D YSTOKIA B Y DISPLA CEMENT. 



279 



will be much facilitated, should the foetus and the passage be dry and 

 tenacious, if these are smeared with oil or soapy fluid. 



If, however, the foetus has become wedged in the passage and cannot 

 be pulled through, it may be useful to push it back a little into the uterine 

 cavity, and then lubricate it and the vagina with some oily matter to assist 

 movement, before another attempt is made. 



3. Enlargement of the Passage. — This is nearly always impossible 

 in practice, unless the cause be a tumor which can either be excised, or 

 moved temporarily out of the way so as to effect delivery. 



4. Diminution of the Size of the Fcetus. — With the domesticated 

 animals, as we have repeatedly said, there are no moral considerations to 

 oppose us when it comes to a question of sacrificing the foetus to save 

 the life of the parent. And with the Mare there should be no hesitation 

 in this direction, when a careful examination has proved delivery of the 

 living or entire foetus to be impossible ; and particularly when we remem- 

 ber that the young creature soon perishes. 



With the Cow, however, the case is somewhat different, as when delivery 

 is unsuccessful this animal may be killed and utilized as food. Embry- 

 otomy is, nevertheless, often resorted to before the case is considered 

 hopeless ; and not at all unfrequently with good results, so far as the 

 Cow is concerned. 



We shall treat of embryotomy hereafter ; but it may be useful to men- 

 tion here that, in an anterior presentation, removal of one or both of the 

 fore limbs at the scapula of the foetus will often allow the remaining 

 portions to be removed by traction. With a- posterior presentation, exci- 

 sion of one hind legis frequently sufficient to permit the body of the foetus 

 to be drawn through the passage. 



5. Establish an Artificial Passage for the Fcetus. — When all the 

 preceding means have been recognized as impracticable or too danger- 

 ous, there yet remains another, which, though it ma}'^ place the life of the 

 mother in great jeopardy, and should be considered only as a last and 

 a most serious expedient, may be resorted to : this is the C^esarean sec- 

 tion, or gastro-hysterotomy — an operation to be described hereafter. It 

 may only be noted in this place, that a formidable operation, such as this 

 is, should be resorted to early, and before the female is much exhausted 

 by inefficacious manipulations and impotent labor pains. 



CHAPTER II 



Dystokia by Displacement or Changed Relations of the Uterus. 



Delivery may be rendered difficult by displacement or altered relations 

 of the organ containing the foetus — the uterus, either from heriiia of that 

 organ through a natural or accidental opening in the abdominal parietes ; 

 from deviations in the direction of the uterus, whereby the os is no longer 

 in the axis of the pelvis ; and torsion of the organ, which is due to its 

 having made a revolution or become twisted on its own axis — a singular 

 displacement that well merits attention. 



