392 FOETAL DYSTOKIA. ■ 



neck and fore limbs, giving these a vicious direction which it is very 

 difficult to change, and which at parturition may become a rather trouble- 

 some cause of dystokia. 



The cause of these deviations, which bring about actual alterations in 

 the structure of the bones and muscles themselves, are very obscure. 

 Bouley is of opinion that the lesion is solely due to X^a^ passive influence 

 of a false position, which the foetus assumes and maintains for a long 

 time, and to which the muscles and bones finally accommodate them- 

 selves. . Rainard thought the cause might be of a mechanical nature, 

 and due to the pressure exercised on the foetus by the colon — particularly 

 its pelvic portion — when filled with hard faecal matters, the residue of 

 ligneous provender. He also considered it possible that it might be of a 

 convulsive kind, owing to disease of the nervous centres. 



When the neck is affected, it is bent round to the side, the nose being 

 buried in the flank, or ^ven resting on the hind quarters of the foetus ; 

 and so rigidly is it curved, that not only does it resist all attempts to 

 straighten it in the uterus, but even when extracted and the foetus is dead 

 the neck cannot be made to assume a rectilinear direction. 



The period of gestation at which this deviation occurs is, of, course, 

 difficult to arrive at ; but Rainard and Saint-Cyr are of opinion that it 

 takes place early, as the bones of the head and neck are more or less 

 deformed in some cases, the head being more especially distorted and 

 curved laterally, and moulded, so to speak, to the parts on which it 

 has rested during intra-uterine existence. 



This distortion appears to be more frequent in monodactyles, the neck 

 of which is longer than that of ruminants or other domesticated animals ; 

 and according to French writers, it appears to be more common in some 

 localities than others, and to be frequent in certain years — particularly 

 in those of scarcity or bad forage. Houssard reported that in Franche- 

 Comte he had seen the majority of brood Mares abort near the termina- 

 tion of pregnancy, or experience great difficulty in foaling, from this ab- 

 normal distortion of the neck. Courjon, another Veterinary Surgeon 

 practising at Meyzieux, Isere, has remarked on the frequency of this ac- 

 cident, under the influence, it was presumed, of the same causes. Schaack 

 informed Saint-Cyr, that in his long experience he had met with several 

 cases of this kind, one of which was in a Calf that nevertheless lived, 

 notwithstanding the deformity. 



Contraction of the limbs also appears to be more frequent in Foals 

 than Calves, and varies in degree : from slight bending at the knees, 

 which generally more or less disappears after birth, and as the animal 

 acquires strength, to extreme flexion, so that ligaments must be ruptured, 

 and perhaps bones broken, before the distortion can be corrected. The 

 accident is alluded to by Favre {Le Veterinaire Campagfiard, p. 290), 

 Gaven {journal de Med. Veterinaire, 1850, p. 201), Lemaire, {Recueil de 

 Mdd. Veterijtaire, 1858, p. 444), Veret {Ibid. 1837, p. 289), and Cartwright. 



Veret's case, alluded to by Saint-Cyr, is somewhat remarkable and deserves notice. 

 On exploring the uterus of a Cow in obstructed parturition, he recognized that the foe- 

 tus was alive, and that it was presenting with the head and all the feet together. The 

 left fore leg was very thin and had only one claw ; it was bent at three angles at 25° 

 to 30^^, and it was impossible to straighten it without tearing the skin, as well the 

 flexor muscles which, by their retraction, had produced these angles. One of the angles 

 was at the fetlock, the other at the knee, and the third at the elbow. The foetus was at 

 the same time affected with ascites. Delivery was very difficult, but it was effected after 

 the two fore limbs had been removed and the abdomen punctured. 



