317 



776. Plate XLVI., fig. 17, is a transverse presentation, where the 

 foetus is lying crosswise in the womb, with the points of the hocks 

 presented towards the os-utcyi, and the quarters pressing to the off-side 

 of the mother, with the hind-feet pressed firmly against the near side ; 

 the point of the tail within reach, but the feet and pastern joints 

 cannot be touched. The best mode of procedure in this case is to 

 cut through the ham-string {tendo-achiUis) above the pomt of each hock, 

 bringing the latter outwards with the hook {Plate XLIX., fig. 6), put 

 a loop of good strong cord round the joint, press the front of the 

 shank-bone against the front of the tibia, or leg bone, and pull the 

 hind-legs into the passage, when extraction of the foetus follows. 



777. Plate XLVII., figs. 18 and 19, represent twins. It is 

 necessary in all cases of parturition, before any cords are attached or 

 any pulling attempted, that a careful and minute exploration and 

 examination be made, more particularly so in cases of double or triple 

 birth, in order to make perfectly certain that the legs seen or felt belong 

 to the head and neck of the foetus presented. 



778. Plate XLVII., fig. 20, represents a case of a monstrosity, 

 in which the hind-legs are doubled over the shoulder, and the fore-legs 

 under the chin, while the walls of the belly are reflected over the 

 hind-legs, with the bowels floating loose in the womb of the mother. 

 When the bowels are presented first, after careful examination, they 

 must be removed ; then with a knife (horse shoeing knife for preference) 

 cut through the back bone at the most convenient point and extract 

 the portion readiest to hand by passing in the large hook. When the 

 head and feet are first presented the case is more serious ; sometimes 

 one or both of the fore-legs may be extracted, and by putting a cord 

 round the head, with strong pulling, the back-bone may be broken 

 through. After removing the front portion, the rest is got away with 

 hooks, while the viscera follows. Sometimes these monstrosities are 

 double-headed, and when the heads are presented they are very 

 difficult to manipulate. When the hind-legs are presented first there 

 is a chance of the foetus being got away, providing the mother is well 

 developed, big-boned, and has plenty of room. The monstrosity 

 shown in Plate L. was removed through a breech presentation. 



