176 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



GENERAL MAXIMS FOR THE ASSISTANT CONCERNING DimCULT PAR- 

 TURITION. 



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. Wlien assistance is necessary, 

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

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

 danger of exposure and yet leaves the whole arm fi*ee and untram- 

 meled. 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 pound. 



This is a valuable precaution against infecting the cow by intro- 

 ducing putrid ferments into the passages and against poisoning of 

 the arm by decomposing discharges in case the calving is unduly 

 protracted. 'V\Tien labor pains have lasted some time Avithout any 

 signs of the water bags, the dropping in at the sides of the rump, 

 and the other preparations for calving being accomplished, the hand 

 should be introduced to examine. "WTien the water bags have burst 

 and neither feet nor head appear for some time, examination should 

 be made. Allien one fore foot only and the head appears, or both 

 fore feet without the head, or the head without the fore feet, exam- 

 ine. If one hind foot appears without the other, make examination. 

 The presenting limb or head should be secured by a rope with a run- 

 ning noose, so that it may not pass back into the womb and get lost 

 during the subsequent manipulations, but may be retained in the 

 vagina or brought up again easily.. In searching for a missing mem- 

 ber, it is usually better to turn the head of the cow downhill, so that 

 the gi'avitation of the fetus and abdominal organs forward into the 

 belly of the cow may give more room in which to bring up the miss- 

 ing limb or head. If the cow is lying down, turn her on the side 

 opposite to that on which the limb is missing, so that there may be 

 more room for bringing the latter up. Even if a missing limb is 

 reached, it is vain to attempt to bring it up during a labor pain. 

 Wait until the pain has ceased and attempt to straighten out the 

 limb before the next pain comes on. If the pains are violent and 

 continuous, they may be checked by pinching the back or by putting 

 a tight surcingle around the body in front of the udder. These fail- 



