ACCIDENTS OF J'RJ-JaXAXCV. 215 



the straining. Ho gives it in doses of about three drachms to the Cow, 

 in the form of draught in oil or mucilage, repeating them every hour. 

 Carsten Harms recommends camphor, or camphor and opium, and 

 Euefif assafci'tida. 



Enemas are objectionable, as they have a tendency to increase the 

 straining. 



The abdomen should be gently rubbed for some time, and the stall 

 well littered ; and if the animal will eat and drink, easily-digested food 

 in small quantity, and gruel, may be given until all danger has passed 

 — generally for one or two days— when it may be gradually put upon 

 ordinary diet, and allowed to resume its usual occupation. 



When abortion is inevitable — indicated by rupture of the membranes 

 and escape of the "waters" — and there are no means of preventing the 

 expulsion of the fcctus, the object nmst then be to favour the latter in 

 some cases as speedily as possible, and remove the envelopes, should 

 there be any likelihood of their being retained in the uterus. In the 

 majority of cases, active intervention is of little value here, and is only 

 to be recommended when the labour is tedious, and the animal is be- 

 coming exhausted by fruitless straining, or when labour is altogether 

 suspended after rupture of the membranes. Then, having emptied the 

 rectum, the oiled hand is to be cautiously introduced into the vagina, 

 and if the os is contracted or not sufficiently open, it must be gently 

 dilated by the index and other fingers, until the interior of the uterus 

 can be reached, when the fatus is to be seized and removed in the 

 usual way ; should it be in a wrong position, or should there be any 

 obstacle to its egress, then we must proceed according to the directions 

 given for overcoming such obstacles when they occur at the normal 

 period of parturition. In abortion or premature labour, however, the 

 fcetus being smaller, the difficulties are less. 



If it should happen that the cervix is contracted, and shows no sign 

 of yielding to gentle manipulation, then after a sufficient time has been 

 allowed measures should be adopted to relax it. Belladonna ointment 

 (one part to four of lard), introduced into the vagina and applied around 

 the cervix by the hand or any suitable instrument, may be used with 

 advantage. Mr. Cox also recommends rugs dipped in hot water and 

 applied over the pelvic region. Injections of mucilaginous fluids or 

 glycerine into the vagina may be resorted to if the passage has become 

 dry after the escape of the amniotic fluid ; and, internally, extract of 

 belladonna, chloral, or ether or alcoliol draughts should be administered, 

 particularly if the animal is exhausted. Gruel, beef-tea, milk, or otlier 

 strengthening fluids may likewise be required. The ergot of rye is of 

 little value in cases occurring in the larger animals, and its use is rarely 

 to be prescribed. 



If the membranes come away with the fcetus, there is little more to 

 be done ; though in the contrary case, which is by no means infrequent 

 in abortion or premature birth, the membranes are strongly .adherent to 

 the uterine placentie, and their retention, particularly in Cattle, is often 

 troublesome. Some practitioners in these instances prefer to remove 

 them immediately and mechanically by the hand, carefully separating 

 the placentulai one after another ; and though this is easily enough 

 accomplished so long as the os is dilated — whic : it usually is for three 

 days after delivery — yet others are content with some simple precautions, 

 and prefer to wait. When they find the membranes firmly adherent, 

 and their separation from the uterus likely to be attended with incon- 



