598 Veterinary Obstetrics 



highly objectionable. In order to overcome any such objection, 

 however, the spike should be detachable and, in case the fetus is 

 alive and the spike not absolutely necessary to secure fixation of 

 the instrument, it may be unscrewed and removed and the instru- 

 ment used without it. 



When using any type of repeller, the hand of the operator 

 should constantly accompany the end which is in contact with 

 the fetus during the entire operation of repulsion, and thereby 

 guide the direction and amount of force and guard constantly 

 against its slipping or doing injury to adjacent parts. When the re- 

 pulsion has been accomplished and it isdesired to hold the fetus in 

 its position while the operator carries out some change in the po- 

 sition of an extremity or brings about some other modification 

 in position, it is allowable to take the hand away from the instru- 

 ment and instruct the assistant to press steadily upon it. The 

 party handling the repeller must be prepared to immediately 

 withdraw his force, and even the instrument, in case there is any 

 suspicious change in position of the fetal body, especially if it 

 seems to yield in such a way as to suggest that the instrument 

 may become displaced. 



Some obstetrists condemn the repeller as a dangerous instru- 

 ment, but we have not found it so in any case. We consider 

 that the repeller should be used in most cases where repulsion is 

 desired and that the operator must, as a rule, abstain from using 

 his own power for bringing about this movement of the fetus 

 when others may do it quite as well or even better if he will but 

 place the instrument securely against the desired portion of the 

 fetus and, accompanying it constantly with his hand, direct the 

 force of the assistant or assistants. 



In the repulsion of the fetus it is essential that th^ uterusshould 

 be extended somewhat in order for its contents to move backward . 

 Con.sequently, whenever force is applied to the fetus with the 

 idea of pushing it backward, it almost inevitably arouses more or 

 less vigorous expulsive eflForts, which tend to prevent the desired 

 repulsion. Whenever these expulsive efforts come on, little pro- 

 gress, if any, can be made in the operation, and the operator must 

 wait until the expulsive efforts cease and then, by a prompt 

 thrust, push the fetus away toward the anterior end of the uterus. 

 During the expulsive efforts, however, the operator should at- 

 tempt to prevent the fetus from being driven toward the pelvis or 



