150 



diet (wheal bran, cotton-seed meal, rape cake) and constant well-regu- 

 lated work. Saccharine, starchy, and fatty food (potatoes, wheat, 

 corn, etc.) are to be specially avoided. In the mare one diseased and 

 irritable ovarj^ should be removed, to do away with the resulting 

 excitabilit}^ of the remainder of the generative organs. An irritable 

 womb, with frequent straining and the ejection of a profuse secretion, 

 may sometimes be corrected by a restricted diet and full but well- 

 regulated work. Even fatigue will act beneficially in some such 

 cases, hence the practice of the Arab riding his mare to exhaustion 

 just before service. The perspiration in such a case, like the action 

 of a purgative or the abstraction of blood just before service, benefits, 

 by rendering the blood-vessels less full, by lessening secretion in the 

 womb and elsewhere, and thus counteracting the tendency to the 

 ejection and loss of semen. If these means are ineffectual a full dose 

 of camphor (2 drams) or of salacin may at times assist. Low condi- 

 tion and anremia demand just the opT)osite kind of treatment — rich, 

 nourishing, albuminoid food, bitter tonics (gentian), sunshine, gentle 

 exercise, liberal grooming, and supj)orting treatment generally are 

 here in order. Spasmodic closure of the neck of the womb is com- 

 mon and is easih' remedied in the mare by dilatation with the fingers. 

 The hand, smeared ■s\ith belladonna ointment and with the fingers 

 drawn into the form of a cone, is introduced through the vagina until 

 the projecting, rounded neck of the womb is felt at its anterior end. 

 This is opened by the careful insertion of one finger at a time until 

 the fingers have been passed through the constricted neck into the 

 oj)en cavity of the womb. The introduction is made with a gentle, 

 rotary motion, and all precipitate violence is avoided, as abrasion, 

 laceration, or other cause of irritation is likely to interfere with the re- 

 tention of the semen and with impregnation. If the neck of the womb 

 is rigid and unyielding from the induration which follows inflamma- 

 tion — a rare condition in the mare, though common in the cow — more 

 force will be requisite, aiid it maj' even be needful to incise the neck 

 to the depth of one-sixth of an inch in four or more opposite direc- 

 tions, prior to forcible dilatation. The incision may be made with a 

 probe-pointed knife, and should be done hy a professional man if 

 possible. The subsequent dilatation may be best effected by the slow 

 expansion of si)onge or seaweed tents inserted into the narrow canal. 

 In such cases it is best to let the wounds of the neck heal before put- 

 ting to horse. An imperforate hymen may be freely incised in a 

 crucial manner until the passage will admit the human hand. An 

 ordinary knife may be used for this puri^ose, and after the operation 

 the stallion may be admitted at once or onlj^ after the wounds have 

 healed. 



INDICATIOXS OF PREGNANCY. 



As the mere fact of service by the stallion does not insure preg- 

 nancy, it is important that the result should be determined, to save 



