564 > OBSTETRIC OPERATIONS. 



The uterus was deviated [see p. 288), and there was induration of the cervix. Gar- 

 reau saw no other means of relieving the animal than by resorting to gastro-hysterot- 

 omy; though he did not venture to operate. The animal was not interfered with until 

 three nionths afterwards, when being in the same condition, Garreau was requested to 

 perform the operation. This he did somewhat after the procedure already indicated ; 

 the foetus was extracted, and the abdominal wound closed by quilled suture. Kept on 

 very low diet, and receiving tonics for some days, the Cow completely recovered; 

 eight months afterwards it was sold, because it did not exhibit any inclination for the 

 Bull. 



35. Macorps {Aimales de Medf Veterinaire de Bruxelles, 1862, p. 137) had under treat- 

 ment a Bitch which had in the right flank, towards the last mamma, a tumor the size of 

 a fist, and which had appeared six weeks previously in a very gradual manner. It was 

 neither hot nor painful to the touch or on pressure. 



As it was supposed to be a mammary neoplasy, its excision was attempted. A large 

 incision was made in the skin, and there immediately appeared a white saccular body 

 which was at once recognized as a titerbie hernia. Instead of returning it to the abdo- 

 men, as this appeared to be both difficult and dangerous, it was decided to extract the 

 entire uterine cornu as far as the cervix uteri, apply a ligature round it there, and thus 

 extirpate the organ. This was done ; a few sutures firmly united the skin incision ; the 

 animal was kept quiet, the diet attended to, a few enemas'.administered, and in eighteen 

 days after the operation, the Bitch — of a sporting breed — was out in the field with its 

 master. 



36. Thierry {Bulletin de la Soc. Cent. Veterinaire, 1873) gives an interesting case of 

 a Cow, three years old, which suffered at an interval of three days from a double luxa- 

 tion of the coxo-femoral articulations from some unknown cause. A rectal and vaginal 

 exploration led to the discovery of a slight deformity of the pelvis, and Thierry satisfied 

 himself that it was a case of osteomalacia — a diagnosis which subsequent events con- 

 firmed. In fact, in a few days afterwards, another exploration found a fracture of the 

 pelvis, which appeared to have occurred spontaneously. Finally, symptoms of par- 

 turition showed themselves, but birth could not take place ; the fracture had so nar- 

 rowed the pelvic canal that it was barely possible to introduce the hand. After several 

 ineffectual attempts, the idea of extracting the foetus by the natural passage was given 

 up, and the Caesarean section practised. A fine calf, which lived, was the result ; the 

 Cow was immediately killed, and at the autopsy the fractures and luxations diagnosed 

 during life were found, 



37. Saint-Cyr [Op. cit., p. 579) gave his attention'to a Bitch which had been in labor 

 since the previous evening. It had given birth to a puppy twelve hours before, but no 

 more could be expelled. When Saint-Cyr first saw the Bitch, the labor pains had 

 ceased ; by vaginal exploration he could scarcely touch the foot of the most advanced 

 puppy — which was not in the pelvis — with his finger ; while the volume of the abdomen 

 led him to believe that there were more than one in the uterus. The general condition 

 of the animal was good; so it was decided to try the Caesarean section, incising the 

 right flank, where the foetuses were most readily felt by abdominal exploration. Three 

 foetuses were removed from the right cornu by a single incision ; two of these were 

 dead, but one was still alive. The operation being completed, the cornu was returned 

 to the abdomen, but not sutured ; and the abdominal incision closed by interrupted 

 suture, a bandage being placed round the body. 



After the Ofseration the Bitch was very weak ; it died in eighteen hours. The autopsy 

 showed a moderate degree of metro-peritonitis. 



38. Ory, in a communication to Saint-Cyr {Op. cit., p. 577) states that he was called 

 to attend a Cow, which, for seven or eight days, had been making impotent efforts to 

 calve On his arrival he found it extended on the litter, and quite unable to get up. 

 For eight days it had been suffering from complete paraplegia. The "waters" had 

 only escaped about two hours previously, and the uterine contractions were feeble ; the 

 Cow was fat, but nearly dead. Vaginal exploration discovered the foetus to be alive, in 

 the anterior position, head on the withers, and the fore-limbs completely retained and 

 deviated backwards. Attempts were made to rectify this malposition, and the two limbs 

 were brought into the pelvis ; but the Cow was evidently sinking and death imminent. 

 Ory endeavored to get the head rectified, but quickly saw that delay would only entail 

 the sacrifice of the calf as well as the loss of the Cow. The latter was killed by the 

 butcher ; then at once, by a single cut of the bistoury, he made a large opening in the 

 abdomen, and by another incision threw open the uterus, from which the calf was taken. 

 The latter was well-shaped and alive, and being reared, became an excellent Cow, which 

 Ory had under observation for eleven years. 



39. In 1870, the same veterinarian (Saint-Cyr, Op. cit., p. 578) had to attend an aged 

 Mare in labor. The animal was pregnant with its eleventh foal ; it had been straining 

 so violently for some hours previously, that the rectum had become everted. This ever- 



