PARTURITION. 163 



complicated operation, and could not be performed without great 

 difficulty on so obstinate an animal. The easiest and perhaps the 

 best way is not to return the protruded parts at all, but merely 

 tie a ligature around them and leave them to slough off, which they 

 will do in the course of a few days, without effusion of blood or 

 further injury to the animal. No sow that has once suffered from 

 protrusion of the womb should be allowed to breed again. 



Mr. Ramsden, of Ripon, gives the following account of a case of 

 difficult parturition : 



"About the middle of August, 1840, I was called in and request- 

 ed to assist a sow that was in labor, could not rise, and seemed to 

 be in great suffering. I relieved her of one, gave her some gruel, 

 and hoped that she would be able to effect the parturition of the 

 remaining ones without aid. 



" On my return she was perfectly senseless. The young pig was 

 endeavoring to suck. The parturition had not in the least degree 

 advanced. I pressed with my left hand over the diaphragm, which 

 recalled in a slight degree the pains, and empounded my right hand 

 gradually. I then drew out a second pig; it lay about four 

 inches anterior to the pelvis. The stupor of the mother was a little 

 removed, and at length I got the whole litter of ten pigs, and also 

 the placental membrane. This was the first case of the kind that 

 ever came under my notice." The Veterinarian, vol. xiv. 



Another and still more interesting case is given by Mr. Cart w right, 

 veterinary surgeon : 



"On the llth of July, 1839,1 was requested to attend a sow, the 

 property of a farmer near this town. The poor animal had been in 

 labor six days. During the last three days she was not able to 

 stand, nor had she taken any food, and her death was expected every 

 hour. She was a very fat animal, and the owner informed me that 

 she was about ten days past her time of pigging, and that he was 

 confident the pigs were dead. I was of the same opinion ; and, 

 after a minute examination, felt confident that nothing short of 

 the Caesarean operation could save her ; at the same time informing 

 the owner that she might die in consequence of, 01; during, the 

 operation. 



" The operation was consented to ; and I proceeded first to secure 

 her legs, and to have them firmly extended their full length, and 

 retained there by assistants. I next placed a bundle of straw under- 

 neath her, which gave the belly a round and prominent position, 

 rendering it more tense and firm, and at the same time giving me 

 considerable advantage in operating. 



" My first proceeding was to clear away the hair in the direction 

 of my intended incision, in which I, at the onset, had made up my 

 mind to follow the theory taught in operative surgery, viz. always 

 to make the incisions in the same direction as the muscular fibres. 



