DISEASES OF THE GENEEATIVE OEGANS. 197 



OUTWARD DIRECTION OF THE STIFLES ABOrCTION OF HIND Li:NrBS. 



As an obstacle to parturition, this is rare in cows. It is most likely 

 to take place in cows with narrow hip bones, and when the service 

 has been made by a bull having great breadth across the quart'er. 

 The calf, taking after the sire, presents an obstacle to calving in the 

 breadth of its quarters, and if at the same time the toes and stifles 

 are turned excessively outAvard and the hocks inward the combined 

 breadth of the hip bones above and the stifles below may be so gi-eat 

 that the pelvis will not easily admit them. After the forefeet, head, 

 and shoulders have all passed out through the vulva, further progress 

 suddenly and unaccountably ceases, and some dragging on the parts 

 already delivered does not serve to bring away the hind parts. Th« 

 oiled hand introduced along the side of the calf Avill discover the 

 obstacle in the stifle joints turned directly outward and projecting 

 on each side beyond the bones which circumscribe laterally the front 

 entrance of the pelvis. The evident need is to turn the stifles inward, 

 and this may be attempted by the hand introduced by the side of the 

 calf, which is meanAvhile rotated gently on its own axis to favor the 

 change of position. To correct the deviation of the hind limb is, 

 however, very difficult, as the limbs themselves are out of reach and 

 can not be used as levers to assist. If nothing can be done by push- 

 ing back the bodj^ of the calf and rotating it and by pressure by the 

 hand in the passages, the only resort appears to be to skin the calf 

 from the shoulder back, cut it in two as far back as can be reached, 

 then push the buttocks Avell forward into the womb, bring up the 

 hind feet, and so deliver. 



THE HIND LIMBS EXCESSIVELY BENT ON THE BODY AND ENGAGED IN THE 



PELVIS. 



In this case the presentation is apparently a normal anterior one ; 

 forelimbs and head advance naturally and the parturition proceeds 

 until half the chest has passed through the external passages, when 

 suddenly progress ceases and no force Avill secure farther advance. 

 An examination with oiled hand detects the presence in the passages 

 of the hind feet and usually the hind legs up to above the hocks. 

 (PI. XVII, fig. 1.) 



The indications for treatment are to return the hind limbs into the 

 body of the womb. If they have not advanced too far into the pelvis, 

 this may be done as follows: A ro^De with running noose is passed 

 over each hind foot and drawn tight around the lower part of the 

 hock; the ropes are then passed through the two rings in the small 

 end of the rotating instrument (PL XX, fig. 5) which is slid into the 

 passages until it reaches the hocks, when the ropes, drawn tight, are 



