FETUS ADHERENT TO THE WALLS OF THE WOMB. 



In inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the cavity of the 

 womb and implicating the fetal membranes, the resulting embrj'onic 

 tissue sometimes establishes a medium of direct continuit}" between 

 the womb and fetal membranes; the blood vessels of the one commu- 

 nicate freely with those of the other and the fibers of the one are pro- 

 longed into the other. This causes retention of the membranes after 

 birth, and a special risk of bleeding- from the womb, and of septic 

 poisoning. In exceptional cases the adhesion is more extensive and 

 binds a portion of the body of the foal firmly to the womb. In such 

 cases it has repeatedly been found impossible to extract the foal until 

 such adhesions were broken down. If they can be reached with the 

 hand and recognized they may be torn through with the fingers or 

 with a blunt hook, after which delivery may be attempted with hope 

 of success. 



EXCESSIVE SIZE OF THE FETUS. 



It would seem that a small mare may usually be safely bred to a 

 large stallion, yet this is not always the case, and when the small size 

 is an individual rather than a racial characteristic or the result of being 

 very j^oung, the rule can not be expected to hold. There is alwa3\s 

 great danger in breeding the young, small, and undeveloped female, 

 and the dwarfed representative of a larger breed, as the offspring tend 

 to partake of the large race characteristics and to show them even 

 prior to birth. When impregnation has occurred in the veiy young 

 or in the dwarfed female, there are two alternatives — to induce abor- 

 tion or to wait until there are attempts at parturition and to extract 

 by cmbryotoni}^ if impracticable otherwise. 



CONSTRICTION OF A MEMBER BY THE NAVEL STRING. 



In man and animals alike the winding of the umbilical cord round 

 a member of the fetus sometimes leads to the amputation of the latter. 

 It is also known to get wound around the neck or a limb at birth, but 

 in the mare this does not seriously impede parturition, as the loosely 

 attached membranes are easily separated from the womb and no 

 strangulation or retarding occurs. The foal may, however, die from 

 the cessation of the placental circulation unless it is speedil}^ delivered. 



WATER IN THE HEAD (HYDROCEPHALUS) OF THE FOAL. 



This consists in the excessive accumulation of liquid in the ventricles 

 of the brain so that the cranial cavity is enlarged and constitutes a 



