390 FCETAL DYSTOKIA. 



the fluid in the kysts being clear and yellow, with whitish flakes; they had the form of 

 echinococcus kysts, and were formed by a thin serous membrane. The lungs were very 

 small, and the chest contained a quantity of water; the heart was large, and the right 

 chambers much widened. 



5. Gierer [Ibid., 187 1) alludes to an ascitic calf which, when being forcibly extracted, 

 ruptured internally, and a stream of fluid gushed from its mouth and nostrils; The same 

 authority writes of another calf in the same condition, which ten men had extracted as 

 far as the withers, but could get it no further. Gierer contrived to make an opening in 

 the abdomen, when a great quantity of fluid escaped, and the young creature was then 

 removed. 



6. Dinter [Sachs. Jahresbericht, 1867, p. 87) relates a case in which five men had ex- 

 tracted the calf as far as the shoulders, when it remained fast. It was punctured by a 

 trocar and canula, and eight to ten quarts of blood-tinted serum escaped, When ex- 

 amined after it was removed, about half a pailful of fluid was still in the abdomen. 



7. Binz [Geburtshiilfe, etc., p. 241) gives the case of an ascitic calf, the head and one 

 fore limb of which had passed through the os uteri. The chest and abdomen were 

 opened through the breast, the fluid was evacuated, and delivery effected. 



An extremely rare cause of dystokia is due to congenital occlusion of 

 the urachus, which leads to great accumulation of urine in the bladder, 

 and consequent distention of the abdomen. A very good example is 

 given in the yearly report of the Veterinary School of Hanover, for 1872. 



This condition will be diagnosed in the same way as ascites, and the 

 same indications for extraction of the foetus are to be observed. 



Emphysema. 



Emphysema of the foetus is sometimes found to be a cause of dystokia. 

 Leconte mentions that he has met with a case in which a living foetus 

 was partially emphysematous, the head and neck, as far as the shoulders, 

 being involved. 



This case is exceptional, however, as this condition is, as a rule, ob- 

 served only after the foetus has perished in the uterus. It sometimes 

 happens that during parturition the water-bag is ruptured before the 

 young creature has made sufficient progress, or it may be in a bad posi- 

 tion. The uterus then closely contracts on it, over the whole of its sur- 

 face, and it soon succumbs. In the course of two or three days its 

 tissues have become softened and decomposed ; the subcutaneous con- 

 nective tissue becomes distended with gases, the result pf this decomposi- 

 tion, and in a short time the entire carcase of the young creature is inflated. 

 This inflation indirectly distends the uterus, and the foetus sometimes 

 increases so immensely in volume as to cause rupture of the walls of that 

 organ. 



The hair on the skin of the foetus is. loose and easily removed ; the skin 

 is often dry, and the fluids small in quantity. Gases are not unfrequently 

 disengaged in the foetal membranes, and particularly in the amnion. 

 Bossetto {Gior?iale di Veterinaria Practica., 1859) mentions a curious case 

 of this description, in which, after rupturing the membranes of a foetus 

 that had been dead in the uterus for some time, on withdrawing his hand 

 from the vagina there was a rush of carburetted hydrogen ; this became 

 ignited by the flame of a candle held some distance from the vulva of the 

 pregnant animal. The flame, ten to twelve inches long, burned for some 

 time, and the Cow did not appear to suffer. 



Indications. 



The dryness of the skin and the large volume of the foetus, as well as 

 the inertia of the uterus, are the obstacles to extraction. Consequently, 



