D YSTOKIA DEPENDING ON ANTERIOR PRESENTA PI ON 



473 



The presentation of the foetus was anterior, the position vertebro-sacral ; the neck 

 was bent on the body, the head beyond reach. The uterine contractions were extremely 

 energetic. After amputating the fore limbs at the knees, they were put back into the 

 uterus, where they were kept by Dus's hand ; while two assistants pulled at the most 

 advanced hind limb by means of cords, and brought it out as far as the hock. 



Then the other hind limb was sought for and found at the inlet ; it was carried into 

 the vagina, then externally by a cord round the pastern, while Dus prevented the fore 

 limbs from passing through the os. This manoevre was completely successful in bring- 

 ing the hind quarters into the pelvis, the croup upwards. Vigorous and well-directed 

 traction on the two hind limbs, during the throes of the Mare, resulted in the birth of 

 the foal without any further difficulty. In a few minutes after, the Mare was feeding 

 heartily, and apparently none the worse for the operation. 



Dus notes that though labor had only been going on for scarcely three hours \r\ both 

 cases, the foals were dead when he arrived. 



8. Sparrow ( Veterinarian, vol. xvi., p. 130) saw a Mare which had been in labor for 

 some hours, and had been subjected to rude treatment by amateurs The creature was 

 in great agony, and the genital organs were so much swollen that much difficulty was 

 experienced in making an examination. The labor-pains had ceased ; the fore legs of 

 the foetus presented, one of the hind legs being between them, and this at first led to the 

 supposition that there were twins. The young animal was on its back, and the head 

 could not be reached. It was attempted to force the fore legs back and draw out the 

 hind one, but this did not succeed. As the Mare was sinking from exhaustion, stim- 

 ulants were administered, but death soon ensued. On post-mortevi examination, the 

 head of the foetus was found lying under and across the withers, and was greatly dis- 

 torted from pressure. 



9. Younghusband [Ibid., vol. xxi., p 270) attended a Cow in labor, the head and neck 

 of the foetus protruding to their full extent, and extremely tumiried, the creature being 

 dead. Exploration was impossible, so it was decided to perform embryotomy. A 

 circular incision was made round the neck,' close behind the ears, and the skin dissected 

 as far back as possible ; then the vertebra; were divided, and the head and neck removed. 

 The loose portion of skin being placed over the divided vertebra, this was pushed into 

 the uterus, and the fore feet and legs were placed in a proper position. A crotchet 

 being fixed into the upper and back part of the neck, the fore legs were corded, and the 

 whole confided to an assistant. Owing, however, to the emphysematous condition of 

 the calf, delivery was still impossible. A fore leg and shoulder were now speedily 

 removed, but yet extraction could not be effected, from the immense size of the thorax 

 and abdomen. The anterior ribs were excised and the contents of these cavities 

 removed ; but as soon as the haunches of the calf reached the inlet, no further progress 

 could be made, notwithstanding the most strenuous efforts. The lumbar-vertebras were 

 divided, and the adjoining muscles separated, when there was more room for manipula- 

 tion. The obstacle to extraction was found to be the hind feet and legs, "which had 

 become impacted forward, and were pressing against the lower parts of the pelvis, in a 

 manner resembling that of a dog sitting upon its haunches." By pushing the parts in 

 jitero back, the hind feet were easily got hold of, and thus, as in a breech presentation, 

 with the belly turned upwards, the calf was delivered. The Cow quickly recovered. 



CHAPTER II. 



Dystokia depending on the Posterior Presentation. 



When treating of the mechanism of parturition (p. 227), it was remarked 

 that of the four positions in which we have a breech or posterior presen- 

 tation, only one is compatible with spontaneous and natural delivery — the 

 lumbosacral ; but that this is only possible when the hind limbs are fully 

 extended backwards, and are the first to enter the genital canal, so as to 

 gradually dilate the channel for the passage of the voluminous and 

 rounded croup. Birth in this position, and without assistance, is more 

 frequent in the bovine than the equine species, and the young creature is 

 nearly always alive. V/ith the Mare, parturition is always longer and 

 more laborious, and the foal quickly perishes after rupture of the mem- 



