EMBRYOTOMY. 



547 



operation than the removal of the fore-extremity. The skin adheres very 

 closely to the subjacent textures, and more labor is needed to separate it ; 

 the muscles attaching the limb to the trunk are more numerous and 

 powerful, and when they are cut through there remains the resistance of 

 the pubio and coxo-femoral ligaments (in the foal — the pubio-femoral 

 ligament is not present in the calf). Harms estimates that if three assist- 

 ants can pull away a fore-limb, four men will not in every instance remove 

 a hind one. However, the difficulties are not always insuperable, and 

 many cases are on record in which the operation has been successfully 

 performed. 



After avulsion of the limbs, crotchets should be fixed in the cotyloid 

 cavities or oval foramina, and delivery completed according to the direc- 

 tions already laid down. 



Division or Detruncation of the Fcetus. 



When one-half of the body of the foetus has more or less passed 

 through the pelvic canal, and the other half is retained, so that it is impos- 

 sible to extract or return it, it is recommended to cut the trunk in two — 

 division or detruncation. We have shown that this retention may be due 

 to malposition or malpresentation, excessive development of, or deformity 

 in the hind-quarters of the fcetus,. as well as ascites, anasarca, or emphy- 

 sema {physometrd). 



If the hind-parts are retained, and the head and fore-limbs are not 

 much beyond the vulva — if so far — cords should be placed on each 

 pastern, and a head-stall on the head, and slow, gradual, but strong 

 traction exerted on them, so as to expose as much of the body of the 

 young creature as possible. This done, the operator, with a sharp 

 bistoury, incises the body in a circular manner as close to the vulva as is 

 convenient (the labia being kept well out of the way by an assistant) — 

 the incision commencing below, which allows the elongation of the 

 vertebral stalk ; then the skin and muscles on the sides are divided. 

 When the vertebrae are reached, the bistoury is passed between them, 

 and as close to the loins as possible ; slight pulling and twisting will 

 then complete the bisection. 



It is a good plan to incise the skin at some distance in front of the 

 place where it is intended to divide the spine, and to separate and push 

 it back over the portion of trunk in the genital canal. When the divis- 

 ion of the body is effected, this superfluous skin is pulled forward over the 

 mutilated remaining part of the trunk and sewn together, so as to en- 

 close the latter completely, and prevent injury to the parent during the 

 subsequent manoeuvres. 



Should the hind-limbs be doubled under the croup in the passage, or 

 should they still be in the uterus, they ought to be sought for and corded at 

 the pasterns, the cords being given to assistants. Then vigorous pres- 

 sure is applied to the divided end of the spine in the remaining part of 

 the trunk, while the assistants pull until version is effected ; extraction is 

 afterwards easy. In some cases it is not necessary, nor is it always 

 possible, to secure the hind-limbs before the trunk is pushed into the 

 uterus, version taking place merely by the retropulsion ; and sometimes, 

 when one limb has been found, there is much difficulty in discovering 

 the other. In such a case, and when version cannot be effected, Rain- 

 iard recommends that the limb which has been secured be drawn towards 



