1G8 



CONSTRICTION OF A MEMBER BY THE NAVEL STRING. 



Ill man and animals alike the winding of the umbilical cord round 

 a member of the fa?tiis sometimes leads to the amputation of the lat- 

 ter. It is also known to get wound around the neck or a limb at 

 birth, but in the mare this does not seriously impede jiarturition, as 

 the loosely attached membranes are easily separated from the womb 

 and no strangulation or retarding occurs. The foal may, however, 

 die from the cessation of the placental circulation unless it is speedily 

 delivered. 



WATER IN THE HEAD (HYDROCEPHALUS) OF THE FOAL. 



This consists in the excessive accumulation of liquid in the ven- 

 tricles of the brain so that the cranial cavit}^ is enlarged and con- 

 stitutes a great projecting rounded mass occupying the space from 

 the eyes upward. (See Plate XIV, Fig. 3.) With an anterior pres- 

 entation (fore feet and nose) this presents an insuperable obstacle to 

 progress, as the diseased cranium is too large to enter the pelvis at 

 the same time with the fore-arms. With a posterior presentation 

 (hind feet) all goes well until the body and shoulders have passed 

 out, Avhen i^rogress is suddenly arrested by the great bulk of the head. 

 In the first case, the oiled hand introduced along the face detects the 

 enormous size of the head, which may be diminished by puncturing 

 it with a knife or trochar and cannula in the median line, evacuating 

 the water and pressing in the thin bony walls. With a jjosterior 

 presentation, the same course must be followed; the liand jsassed 

 along the neck will detect the cranial swelling, which nvdy be i^unc- 

 tured with a knife or trochar. Oftentimes with an anterior presen- 

 tation the great size of the head leads to its displacement backward 

 and thus the fore-limbs alone engage in the passages. Here the lirst 

 object is to seek and bring up the missing head, and then puncture 

 it as above suggested. 



DROPSY OF THE ABDOMEN IN THE FOAL — ASCITES. 



The accumulation of liquid in the abdominal cavity of the foetus is 

 less frequent, but when present it may arrest i^arturition as com- 

 pletelj' as will hydrocephalus. With an anterior presentation the foal 

 maj" pass as far as the shoulders, but behind this all efforts fail to 

 secure a further advance. With a posterior presentation the hind 

 legs as far as the thighs may be expelled, but at this point all progress 

 ceases. In either case the oiled hand passed inward by the side of 

 the foal will detect the enormous distention of the abdomen and its 

 soft, fluctuating contents. The only course is to puncture the cavity 

 and evacuate the li<iuid. With the anterior presentation this may 

 be done Avith a long trochar and cannula, introduced through the 

 chest and diaphragm; or with a knife an incision may be made 



