342 3TATERXAL DYSTOKIA. 



The posterior portion of the floating colon, as in this instance, may 

 be obstructed in the Mare by the twist formed by the uterus and the 

 broad ligaments, and this obstruction will, of course, prevent expulsion 

 of the fteces. 



Prognosis and Treatment. 



This accident must be considered much more serious in the Mare than 

 in the Cow, for some of the reasons already alluded to as influencing 

 parturition and its results in these animals. A large majority of the 

 cases terminate fatally ; of seven alluded to by Franck five perished, 

 and a similar mortality attended those I have investigated. The fcetus 

 is nearly always dead. 



The treatment must, of course, be similar. Belhomme succeeded, by 

 powerful traction, and without previous reduction of the twisted uterus, 

 in extracting a dead Foal in what he describes as a case of " demi- 

 torsion." It is probable that the torsion could not have been so 

 great, for when it exists to this degree delivery by traction is impos- 

 sible. 



Elsen and Delwart succeeded in reducing the torsion in their case, 

 by rolling the Mare in the manner we have recommended to be adopted 

 with the Cow. In this instance, however, everything was against the 

 success of the operation, for the foetus had already been two months 

 beyond its time in the uterus; it was dead and in a state of putrefaction, 

 and had to be removed piecemeal. The Mare died from septic infection 

 eleven days after the operation. 



In Canu's interesting case the result was favourable. The mare had 

 been endeavouring to foal, it would appear, for ten days, and was 

 evidently about to succumb. Canu, recognising torsion of the uterus, 

 was proceeding to open it by force, when the animal fell with great 

 violence, and the shock her body received had the unlooked-for result 

 of completely untwisting the organ; so that parturition, though difficult, 

 became possible. The Foal was dead, as might have been predicted ; 

 but the Mare was saved, and continued to recover sufficiently to be put 

 to light work, when, on the thirtieth day after the operation, it was 

 attacked with metrorrhagia which nearly proved fatal. It eventually 

 got well. 



Deneubourg's case was similar to Canu's, and a living Foal was 

 eventually extracted, but it died in a few hours ; the Mare recovered. 



In Oreste's case the foetus was putrefied, and the Mare succumbed to 

 septic metritis before reposition of the uterus could be attempted. 



Hamon, in France, and Schmidt, in Germany, endeavoured to effect 

 reduction of the torsion in their cases by rolling the Mares first in one 

 direction, then in the other ; but without success, as both animals died 

 without being delivered. 



Gierer observed two cases of complete torsion in Mares, in both of 

 which the accident was complicated by a large rupture at the base of 

 the uterus, through which the foetus had escaped into the abdominal 

 cavity. 



Cox found the head and fore legs of the foetus protruding through 

 the inferior wall of the uterus. Exploration discovered the vaginal 

 passage beyond these parts, but it suddenly terminated ; though a 

 small rugose opening, barely admitting two fingers, was found. The 

 Mare died in two hours ; and on examination there was noted a double 

 twist of the cervix uteri, with rupture of the uterus and vagina. 



