DISEASES OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 195 



NATURAL PRESENTATION. 



When there is but one calf the natural presentation is that of the 

 fore feet with the front of the hoofs and knees turned upward toward 

 the tail of the dam and the nose lying between the knees. (Plate xv.) 

 If there are twins the natural position of the second is that of the hind 

 feet, the heels and hocks turned upward toward the cow's tail. (Plate 

 xvin, Fig. 1.) In both of these natural positions the curvature of the 

 body of the calf the back arched upward is the same with the curva- 

 ture of the passages, which descend anteriorly into the womb, ascend 

 over the brim of the pelvis, and descend again toward the external 

 opening' (vulva). Any presentation different from the above is abnor- 

 mal. 



OBSTACLES TO PARTURITION. 



With a well-formed cow and calf and a natural presentation as above, 

 calving is usually prompt and easy. Obstacles may, however, come from 

 failure of the mouth of the womb to dilate; from twisting of the neck of 

 the womb ; from tumors in the vagina ; from dropsy in the womb or ab- 

 domen; from overdistension of the rectum or bladder; from undue 

 narrowing of the passages; from excess of fat in the walls of the pel- 

 vis; from the disturbance of a nervous cow by noises; from stone or 

 urine in the bladder; from wrong presentation of the calf, its back be 

 ing turned downward or to one side in place of upward toward the 

 spine of the dam; from the bending backward into the body of the 

 womb of one or more limbs or of the head; from presentation of the 

 back, shoulder, or croup, all four limbs being turned back; from pre- 

 sentation of all four feet at once; from obstruction caused by an extra 

 head or extra limbs, or double body on the part of the offspring (Plate 

 xix); from dropsy or other disease of the calf; from excessive or im- 

 l>erfect development of the calf; from the impaction of twins at the 

 same time into the passages; or it may be at times from the mere 

 excessive volume of the fetus. 



- GENERAL MAXIMS FOR THE ASSISTANT IX DIFFICULT PARTURITION. 



Do not interfere too soon. u Meddlesome midwifery is bad" with 

 animals as with women. After labor pains set in, give a reasonable 

 time for the water-bags to protrude and burst spontaneously, and only 

 interfere when delay suggests some mechanical obstruction. If there 

 is no mechanical obstruction let the calf be exiled slowly by the 

 unaided efforts of the cow. Ilrnises and lacerations of the passages 

 and flooding from the uneontracteo! womb may come from the too 

 speedy extraction of the calf. When assistance is necessary, the oper- 

 ator should dress in a thick flannel Hhirt from which the sleeves have 

 been cut oft' clear up to the shoulder*. This avoids danger of exjMisure, 

 and yet leaves the. whole arm free and nntrammeled. Hefor.e inserting 

 the hand, it ami the arm should be smeared witli oil. lard, <: vaseline, 



