222 DESTRUCTION OF THE PELVIC GIRDLE. 



against the maternal vulva by making an incision through 

 the skin and skin muscle. If practicable it is best at this 

 point to remove one shoulder subcutaneously, (48), and fol- 

 low by evisceration, (54), in order to give greater opera- 

 tive room and increased mobility of the fetus. Insinuate 

 the hand between the skin and the deeper structures and 

 forcibly separate the integument from the fetal body back- 

 ward until the last rib is passed, as shown at the curved 

 line in Plate XXXVI. Force the finger tips through the 

 abdominal wall behind the last rib and passing along the 

 entire border of each posterior rib, separate the abdominal 

 walls from the ribs and sternum. After the abdominal 

 muscles have been detached, and the fetus has been evis- 

 cerated, rotate the thorax upon its long axis which 

 will cause a division of the vertebral column near the dorso- 

 lumbar articulation and the anterior portion of the fetus 

 falls away. 



Secure the two posterior feet with cords, unless this has 

 already been done, spread the detached skin, which has 

 been pushed back from the thorax, carefully over the 

 amputation stump of the lumbar vertebrae, repel these by 

 means of the hand while an assistant draws upon the cords 

 attached to the feet, push the remnant of the fetal trunk 

 into the uterus and advance the feet along the genital pass- 

 ages, thus converting it into a posterior presentation. 

 Ordinarily this would result in a dorso-pubic — which 

 should be converted into the dorso-sacral position, when 

 its extraction can be readily brought about. 



51. DESTRUCTION OF THE PELVIC GIRDLE IN THE 

 ANTERIOR PRESENTATION. 



Plate XXXVII. 

 Object, [n somewhat rare instances perhaps most fre- 

 quently in the cow the pelves of the mother and fetus be- 

 come interlocked, the antero-external angle of the fetal 

 ilium, r, becoming locked with the shaft of the maternal 



