D YSTOKIA FROM MUL TIP A RITY. 



427 



monstrosity was monocephalous — eight limbs, double croup, and the body single for- 

 wards. 



7. Horst (Kahlert's Geburtshillfe, p. 186) removed a monomphalian monstrosity from 

 a Cow by embryotomy. 



8. Funk (Franck, Op. cit., p. 439) attended a Cow in which the four hind feet of the 

 foetus presented ; it was believed to be a twin birth. After attempting to deliver on 

 this supposition, it appears to have been discovered that the dystokia was due to mon- 

 strosity. The Cow was finally killed, and there was found in the uterus a very large 

 foetus, which had a single head, chest, abdomen, and two fore extremities ; but it had 

 three spines and pelves, and to each a pair of hind limbs — six posterior limbs in all. 



9. Adam {Ibid., p. 439) describes a double lamb which a sheep brought forth dead. It 

 was eusomphalian. 



10. Tetzler [Ibid., p. 439) describes a triple monstrosity he removed from a Cow, 

 which recovered from the severe manipulation. The monster was single anteriorly, but 

 it had two well-developed spines, and four hind limbs, a third rudimentary spine, with a 

 pair of undeveloped limbs. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Dystokia from Multiparity. 



At page 151 allusion was made to the relative position of the young 

 in multiple pregnancy, and at page 244 we described the manner in which 

 twin births take place. We need not again refer to these, but we must 

 notice those cases — rare it is true — in which difficulties are encountered 

 from pathological conditions in twin parturition. As has been shown, 

 in ordinary cases one foetus occupies the body of the uterus, the other one 

 of the cornua, or both may be in the cornua ; and both may present either 

 anteriorly (Fig. 37), posteriorly, or one in the first and the other in the 

 second presentation (Fig. 53), One alone must pass through the genital 

 canal, then the other, as there is not space for both at once ; and birth 

 is usually quite as easy as if there was only one foetus. Indeed, it is 

 sometimes easier, from the fact that parturition either occurs before the 

 full period of gestation has expired, and the progeny are therefore not so 

 largely developed ; or, if the usual term has beei^ reached, it nearly 

 always happens that the twins are smaller than in uniparous births. 

 When the most advanced foetus is expelled, a variable period elapses be- 

 fore the birth of the second takes place. During this interval, the uterus 

 is accommodating itself to its altered conditions, and preparing for the 

 expulsion of the remaining foetus, while the parent remains restless, pays 

 but little, if any, attention to the young creature already born, and man- 

 ifests a particular anxiety, which is an almost certain indication that par- 

 turition is not completed ; when the uterus has got rid of its occupants, 

 the mother then turns its attention to the offspring. 



This is the ordinary course of affairs ; but it is not always so fortunate. 

 In some instances, after the expulsion of the first foetus, the uterus is 

 seized with a kind of inertia, and labor may be suspended for hours, even 

 for days, and sometimes more than a week.* During this suspension, 



* This uterine inertia, scarcely noticed by veterinary writers as occurring in mutiparous animals, we have 

 often observed. Even while we write theSe pages a case presents itself. A medium-sized bull-terrier 

 Bitch, belonging to a brother officer, required my assistance last year, through being unable to pup. The 

 animal had been in labor for some time, and the head of a puppy was in the vagina. This was easily re- 

 moved by an instrument hereafter to be described, as was another which we contrived to seize immediately 

 afterwards. These were all that the uterus contained, and they certainly were not too large for the 

 genital passage ; the uterus could not expel them. 



