270 MATERNAL DYSTOKIA. 



BOOK L 



MATERNAL DYSTOKIA, 



The pathology of parturition, as has been mentioned, includes disturb- 

 ances produced by excessive or tumultuous pains and too feeble pains, and 

 derangement caused by too great an obstacle to birth. We have sufficient- 

 ly described the first ; and \Ve have now to deal with the second, in so far 

 as the mother is concerned- The maternal obstacles to parturition are 

 related to the too great resistance offered by the parturient passages, 

 either in their hard or soft parts. These obstacles have been grouped in 

 the preceding table under the head of pelvic constriction^ displacement or 

 change in relations of the uterus, and morbid alterations of the maternal 

 organs. 



CHAPTER L 



Dystokia by Pelvic Constrictionu 



Dystokia from constriction of the pelvis is sometimes observed in ani- 

 mals ;* though less frequently, perhaps, than in woman, in whom con- 

 stitutional causes and the different position (vertical) of this region, 

 operate largely in producing diminished dimensions of its cavity. Any 

 alteration in the dimensions or shape of the pelvis, whether general or 

 partial, is a more or less serious cause of dystokia, and in some cases may 

 render delivery absolutely impossible, A pelvis generally reduced in all 

 its dimensions is sometimes noticed in the large, as well as the small do- 

 mesticated animals. 



On the Continent of Europe, this has been observed more particularly 

 among some of the small common breeds of cattle — such as the Bretonne, 

 and certain of the grey Swiss breeds, as the J^ribourgeoise. These cattle 

 have the ischia pointed and the tail attached high above them. Leconte 

 has observed this conformation in animalslhe produce of a cross between 

 large Norman Mares and pure-bred Horses — animals with a sharp croup. 

 There is often a relative narrowness of the pelvis in animals of small size 

 which have been put to larger males. This has been witnessed in the 

 Mare and Bitch ; and as the young are proportionately larger than the 

 pelvis can accommodate in parturition, we have here a cause of dystokia. 

 An abnormal inclination of the pelvis has been supposed by some writ- 

 ers to exercise an unfavorable influence on parturition, but this has been 

 denied by others. Provided the other conditions of normal parturition 

 are present, no difficulty should be experienced in delivery ; but if, added 

 to this state, there is a narrow pelvis, then obstetrical operations would 

 certainly be rendered more serious- 

 Deformities which occasion irregular constriction of the pelvic cavity, 



* A naturally wide pelvis— or rather an esecess in width— observed more particularly in animals of a 

 lymphatic temperament, and especially in Cows, along with an extraordinary suppleness and laxity ot the 

 soft parts in this region, has the inconvenience of rendering parturition too easy, it would appear. Por 

 this facility is supposed, and not without reason, to bring about such complications as eyersion ot the 

 vagina and uterus, placental retention, and even predisposes, according to some authorities, to vituiary 

 fever in the Cow and metritis in the other animals- 



