172 BUREAU OF ANKvIAL INDU6TKY. 



great projecting rounded mass occup3'ing the spare from the eyes 

 upward. (See Plate XV, fig. 3.) With an anterior presentation 

 (fore feet and nose) this presents an insuperable obstacle to progress, 

 as the diseased cranium is too large to enter the pelvis at the same 

 time with the forearms. With a posterior presentation (hind feet) all 

 goes well until th.e body and shoulders have passed out, when progress 

 is suddenly arrested by the great ])ulk of the head. In the first case, 

 the oiled hand introduced along the face detects the enormous size of 

 the head, which maj^ be diminished by puncturing it with a knife or 

 trochar and cannula in the median line, evacuating the water and press- 

 ing in the thin bony walls. With a posterior presentation, the same 

 course must be followed; the hand passed along the neck will detect 

 the cranial swelling, which may be punctured with a knife or trochar. 

 Oftentimes with an anterior presentation the great size of the head 

 leads to its displacement backward and thus the forelimbs alone engage 

 in the passages. Here the first object is to seek and bring up the miss- 

 ing head, and then puncture it as above suggested. 



DROPSY OF THE ABDOMEN IX THE FOAL, OR ASCITES. 



The accumulation of li(|uid in the abdominal cavity of the fetus is 

 less frequent, but when present it may arrest parturition as completely 

 as will hydrocephalus. "With an anterior presentation the foal ma}^ 

 pass as far as the shoulders, but behind this all cfi'orts fail to secure a 

 further advance. With a posterior presentation the hind legs as far 

 as the thighs may be expelled, but at this point all progress ceases. 

 In either case the oiled hand, passed inward by thii side of the foal, will 

 detect the enormous distention of the abdomen and its soft, fluctuating 

 contents. The onh^ course is to puncture the cavity and evacuate the 

 liquid. With the anterior presentation this may be done with a long 

 trochar and cannula, introduced through the chest and diaphragm; or 

 with a knife an incision may be made between the first two ribs and 

 the lungs and heart cut or torn out, when the diaphragm will be felt 

 projecting strongly forward, and ma}'' be easily' punctured. Should 

 there not be room to introduce the hand through the chest, the oiled 

 hand may be passed along beneath the breast bone and the abdomen 

 punctured. With a posterior presentation the abdomen must be punc- 

 tured in the same wa}^, the hand, armed with a knife protected in its 

 palm, being passed along the side of the flank or between the hind 

 limbs. It should be added that moderate dropsy of the abdomen is 

 not incompatible with natural delivery, the liquid being at first crowded 

 back into the portion of the belly still engaged in the wom}>, and pass- 

 ing slowly from that into the advanced portion as soon as that has 

 cleared the narrow passage of the pelvis and passed out where it can 

 expand. 



