172 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



the hind feet, the heels and hocks turned upward toward the cow's 

 tail. (PI. XVIII, 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 curvature 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 differing 

 from the above is abnormal. 



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 abdomen; from overdistension of the rectum or bladder; 

 from undue narroAving of the passages; from excess of fat in the 

 walls of the pelvis; from the disturbance of a nervous cow by noises; 

 from stone or urine in the bladder ; from wrong presentation of the 

 calf, its back being turned downward or to one side in place of up- 

 ward toward the spine of the dam; from the bending baclnvard of 

 one or more limbs or of the head into the body of the womb ; from 

 presentation of the back, shoulder, or croup, all four limbs being 

 turned back; from presentation of all four feet at once; from ob- 

 struction caused by an extra head or extra limbs, or double body on 

 the part of the offspring (PI. XIX) ; from dropsy or other disease 

 of the calf; from excessive or imperfect development of the calf; 

 from the impaction of twins into the passages at the same time; or 

 at times it may be from the mere excessive volume of the fetus. 



GENERAL MAXIMS FOR THE ASSISTANT CONCERNING DIFFICULT PARTURITION. 



Do not interfere too soon. " 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 expelled slowly 

 by the unaided efforts of the cow. Bruises and lacerations of the 

 passages and flooding from the uncontracted womb may come from 

 the too speedy extraction of the calf. When assistance is necessary, 

 the operator should dress in a thick flannel shirt from which the 

 sleeves have been cut off clear to the shoulders. This avoids danger 

 of exposure and yet leaves the whole arm free and untrammeled. 

 Before inserting the hand it and the arm should be smeared with oil, 

 lard, or vaseline, care being taken that the oil or lard is fresh, neither 

 salted nor rancid; and that it has been purified by boiling or rendered 

 antiseptic by the addition of a teaspoonful of carbolic acid to the 



