DISEASES PECULIAR TO BREEDING STOCK. 329 



tions, heroic medicines, musty food, rancid oil-cake, rich and 

 stimulating food in liberal quantities, impure water, etc.; 

 also, disease of the foetus and its enveloping membranes, and 

 a predisposition after previous abortion. Abortion does not 

 always occur immediately, but frequently after several weeks 

 of preparation; and treatment to prevent abortion is useless 

 after the act has commenced. When it is known that an an- 

 imal has received an injury, or an exciting" cause has been 

 in operation that might produce abortion, some preventive 

 treatment may be adopted, such as small doses of camphor 

 (a scruple to half a drachm) with opium (one scruple) twice 

 or thrice daily during one to three days; or half-drachm 

 doses of powdered sulphate of iron; this latter mixed among 

 food twice a day for a few days, not to exceed a week. 



DIFFICULT PARTURITION. 



As before stated the mare should, towards the time of 

 foaling, be placed in comfortable, roomy quarters by herself. 

 She should not be interfered with when foaling, unless there 

 should appear to be unnatural presentation, unusual length 

 of time or other difficulty; and when assistance appears to 

 be necessary preparations should be made to facilitate the 

 same. All stable implements, loose troughs and buckets 

 should be removed, and clean bedding should be furnished. 

 A bucket of warm water and sponge, and oil to lubricate the 

 hand and arm before insertion, should be at hand, as well as 

 a few flat and pliable light ropes, and such obstetrical in- 

 struments as may be required. A few strong hands, that 

 may be necessary for assistance, should also be present. The 

 mare should be haltered and held by an assistant. The hand 

 and arm should be oiled, for the purpose of first emptying 

 the rectum of possible contents, as should also the urinary 

 bladder, by gentle compression or by the aid of a catheter. 

 The hand and arm should then be washed, and it should be 

 remembered that if finger rings are worn they should be re- 

 moved before the hand is introduced into the genital parts; 

 and if the finger-nails are long they should be shortened. 



The complications or unnatural presentations are very 

 various; but a few of the most common will be considered 



