154 



OBSTETRICAL PHYSIOLOGY. 



this practice is prejudicial to the foetus, by arresting or retarding its de- 

 velopment, through diverting into the mammary glands the materials 

 which should be disposed of in the uterus. 



Exercise at pasture is beneficial to all animals, even the Pig and Bitch 

 are greatly benefited by movement. 



T\iQ.food oi pregnant animals is an important consideration. Creatures 

 in this condition should be well fed, and especially if they have to accom- 

 plish a certain amount of labor or yield milk. The appetite is generally 

 increased, and there is, as has been already observed, a tendency to fatten. 

 This tendency should be somewhat guarded against, as it may prove 

 troublesome ; particularly if it is allowed to proceed to an extreme degree, 

 when it may retard the development of the foetus, induce abortion, cause 

 difficult parturition, or give rise to serious after-consequences. This pre- 

 caution is more to be observed in the second than the first half of preg- 

 nancy, when the food should be plentiful, but not in excess, and flesh 

 more abundant in the animal than fat. 



The food should also be of good quality, very nutritive, easy of diges- 

 tion, and not likely to induce constipation. 



Indigestion should be carefully guarded against, and unaccustomed, 

 hard, damp, bulky, fermentable, mouldy, or otherwise hurtfully altered 

 food, should be avoided, as it is likely to prove indigestible, occasion tym- 

 panitis, and produce other injurious results. 



Grazing on pastures is favorable to the pregnant condition of herbivor- 

 ous animals, and especially if the land is not too broken, or sloping, and 

 the herbage is good ; as they take their own exercise, and breathe a purer 

 atmosphere than that of stables or sheds. But it must be remembered 

 that they should, if possible, be protected from damp, fogs, cold rain, 

 stormy weather, etc. If the herbage is not sufficiently abundant and 

 nutritive, it should be supplemented by an additional allowance of food. 



In connection with food, it may be well to observe that, besides the 

 ordinary saline matters which it is beneficial to add to the ration, espe- 

 cially when it is prepared for the animals, in those regions where inflam- 

 mation of the joints of young creatures, and other morbid conditions, due 

 to the deficiency of certain mineral constituents in the economy, are noted, 

 it may be necessary to add these constituents to the food of the pregnant 

 animal. * 



The phosphates so necessary for the formation of certain tissues of the 

 body, for instance, may be deficient in the herbage ; and this may be com- 

 pensated for by giving, in addition to bran, meal, oil-cake, etc., and even 

 properly-prepared bone-dust. 



The water should be pure, and plentiful at all times ; as then the ani- 

 mals will drink only moderate quantities, and when necessary. 



A point to be particularly attended to, is not allowing pregnant animals 

 to drink very cold water, nor eat food at a low temperature. We have 

 seen that the foetus is extremely susceptible to the action of cold, and 

 abortion is by no means unusual through the operation of this suscepti- 

 bility. 



Very cold water, frozen food — such as roots, or herbage covered with 

 white or hoar frost — should therefore be withheld from pregnant animals, 

 as they are likely to induce abortion, metritis, and other serious accidents, 

 either through their direct action upon the foetus, or indirectly through 

 the derangement they may set up in the digestive apparatus. 



With regard to dwellings^ the hygienic rules which should always be 



