326 DISEASES OF HORSES AND CATTLE. 



There is very seldom any trouble, as they are usu- 

 ally small. In all cases after delivering an animal 

 search and ascertain whether there is a second 

 foetus or not, as cases have come under my notice 

 in which a second was born a week after the de- 

 livery of the first, which might endanger the life 

 of the mother from blood poisoning. 



DISEASES OF THE FOETUS WHICH IMPEDE DELIVERY. 



Plate IT. — Dropsy of the Brain (Hydroce- 

 phalus). I was called to a case of a cow 

 that could not calve. On examining I found 

 the head very much enlarged, so much so 

 as to make it impossible to be born. I 

 concluded it was a case of dropsy of the brain. 

 I put a rope around the lower jaw of the young 

 creature and pulled it as far into the passage as 

 possible. I punctured the bones of the head, and 

 a great quantity of fluid escaped. The plan of 

 operation is to put a rope around the neck of the 

 foetus and bring it as far as possible into the pas- 

 sage, the assistant to pull on the rope to keep it 

 firm; then with a sharp pointed instrument placed 

 against the forehead of the foetus and a sharp tap 

 given with a hammer it will easily pass through 

 the soft bones of the head, thus allowing the fluid 

 to escape. I once used a harrow tooth, no other 

 instrument being at hand. Usually after the 

 escape of the water and a little force used on the 

 rope around the neck, the bones of the head will 

 collapse, they being in separate pieces in the 

 foetus. 



