3i6 



MATERNAL DYSTOKIA. 



methods — several devices have been brought forward to render it more 

 easy and effective. Of these none deserves more notice than that of 

 Darreau, and which was brought before the Central Veterinary Medical 

 Society of Paris in 1852. The improvement in vaginal taxis for this 

 accident, mainly consists in the employment of what has been designated 

 a " uterine retroversor " {iiterm retroverseur), an appliance which would 

 appear to be very ingenious, if complicated. And, besides, it is only of 

 service in those cases in which the hand can be introduced in the uterus 

 and the feet of the foetus seized — a state of affairs, unfortunately, not 

 always — nor indeed very often — present in torsion of this viscus. Liau- 

 tard and some others, however, while admitting that the apparatus is 

 not very easily applied, yet testify to its utility. 



The apparatus is composed of three rods (A, A', A" ; Fig. 76) ; of a 



^^ M 



Fig. 76. 

 Darreau's Retroversor. 



winch (B) ; of a screw, with a movable screw-nut (D), pierced by three 

 holes ; and, finally, three cords (E, E', E") with a loop (F). The end of 

 each rod (G), a little thickened, has a longitudinal hole (H) ; the other 

 extremity (I) has a hole punched through it, and a shoulder (K). This 

 end of the three rods is inserted into the three holes of the winch. 



The apparatus is put together for use in the following manner : — The 

 cords are fastened by their loop (F) to the two pasterns and the lower 

 jaw of the foetus, and serve as points of attachment as well as conduc- 

 tors to the rods. With this object the obstetrist passes them, one by 

 one, through the hole (H) in each rod ; then, by one hand, he seizes the 

 extremity (I), and with the second hand the other end (G) ; directing 

 the latter towards the part of the foetus to be pulled at, an assistant who 

 keeps the cord tense passes this through the hole (I). This done, each 



