CARE OF NAVELS IN NEWBORN 127 



included within it are dead and all that now re- 

 mains of the navel stump must ooze away, desic- 

 cate or decay. It must be clear to anyone that a 

 ligature applied around a columnar mass of dead 

 tissues can not prevent the invasion of bacteria 

 on either side of the ligature; it can not hold 

 either the distal or proximal tissue against bac- 

 terial invasion. 



Fortunately for the calf the navel cord usually 

 ruptures before the birth act has been completed 

 and the arterial and urachal stumps have re- 

 tracted within the abdomen out of reach of the 

 meddler. In the foal the navel cord is longer and 

 a ligature may be applied before it is ruptured 

 and the arteries and urachus become incarcerated 

 and their infection rendered probable. 



The most serious objection to ligation lies in 

 the fact that the ligature imprisons within the 

 amniotic sheath all of Wharton's jelly and all blood 

 which may ooze from the withdrawn arterial 

 stumps if they have retracted. If the arteries 

 have not retracted and are caught in the ligature 

 a large blood clot is imprisoned just above the 

 ligature; any urine oozing from the retracted 



