272 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



pelted, and the head turned to one side or depressed between 

 the legs. The other fore leg, if possible, is flexed at the knee 

 and returned to the uterus. In this manner the leg to be am- 

 putated occupies the pelvic canal alone, and only thus can the 

 operation be properly performed. 



Modus operandi. — The coronet of the claw is looped and the 

 rope, fastened to a round stick, is tightened by an assistant. 

 The cord must be long enough so that the assistant does not 

 interfere with the obstetrician's manipulations. 



Now two longitudinal incisions, 8 to 10 cm. long, are made 

 with the finger knife or bistoury at the fetlock, one at the in- 

 side, the other one at the outside of the leg. 



The small spatula is next introduced into the skin wounds, 

 the skin is separated over the shin and along the flexor tendons 

 a little above the carpus, first on one and then on the other 

 side. The spatula is to remain close to the skin and must not 

 get between the flexor tendons, as it renders the work difficult. 

 The movements of the spatula are followed by gliding the left 

 hand over the skin. 



After this the large spatula is introduced at first into the 

 inner skin wound, while pushing the spatula ahead with the 

 right hand, and following its movements with the left hand 

 which glides along the skin, the integument is separated 

 along the radius as far as the sternum, in front beyond the 

 shoulder joint and behind as far as the extensor muscles. 

 One operates with long steady strokes and no jerky move- 

 ments. 



The spatula is worked in the same way when inserted into 

 the external skin wound, separating the skin as far as the 

 withers over the whole scapula, until the easy movement of 

 the spatula indicates that the parts servered from the inside 

 have been reached. At this moment only a few connective 

 tissue strips unite the skin with the parts below it. 



Now the incision on the inside is prolonged as far as the 

 elbow. For this purpose the skin knife is placed into the 

 incision. By pushing the, instrument ahead and covering its 

 inserted end with the other hand, the skin is quickly split. 



