EXCESS IN VOLUME OF THE FCETUS. 369 



GROUP I. 



OBSTACLES INDEPENDENT OF PRESENTATIONS AND 

 POSITIONS. 



In this group, the maternal organs of generation and those parts imme- 

 diately concerned in parturition may be perfectly healthy, and the foetus 

 itself may be in a favorable position for expulsion ; yet birth is either 

 protracted, or rendered impossible without assistance, because of the ex- 

 cessive volume of the fcetus, anomalies in, or diseases of its enveloping 

 membranes, an abnormal quantity of placental fluid, anomalies in the 

 umbilical cord, or from disease or malformation of the young creature, or 

 a plurality of foetuses in animals ordinarily uniparous. 



CHAPTER I. 



Excess in Volume of the Fcetus. 



Excess in volume of the foetus, due to normal or abnormal development 

 of either the whole or only a part of its body, is far from constituting an 

 unfrequent cause of dystokia in the domesticated animals ; rendering 

 spontaneous birth more or less difficult or altogether impossible, notwith- 

 standing the healthy condition of the maternal organs, and the regularity 

 and energy of the uterine contractions. 



Causes. 



Several causes may be in operation to lead to excessive development 

 of the foetus — either wholly cr partially. Among these we may cite the 

 following as the principal : 



Prolonged Gestation. It has been shown that the foetus may be retained 

 without injury for several weeks beyond the period usually allotted for 

 its expulsion, and there can be little doubt that during this interval its 

 development is continued. This extra development being unprovided 

 for in the dimensions of the genital passages of the mother, leads of 

 course to protracted or difficult parturition. 



There are instances recorded of the foetus of the Cow and Mare weigh- 

 ing 117, 165, and 189 pounds. It may, therefore, be readily understood 

 that the greatly exaggerated volume which this weight represents, must 

 meet with much resistance in passing through a canal which, in ordinary 

 circumstances, gives exit to a foetus weighing from 56 to 80 pounds. 



Instances of this exaggerated development, through prolonged retention, are far 

 from uncommon. We will therefore only give one example. 



A correspondent in the Veterinarian (vol. ix., p. 453) was called to see a Heifer, three 

 years old, and which was supposed to be long beyond its time for calving. On examin- 

 mg it, the os uteri was found to be closed, so that the hand could not be introduced in- 

 to the organ, though the fcetus could be felt. It seemed to be so enormous in size that 

 he had no hope of extracting it. An examination per rectum confirmed the suspicion 

 that the calf was larger than the passage would, admit. The animal was killed, and the 

 autopsy verified the opinion as to the impossibility of delivery taking place. 



Reduced Number of Foetuses. — With multiparous animals, when the 



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