NECESSARY AID IN NORMAL PARTURITION. 



239 



I 



ularly primiparas, are rendered peevish and fidgety if they see any one 

 present during parturition. 



Unless something irregular or abnormal occurs during this act, all 

 should be left to nature. The irregularities are few in number, the princi- 

 pal h^xwg hurried and protracted parturition^ they being only modifications 

 of natural labor; the difficult cases coming under the head of dystokia, to 

 be treated of in another division of this volume. 



Whether called in to a case of irregular or abnormal parturition, the 

 first care of the veterinary surgeon will be to assure himself as to the state 

 of the animal and the progress made in the act. In this direction, it must 

 be remembered that for the accomplishment of this function in a physio- 

 logical manner — i.e., by the force of nature only — and without prejudice to 

 the mother or offspring, there is required a definite action, proportionate 

 to the constitution of the former, of the forces destined for the expulsion 

 of the latter. The labor-pains should be normal, the act should be neither 

 hurried or abrupt, nor yet too slow; and the mother should not exhibit 

 any constitutional weakness or physical debility. In addition, the foetus 

 should be normal as well as its membranes ; and the genital passages of 

 the mother ought to be in a properly formed and healthy condition. The 

 fcetus should be alive and natural in form and size, particularly with regard 

 to the volume of the head and thorax; and it ought to be in such a posi- 

 tion that it can be expelled without assistance. The foetal envelopes 

 should possess a certain degree of thickness and resistance, so that they 

 may not rupture too soon, nor yet resist the action of the uterus too long. 

 The pelvis of the mother should have a convenient shape and capacity ; 

 the genital passages soft and elastic ; the os, vagina, and vulva properly 

 formed and extensible ; and the other pelvic organs in a normal state. 



If the act of parturition is not sufficiently advanced, and the soft parts 

 through which the foetus has to pass are not enough dilated, time should 

 be allowed for this to take place. As a rule, there should be no hurry to 

 interfere with the progress of the case, as a somewhat long period is often 

 required for preparation ; and if this is accelerated by the intervention of 

 art, accidents are more likely to occur than if the labor had been long 

 and protracted. 



Vitulary or parturient fever has been remarked as more common in 

 Cows which have calved quickly or abruptly ; and in such instances it 

 has also been noticed that the uterine contractions do not sufficiently de- 

 tach the foetal membranes. 



In parturition, there is as much wisdom shown in remaining a specta- 

 tor sometimes, as in interfering at other times when circumstances require 

 it. It is only when obstacles, insurmountable by the natural efforts of 

 the animal, offer themselves that aid must be rendered. So long as the 

 course of parturition remains normal, nothing should be done, under or- 

 dinary circumstances. 



With the Mare, however, delay should not be pushed too far, as the 

 foetal placenta is very easily detached from the uterine surface, and the 

 foetus may perish of asphyxia or inanition. 



The intelligent owner of an animal which is about to bring forth, 

 should himself be able to ascertain the position of the foetus, and decide 

 as to whether parturition may terminate in a natural manner, or if the ex- 

 isting obstacles are easy to overcome. If they are not, he certainly should 

 not venture to attempt delivering the animal himself, or to pull about the 

 mother or foetus ; as this may only tend to aggravate the accident, and 



