Calving, 319 



1. Rigid Nech of the Womb, 



This is the condition called in old farriery books by the 

 curious term ''the horning of the lye/' because the lye, calf- 

 bed or womb is found to present a stiff, horn-like end in 

 the vagina. It may be suspected to be present when the cow- 

 is at her full time, when she has labor-pains, and when there 

 is a delay in the descent of the calf. On oiling the hand and 

 introducing it into the vagina the neck of the womb will be 

 felt as a hard body at its furthest extremity, the mouth being 

 small and unyielding. 



Treatment. — If time does not press, and the cow is not 

 excited, some extract of belladonna should be carried up the 

 vagina and smeared around the neck. Sometimes this will 

 cause it to relax in a few hours. 



But if the case is pressing, there is no use experimenting 

 with this means. A narrow-bladed, blimted-pointed knife 

 should be carried up the vagina in the hand, the mouth of 

 the womb felt for and fixed with the fore finger, and then 

 the blade of the knife slipped along the finger until it enters 

 the neck of the W' omb to the depth of about a quarter of an 

 inch. A slight cut should then be made on all four sides of 

 the neck by turning the knife. A mere nick is enough, as 

 the mouth once loosened in its contraction the neck will soon 

 give way, and the bag of waters wdll accomplish the dilata- 

 tion. 



2. Bending of the Neck, 



This is a form of accident not occurring in child-birth, ex- 

 cept in the cow. The neck of the womb is twisted so as to 

 bring the mouth upward or to one side, and prevent the ex- 

 pulsion efforts of the womb acting in the direction of the 

 canal of the vagina. It may be suspected to exist wdien 

 labor pains continue for some time without the appearance of 

 the bag of waters. On feeling with the hand, no mouth of 

 the w^omb will be discernable. 



