169 



"between the first two ribs, and the lungs and hearr cut or lorn out, 

 when the diaphragm will be felt j)ro,jecting strongly foi'ward and may 

 be easily punctured. Should there not be room to introduce tlie hand 

 through the chest, the oiled hand may be passed along beneath the 

 breast bone and the abdomen punctured. With a posterior presenta- 

 tion the abdomen must be punctured in the same way, the hand, 

 armed with a knife protected in its palm, being passed along the side 

 of the flank or between the hind limbs. It should be added that mod- 

 erate drops}' of the abdomen is not incompatible Avitli natural deliv- 

 er}-, the liquid being at first crowded back into the portion of the 

 belly still engaged in the womb, and passing slowly from that into 

 the advanced portion as soon as that has cleared the narrow passage 

 of the pelvis, and passed out where it can expand. 



GENERAL DROPSY OF THE FCETUS. 



In this 6ase the tissues generally are distended with liquid, and the 

 skin is found at all points tense and rounded, and pitting on pressure 

 with the fingers. In some such cases delivery may be effected after 

 the skin has been punctured at narrow intervals to allow the escape 

 of the fluid and then liberally smeared with fresh lard. More com- 

 monly, however, it can not be reached at all points to be so punc- 

 tured, nor sufficiently reduced to be extracted whole, and resort must 

 be had to einbryotovnj. 



SWELLING OF THE FCETUS WITH GAS — EMPHYSEMA. 



This has been described as occurring in a living foetus, but I have 

 only met with it in the dead and decomposing foal, after futile efforts 

 have been made for several days to effect delivery. These cases are 

 very difficult ones, as the foal is inflated to such an extent that it is 

 impossible to advance it into the passages, and the skin of the foetus 

 and the walls of the womb and vagina have become so dry that it is 

 impracticable to cause the one to glide on the other. The hair comes 

 off any part that may be seized, and the case is rendered the more 

 offensive and dangerous by the very fetid liquids and gases. The 

 only resort is embrijofoniy, by which I have succeeded in saving a 

 valuable mare that had carried a colt in this condition for four days. 



CONTRACTIONS OF MUSCLES. 



The foal is not always developed symmetrically, but certain groups 

 of muscles are liable to remain short or to shorten because of jjersist- 

 ent spasmodic contraction, so that.even the bones become distorted and 

 twisted. This is most common in the neck. The bones of this part 

 and even of the face are drawn to one side and shortened, the head 

 being held firmly to the fiank and the jaws being twisted to the right 

 5961— HOR 6* 



