PRESENTATIONS OF THE FCETUS. 



229 



of Saint-Cyr, who has very judiciously proposed others which are more 

 exphcit and comprehensible. The latter gives the various positions 

 which should be recognized in each presentation, as follows : — 



A. Anterior Position. — The chest of the foetus is at the pelvic in- 

 let, and it is desired to make known what relation this part has to the pel- 

 vic circumference. The determinate point on the foetus is the vertebra? 

 of the withers ; and these may be in relation with the sg,crum above, 

 the pubis below, the right ascending branch of the ilium on the right 

 side, and the left ditto on the left. From this we have four positions, 

 named by Saint-Cyr as follows : — 



I. Vertebrosacral position (J^ig. c,8). — This is the most favorable and 

 the most frequent of all, and is said to be the only natural position. The 

 vertebrae of the foetus correspond to those of the mother, its withers 

 touching the sacrum of the latter, the belly corresponding to the abdom- 

 inal parietes, and its sternum to the pubis. This is sometimes named 

 the _^rst anterior position. 



Fig. 58. 

 Vertebro-sacral Position of the Fcetus. 



2. Vertebro-pubic Position. — This is exactly the inverse of the first : the 

 foetus lying on its back, its withers towards the pubis, and the sternum 

 opposed to the sacrum of the female. This is also named the second 

 anterior positio7i. 



3. Left Vertebro-ilial Position. — The fcetus lies in the right flank, its 

 head to the left side of the mother, the neck being in the same direction, 

 and, when passing through the pelvic cavity, touching the ascending 

 branch of the left ilium. The feet, when they are not in the pelvis, must, 

 of course, be sought for on the opposite side, towards the right flank of 

 the mother. 



4. Right Vertebro-ilial Position. — This is exactly the reverse of the last- 

 described position, the withers corresponding to the right ilium. 



The two last are sometimes named the lateral positions. They are less 

 frequent, as primary positions, than the first two, and are sometimes met 



