430 FCETAL DYSTOKIA. 



passage, and the other behind and clear of it, the operation may be said 

 to be completed. It may, be noted, however, that owing to the obstacle 

 offered by the first foetus, the one remaining in the uterus is very often in 

 a WTong position, and the uterus contracting upon it after removal of the 

 other, may fix it in that position, and thus necessitate adjustment and 

 other assistance being rendered. 



Perhaps the following examples will better illustrate the difficulties 

 met with, and the mode of overcoming them, than any thing more w-e 

 could add : 



1. Cartwright received from Mr. Cox, of Ashbourne, the following description of a 

 case : — The Cow having made no progress in parturition, he examined it, and found the 

 tail and breech of one foetus and all the feet of the other presented. He corded the 

 hind feet of the latter, and pulled at them, at the same time pushing the head and fore 

 legs back ; but from one of the hind legs not properly advancing, he made a further 

 examination, when he discovered that it had passed between the hind legs of the 

 other calf, constituting what country people term " leg-hanked. " The extremity of 

 the hind leg which did not sufficiently advance was then unfastened, and by pulling at 

 the other leg it caused the one still corded to come from between the hind legs of the 

 other calf ; after which it was again corded and brought up, and the calf was readily 

 extracted. 



2. The same authority {Veterhmrian, vol. xxi., p. 496) mentions the case of an aged 

 Ewe which was then yeaning. The head of a lamb was seen beyond the vulva, but it 

 could not pass any further. On introducing the fingers into the passage, the head of 

 another lamb was felt within the pelvis. The Ewe being aged and roomy, the hand 

 could be passed into the vagina by the side of the protruded lamb's neck, when the 

 head of the other lamb was encountered, and pushed back into the uterus. Having 

 done this, one of the fore-legs was drawn out ; this limb and the body were then pulled 

 at, when the lamb was easily extracted, although the other leg lay behind. Only the 

 head of the other lamb presented ; but one of the fore-legs was eventually secured, and 

 this lamb was removed in the same manner as the last. The first lamb was a very 

 large one ; the other was smaller. The Ewe and lambs did well. 



Cartwright remarks : " It is astonishing how lambs will rally and recover, though ap- 

 parently almost dead." 



3. Laycock { Veterinariatt, vol. xxx., p. 505) was called to a Heifer in labor, and in 

 which, he was informed, " all four feet of the calf wanted to come together " — no sus- 

 picion existing that there was more than oiie calf in the uterus. On examination, it was 

 discovered that twins were present, and that their legs were so entangled with each 

 other, through the attempts of amateurs, that it was almost impossible at first to ascer- 

 tain in what position either calf presented. Subsequent exploration proved that the 

 parties who had been trying to deliver the Cow had drawn the legs of one calf along 

 with the head of the other, and so far out that neither head nor limbs could be returned 

 into the uterus. Finding that both foetuses were dead, one of the protruding limbs was 

 amputated, but no further progress could be made in delivery ; then the other limb of 

 the same foetus was excised, and the body could then be removed. The Cow was too 

 much exhausted to undergo manipulation for the extraction of the other foetus ; so stim- 

 ulants and gruel were administered, and it was left to rally until the next morning. A 

 farrier, however, soon after interfered ; he had the animal's hind quarters elevated by 

 means of pullevs, and took away the calf ; the Cow quickly perished. • 



4. Austin [Ibid., vol. xxxiv., p. 16) mentions a Cow in New Zealand, which had been 

 in the field a day and night with the head and fore legs, apparently, of a calf protruding 

 from the vagina. The calf was dead. " After making the Cow fast, I found that the 

 head belonged to one calf and the fore legs to another, and it was a work of some little 

 time to put back both the calves, and get them out separately — the fore legs of the first 

 calf and the head of the second being doubled back." 



Both calves were dead ; the Cow ultimately did well. 



5. Canu [Reaieil de Med. Veterinaire, 1837^ p. 442) gives the following good case of a 

 fine Cow, five years old: — Being sent for to see this animal, Canu found in the vagina a 

 head and six limbs so interlaced that it was difficult to distinguish the anterior from the 

 posterior. The head was only half through, and the fore limbs of the most favorably 

 situated foetus were no further advanced than those of the other ; the straining of the 

 mother acted on both the foetuses alike, and as the second one occupied one-third of the 

 pelvic cavity, no progress whatever was made. In order to avoid a mistake, cords of 

 different colors were attached to each foetus. Attempts were then made to push for- 



