DYSTOKIA DEPENDING ON POSTERIOR PRESENTATION 479 



limbs a favorable direction, by extending them in the genital canal ; and 

 this is more easily accomplished in the second than the first of these ani- 

 mals, owing to the smaller size of the croup and shorter limbs of the calf. 

 Some authorities are even of opinion that the latter may at times be ex- 

 tracted without the limbs having been adjusted ; while others assert pos- 

 itively that delivery may be effected in the C6w by mutation of the foetus, 

 but that this is impossible with the Mare, unless a particular operation — 

 to be noticed immediately — is adopted. Saint-Cyr, however, has, with 

 more or less trouble, succeeded on four or five occasions, when the foal 

 made a hock presentation, in extending the limbs in the genital canal, and 

 effected delivery without resorting to this operation. He points out, 

 nevertheless, that the foal dies very quickly in this position, while very 

 often the calf is extracted alive, even after long and laborious manipula- 

 tions. Other writers corroborate Saint-Cyr's opinion with regard to de- 

 livery. 



The method of adjusting the hind-limbs is as follows : 



1. Push the foetus as far as possible into the uterus. This retropulsion 

 can be effected without difficulty — even in the Mare — at the commence- 

 ment of parturition, when the fcetus has not yet entered the pelvic inlet, 

 or, at most, the points of the hocks are only engaged. But at a later 

 period, when labor is more advanced, and the croup is in the passage 

 and on the vaginal side of the inlet, the difficulty is greatly increased in 

 the Cow, and retropulsion may even be impossible in the Mare. It 

 should always be attempted, however, and in the Cow the attempt will 

 be generally successful. 



The hind-quarters must be raised as much as possible, and the hand 

 should be applied against the buttock of the young creature, the thumb 

 on one hip, the fingers on the other, and immediately below the tail. If 

 the repeller is used (and it is very convenient in these cases) it should be 

 placed across the thighs. The retropulsion should be made by steady 

 pushes in the interval between the labor-pains ; these pushes should be 

 directed slightly upward, so as to raise the croup. At first the resistance 

 seems to be insurmountable, but gradually the foetus begins to move for- 

 ward, and finally is entirely propelled into the 'uterus, and at a sufficient 

 distance from the pubis to allow the limbs to be extended backwards. 



When the animal persists in lying, the hind-quarters may be raised by 

 trusses of straw ; and in some cases, especially with the Mare, retropul- 

 sion could only be achieved and delivery effected by putting hobbles on 

 the hind-pasterns, and drawing up the hind-quarters by means of the rope 

 attached to them, and which was run over a beam in the ceiling. 



Rainard points out that it often happens, during this retropulsion, that 

 the foetus is pushed into somewhat of a transverse position, — the head 

 and fore-limbs approaching the pelvis, where they may be seized and ver- 

 sion effected by moving them round into the anterior presentation, bring- 

 ing them into the passage, and then completing delivery. This fortunate 

 movement, however, must be extremely rare. 



2. When the body of the fcetus has been pushed sufficiently far from 

 the pubis to allow the limbs to be seized, the hand may then fasten a 

 cordon each pastern (by means of the porte-cord, if necessary), in order to 

 assist in extending the limbs at the proper moment, by a few moderate 

 pulls in the desired direction. 



3. To extend the limbs in the genital canal, the lower parts must describe 

 the arc of a circle, the hock joint being the centre, the limb below this 



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