224 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



lower jaw behind the union of its two branches and bi'XJk of the incisor 

 teeth, or by hooks inserted in the orbits, or, finally, in case the whole 

 head protrudes, by a halter. (Plate xxi, Fig. 4 and 4fe.) 



In case the whole head protrudes, a circular incision through the skin 

 is made just back of the ear, and the cut edge being held firmly by the 

 left hand, the neck is skinned as far as it can be reached. Then the 

 great ligamentous cord above the spine is cut across at the farthest 

 available point, together with the muscles above and below the spine. 

 Strong traction on the head will then detach it at this point and bring 

 it away, but should there still be too much resistance the knife is 

 inserted between the bodies of two vertebrae just behind one of the 

 prominent points felt in the median line below, and their connecting 

 fibrous cartilage is cut through, after which comparatively moderate 

 pulling will bring it away. The detached neck and body at once slip 

 back into the womb, and if the fore limbs are now brought up and 

 pulled they are advanced so far upon the chest that the transverse 

 diameter of that is greatly diminished, and delivery correspondingly 

 facilitated. 



If the head is still inclosed in the vagina two methods are availa- 

 ble: (1) The removal of the lower jaw and subsequent separation of 

 the head from the neck ; (2) the skinning of the whole head and its 

 separation from the neck. 



To remove the lower jaw the skin is dissected away from it until the 

 throat is reached. Then the muscles of the cheeks and side of the jaw 

 (masseters) are cut through and those connecting the jaw with the 

 neck. When traction is made on the rope round the lower jaw it will 

 usually come away with little trouble. Should it resist, its posterior 

 extremity on each side (behind the grinding teeth) may be cut through 

 with bone forceps, or with a guarded bone chisel. (Plate xx, Fig. 8.) 

 After the removal of the lower jaw the way will be open to separate 

 the head from the neck, the knife being used to cut into the first or 

 second joint from below, or the bone forceps or chisel being employed 

 to cut through the bones of the neck. Then traction is made on the 

 head by means of hooks in the orbits, and the hand, armed with an 

 embryotomy knife, is introduced to cut through the tense resisting 

 ligament and muscles above the bones. The skin and the strong liga- 

 mentous cord attached to the poll are the essential things to cut, as the 

 muscles can easily be torn across. Unless there are great difficulties 

 in the way it is well to skin the head from the eyes back, and on reach- 

 ing the poll to cut through the ligament and then bring the head away 

 by pulling. 



If it is decided to remove the entire head at once, it may be skinned 

 from the front of the eyes back to behind the lower jaw below and the 

 poll above, then cut through the muscles and ligaments around the 

 first joint and pull the head away, assisting, if need be in the separa- 

 tion of the head, Ly using the knife on the ligament of the joint. 



