596 Veterinary Obstetrics 



tions. In harmony with the rule which we have already sug- 

 gested, that the operator should delegate to other persons what- 

 ever they may safely and properly do, leaving him to direct the 

 application of force, various appliances have been introduced 

 to relieve the obstetrist from the phj-sical strain involved in this 

 operation. 



Some obstetrists have an assistant push against the operator's 

 shoulder or, grasping his arm, push it forward so as to increase 

 his power in that way, but, however great additional force he 

 may secure in this manner, the impact still falls wholly upon the 

 operator's hand and tends finally to produce fatigue. 



Another plan is to have an assistant insert his hand and arm 

 alongside that of the operator and the two push unitedly against 

 the fetus, but this does not give the very best results because the 

 room for working with the two arms in the passages is not very 

 ample and the two persons are somewhat in each other's way. 

 In attempting'this method of repulsion, the assistant stands with 

 his back to the back of the operator, and, if the operator is using 

 his right hand, the assistant inserts his left hand. 



More commonly and preferably the extra force is applied by 

 means of instruments, usually by a repeller or crutch, Fig. 94. 

 This instrument is shaped somewhat like a crutch and is made 

 of wood, iron or steel, of variable size and form, usually about 30 

 to 36 inches in length. Cleanliness and neatness dictate that 

 this instrument should be made of steel, which is to be well pol- 

 ished and then plated with nickel so that it will not rust. 



The crutch, or repelling end, is usually made solid and de- 

 scribes the segment of a circle. It is made of varying width, and 

 most of the instruments are very much larger than is necessary 

 or desirable. 



Instruments made of good steel, j^2 inch in diameter, are abun- 

 dantly strong for all the force which one will have occasion to 

 apply, and the length of the crutch itself should not exceed 4 

 inches, while 3 inches is quite ample for all purposes. Some 

 make them very much wider than this, with the idea that they 

 may thereby .secure a safer hold upon the fetus and thus do away 

 with the liability of the instrument slipping off and injuring the 

 mother. 



In our experience there is no occasion for a repeller to slip from 

 its point of fixation, if properly made, applied and guarded. If 



