DYSTOKIA BY DISPLACEMENT 323 



The other three assistants should lift and roll the Cow, and aid the second 

 in pulling at the hind legs when the animal is being placed on its back. 

 We have already described how, and explained why, rotation should be 

 made either in one direction or the other. 



The operator need not endeavor to render the uterus perfectly immov- 

 able during the rolling, as it turns a good deal with the body of the 

 animal, and particularly when the mass of the rumen presses with all its 

 weight on the organ. This is also the reason why, according to Zundel, 

 a half or even quarter torsion requires for its reduction at least a com- 

 plete revolution of the body- It often needs a number of turns to reduce 

 the torsion, but generally two, three, or four are sufficient. 



There is, therefore, no pressing necessity for maintaining the uterus 

 absolutely fixed while the Cow is being rolled ; indeed, as a rule, it is no 

 easy matter to keep it at all near the desired position, there being a great 

 difficulty to find a part to cling to. The hand should rather be employed 

 to discover the effects of the version, and to find when the genital pas- 

 sage is patent. 



An important precaution in this operation has been notified by some 

 practitioners ; and that is to roll the Cow on a slightly inclined floor, if 

 possible. It may be observed, however, that while Wegerer and others 

 recommend that the hind quarters of the animal should be the highest, 

 Chambon and Liautard maintain that they ought to be lower than the 

 rest of the body. And we can scarcely be in doubt as to the correctness 

 of the latter opinion ; for in the position indicated, the uterus falls 

 towards the plevic cavity, and this favors relaxation of the torsion, and 

 the more easy introduction of the hand through the obstacle in the 

 vagina, if it is desired to attempt to fix the organ by the hand while roll- 

 ing is taking place. 



Wegerer's position — the hind quarters raised — is nevertheless to be 

 preferred if it is sought to fix the uterus by its own weight, when the 

 hand cannot be passed into the vagina or cannot act advantageously 

 there. 



As in the majority of cases there is only incomplete torsion, and all 

 that has to be done is simply to replace the foetus, or rather the uterus, 

 on its bed or hammock, reposition can sometimes be effected by merely 

 rolling the animal on its back. 



In some instances, when slow steady rolling will not suffice, a quick or 

 jerking roll may be successful j in other instances it has been found 

 advantageous to place the animal on its back, and roll it from side to 

 side. 



Wegerer, Sacchero, Rueff, and some others, have combined rolling 

 with abdominal manipulation and compression, so as to fix the foetus and 

 uterus, or to push them in the desired direction for effecting detorsion \ 

 at the same time rotation is practised according to the directions laid 

 down. 



Numerous practitioners are content to roll the Cow without attempting 

 to fix or manipulate the vagina or uterus, and many successful cases are 

 recorded by them. 



But this success appears to have been obtained at the expense of the 

 Cow or its foetus, as the rotation had to be carried on for a longer time 

 than if the organ had been fixed ; several turns may be necessary where 

 one would suffice with the hand in the vagina. 



If detortion does not take place so soon as anticipated, there is no 



