4S6 



FCETAL DYSTOKIA. 



recognized by the ears, eyes, and often the muffle turned towards the 

 shoulder (Fig. 117) ; with this bovine foetus, in fact, the greater part of 

 the head in the majority of cases hes against the shoulder. 



With the foal, it is only too often otherwise. The much longer neck 

 of this creature, and the more violent uterine contractions of the Mare, 

 generally results in the head being pushed towards the side of the thorax, 

 the abdomen, or even the flank, where it cannot be reached. This diffi- 

 culty is greatly increased if the abdomen of the mother is very pendu- 

 lous. Occasionally this is also the case with the Cow, though it is rare 

 that in this animal the ears, or even the eyes, cannot be reached by a 

 fairly long arm (Fig. 118). If the animal, be it Mare or Cow, chances 

 to be lying, and the deviation is only to the shoulder, it is most difficult 

 to reach the nose of the foetus if it is inclined to the side on which the 



Anterior Presentation 



Fig. 117. 

 Lateral Deviation of the Head towards the Shoulder. 



parent lies — i.e., if the Mare is on the left side and the deviation of the 

 foal's head is to the right. 



The head may be raised as high as the back, or as low as the under 

 part of the chest or abdomen. The foetus is usually in the first (or ver- 

 tebro-sacral) position, though the deviation may'also occur in the second 

 (vertebro-pubic) or third (vertebro-ilial) positions ; in the latter position 

 the neck may be bent upwards, the head towards the maternal sacrum, 

 or downwards, the head resting on the floor of the uterus. 

 . This complication is not only a very frequent, biit, as has been said, a 

 very serious one for the obstetrist, and it may be truthfully asserted that 

 birth is not possible without his assistance ; indeed, it has been well re- 

 marked that " it taxes all his strength, patience, and ingenuity." 



With the calf, the neck of which is comparatively short, the head is in 

 most cases no farther back than the shoulder, though it may be as high 

 as the withers or as low as the sternum. It is, therefore, possible to 



