720 



DISEASES AND ABNORMALITIES. 



attempted. Artificial inflation of the lungs should not be tried until the 

 mouth and fauces have been cleared of mucus ; this may be effected by 

 suction, which has a very beneficial action otherwise. Indeed, some 

 authorities prefer aspiration to inspiration or blowing into the mouth ; 

 and Albert (Henke's Zeitschrift fur Staatqrzneikiinde^\o\. xxiii,, p. 279) 

 has restored 41 out of 47 cases of apparently dead animals, by aspiration 

 or Suction. 



Transfusion of blood by the umbilical vein might prove useful ; be- 

 tween one-half and a litre of blood should be sufficient for a foal or calf, 

 according to Franck. The fumes of ammonia or some other powerful 

 volatile irritant may be applied to the nostrils. A few drops of brandy 

 may also be poured into the nostril. 



CHAPTER II. 



Umbilical Haemorrhage. 



HEMORRHAGE from the umbilical cord does not appear to be a very 

 common accident ; nevertheless, it does sometimes occur, and in some 

 cases so copiously as to cause death. It rq^ay ensue immediately after 

 birth, rarely after some days ; and it may continue for a short or long 

 period — producing great debility, and even dissolution. The haemor- 

 rhage is generally due to imprudence in cutting the umbilical cord too 

 near the abdomen, or to laceration of the vessels of which it is composed 

 during difficult parturition, when violent traction tears it close to the 

 abdominal ring ; in very rare instances it may be due to a varicose con- 

 dition of the vessels. Zundel alludes to a predisposition to umbilical 

 haemorrhage — a kind of haemophilus. In one or two instances the bleed- 

 ing has been induced by either the mother, the young creature, or its 

 companions sucking or pulling at the remains of the cord. 



In the foal, the haemorrhage may take place from the artery, as that 

 vessel is firmly attached to the umlDilical ring ; with ruminants it takes 

 place from the vein, because of the existence of the Ductus Arantii, and 

 the retraction of the artery within the abdomen. 



Treatment. 



When the bleeding is trifling and not likely to continue long, little, if 

 any thing, requires to be done ; but when it is copious and continuous, 

 active and prompt treatment must be adopted. 



When the cord is extremely short, astringents — as alum, tannic acid, 

 etc., may be tried, or such haemostatic agents as the sesquichloride of 

 iron, nitrate of silver, etc., or even the actual cautery in a fine point. If, 

 however, the cord is sufficiently long, it is better to apply a ligature ; this 

 will check the bleeding, and the cord will slough away in four or five 

 days. In applying the ligature, however, the operator must be careful 

 not to include a portion of intestine within it ; and when there is much 

 infiltration of the cord, as sometimes happens, the serum should be got 

 rid of, as much as possible, by squeezing with the fingers or sacrifica- 

 tion, in order that the ligature may exercise sufficient compression after- 

 wards. 



