[^^4r MATERNAL DYSTOKIA 



reason to despair. If the direction of the twist has been exactly made out, 

 the rotation may be continued. Weber, Wannovius, and Fischer mention 

 instances in which the Cow has been rolled from fifteen to twenty turns 

 b'efore success crowned their efforts. It is even mentioned that the roll- 

 ings in some cases has occupied an hour or more. Weber writes : — 

 " The Cow is often rolled for more than an hour. The operation is 

 laborious,' sometimes painful, to the operator ; it demands an expendi- 

 ture of strength which the most vigorous can scarcely boast of, and it 

 needs a good deal of amour-propre Xo undertake such a task. The efforts 

 required to complete it are so great, that often when a successful result 

 has been obtained the operator is out of breath and exhausted." 



Happily, these extreme and baffling cases are rare, and they have 

 generally been observed with Cows in which the foetus was dead. It is 

 a common remark, that reposition is easier when the foetus is alive than 

 when it is dead. 



Unfortunatel)-, cases will be met with in which replacement of the 

 uterus, and, consequently, delivery of the foetus, is impossible by this 

 method of rotation, and these are more particularly cases of multiple 

 torsion. Rueff says that they are sometimes accompanied by decompo- 

 sition of the foetus, when the gases which are developed in the uterus 

 inflate the organ, and prevent its being untwisted. In other instances 

 there is plastic adhesion between the spiral folds, or between the uterus 

 and other abdominal viscera, or even the parietes of the abdomen. 



It has often been predicted that the rotation procedure may give rise 

 to serious accidents — such as volvulus of the intestines, hernise, etc. But 

 we cannot find any notice of such accidents having occurred. 

 ' If the diagnosis is co'rrect, the nature and direction of the torsion well 

 ascertained, and the animal not too much exhausted nor the parts involved 

 seriously injured, a successful result may be anticipated in the large 

 majority of cases, if the treatment above indicated is carried out. 



When the uterus is replaced in its normal position, the genital passages 

 patent and in a proper state for delivery, the Cow not much exhausted, 

 and the foetus in a good attitude for birth, time maybe allowed for Nature 

 to effect the expulsion of the young creature. Birth is generally not long 

 delayed under such circumstances, and the operator has the satisfaction 

 of knowing that he has been the means of saving the Cow, and very often 

 its progen}^, with but trifling inconvenience to both. The after conse- 

 quences, so far as the Cow is concerned, are of no more importance than 

 those of ordinary parturition. 



But not unfrequently, deceived by the slight symptoms of indisposition 

 the Cow at first exhibits, the owner does not send for the veterinarian 

 until too late to save the foetus, and even the Cow. 



In some cases it will be found that birth cannot take place after repo- 

 sition of the organ, from inertia or paralysis of its muscles : due either to 

 the great extension the fibres have experienced, the interrupted circula- 

 tion of blood in the organ, or injury to its nerves. 



In such cases stimulants should be given, and friction applied to the 

 abdomen and loins.. Ergot of rye is recommended by Continental veteri- 

 narians. Should uterine action not speedily ensue, and particularly if 

 the OS is dilated and the membranes are ruptured, the foetus must be 

 removed by traction. If the os is impervious, and atony of the uterus 

 continues, then steps must be adopted toMleliver artificially. 

 • When the torsion has been in existence for some time, the liquor amnii 



