D YSTOKIA B Y PEL VIC CONSTRICTION. 275 



Much will depend, of course, upon the nature and the seat of the frac- 

 ture. When it is only the outer angle of the ilium (point of haunch), 

 and even when the fractured bone is displaced by the action of the small 

 oblique muscles of the abdomen and the fascia lata, producing great 

 external deformity, no great effect can be produced on the act of partu- 

 rition, as this part has nothing to do with the pelvic cavity. But when 

 the whole of one side of the haunch is lower than the other, delivery is 

 then undoubtedly interfered with, and perhaps to a most serious extent; 

 inasmuch as some one of the parts which concur in forming the pelvic 

 cavity is implicated in the fracture, and consequently the external defor- 

 mity corresponds to an internal diminution and irregularity in its diame-: 

 ters, from displaced fragments of bone, overlapping of fractured ends,* 

 the approach of the sacrum to the pubis, and consequent lessening of 

 the inlet of this cavity, as well as to the more or less voluminous deposit 

 of bone around the fractured portions. Many cases are on record of 

 difficulty in parturition from this deformity. 



Gohier {Mem. stir la Chiriirgie et la Med. Vetirinaire) mentions a Ewe which was 

 I^rought to him, and which for twelve hours had been making ineffectual attempts to 

 give birth ; the cause of delay appeared to be narrowness of the pelvis. Traction on 

 the fore limbs of the foetus only resulted in tearing them away from the thorax. De- 

 livery being impossible by the natural way, Gohier performed the abdominal Caesarean 

 operation, but the animal died next day. On examination, it was di'scovered that the 

 pelvis was very narrow and irregular, in consequence of an old fracture of the ilium. 

 The coxa of that side was at least half an inch shorter than the other from the cotyloid 

 cavity to the sacrum, which gave a very marked obliquity to this part ; and it was this, 

 as well as the, slight exostosis protruding there, which prevented the top of the lamb's 

 head from passing through. 



Chretien {Journal Prat, de Med. Veterinaire, 1826, p. 225) was called to attend a Cow 

 which could not calve. Two legs of the foetus protruded, but nothing more could be 

 extracted. By exploration it was found that there was a hard tumor between the vagina 

 and uterus, which filled up one-third of the pelvic cavity. On inquiry it was ascertained 

 that the animal had been treated, a year previously, for a fracture of the ilium, near the 

 coxo-femoral articulation, and that the fracture had united, though the Cow remained 

 lame, and rested this side of the body more than the other. Delivery being impossible, 

 the calf was removed by Csesarean operation. The Cow recovered, and on being killed 

 by the butcher some time after, Chretien examined the pelvis, when he found a very 

 voluminous bony tumor or callus, and noted that the inierior part of the ili^um had not 

 united fairly, but projected a good deal inwards. 



Rainard speaks of a large Anglo-Chinese Sow which died during parturition, its 

 owner being unable to extract any of the young. Two months previously it had sus- 

 tained a fracture of the ascending branch of the ilium, near the cotyloid cavity, from 

 which it had always been lame. When Rainard examined the pelvis, the callus was not 

 yet solidified ; it formed a considerable prominence within the pelvis. 



Fractures of the pelvis are by no means unfrequent with animals, and 

 are due to falls, crushing, blow.s, or other causes ; and, as the above in- 

 stances testify, they may prove insurmountable obstacles in parturition. 

 Female animals which have sustained an injury of this kind, should not 

 be employed for breeding purposes, unless a careful examination has 

 shown that it has not altered the pelvic diameters in such a way as ren- 

 der delivery difficult. 



Such an alteration may be diagnosed by depression of the haunch or 

 croup, and lameness to a more or less appreciable extent ; while rectal 

 or vaginal exploration will discover the presence of a variable-sized hard 

 tumor forming part of the bone, and projecting into the cavity. The 

 previous history of the animal may also aid in confirming the diagnosis; 



Fractures of the pelvis may also take place during parturition, and 



