228 PARTURITION. 



forcibly pressing back the labia pudendi, I could just grasp it with the 

 finger and thumb of the right hand. Holding it there, I introduced the 

 finger of the right hand, and continued to get down the other leg, and 

 then found little difficulty until the head was brought to the superior edge 

 of the pelvis. After a long interval, and with considerable force, this was 

 brought into the pelvis, and another puppy extracted. This fully occupied 

 two hours. 



The bitch now appeared almost lifeless. As she was unable to stand, 

 and seemed unconscious of every thing around her, I concluded that she 

 was lost : I gave her one or two drops of warm brandy and water, covered 

 her up closely, and put her to bed. 



To my surprise, on the following morning, she was curled round in her 

 basket ; she licked my hands, and ate a bit of bread and butter ; but 

 when put on her legs staggered and fell. The pudendum was dreadfully 

 swollen, and literally black. In the afternoon she again took a little 

 food : she came voluntarily from her basket, wagged her tail when spoken 

 to, and on the following day she was taken in her basket a journey of 70 

 miles, and afterwards did well ; no one could be more rejoiced than was 

 her master, who was present at, and superintended the greater part of the 

 proceedings. 



The beneficial effect of Ergot of Rye in difficult Parturition. The 

 following ease is from the pen of Professor Dick : On the 10th instant, 

 a pointer bitch produced two puppies ; and it was thought by the person 

 having her in charge that she had no more. She was put into a com- 

 fortable box, and with a little care was expected to do well. On the next 

 morning, however, she was sick and breathed heavily, and continued 

 rather uneasy all the day. 



On the forenoon of the following day I was requested to see her. I 

 found her with her nose dry, breath hot, respiration frequent, mouth hot 

 and parched, coat staring, back reached, pulse 120, and a black fetid dis- 

 charge from the vagina. Pressure on the abdomen gave pain. A pup 

 could be obscurely felt ; the secretion of milk was suppressed, and the 

 skin had lost its natural elasticity. 



Tepid water with a little soap dissolved in it was immediately injected 

 into the uterus, which in a considerable degree excited its action ; and this 

 injection was repeated two or three times with the same effect. 



After waiting for half an hour, the foetus was not discharged nor brought 

 forward ; therefore a scruple of the ergot of rye was then made into an 

 infusion with two ounces of water, and one-^third of it given as a dose ; in 

 half an hour another one-third of it ; the injections of warm water and 

 soap being also continued. Soon after the second dose of the infusion, a 

 dead puppy was expelled ; the bitch rapidly recovered, and, with the ex- 

 ception of deficiency of milk, is now quite well. 



This case would seem to prove the great power of the ergot of rye over 

 the uterus ; but, until more experiments are made, it is necessary to be 

 cautious in ascribing powers to medicines which have not been much tried 

 in our practice. It is not improbable that the warm water and soap might 

 have roused the uterus into action without the aid of the ergot ; and it is 

 therefore necessary that those who repeat this experiment should try the 

 effects of the medicine unaided by the auxiliary. 



The Professor adds, that the great power which this drug is said to have 

 on the human being, and the apparent effect in the case just given, suggest 



