/J/\/;./.vA'.s- nf THE FCETOs. 387 



Foals and Calves whose cnuiiuins were of large size and full of fluid, 

 have been delivered by this means, some of them alive, and in the pos- 

 terior as well as the anterior presentation. In such a case, supposing the 

 fore-feet present, these should be secured by cords, the ends of which 

 may be given to an assistant ; tiien the hand should be introduced into 

 the vagina, and if necessary the os should be dilated sulliciently to allow 

 of another cord being fastened on the upper, or, perhaps better, the 

 lower jaw, which is often wider. Traction can then be made during the 

 throes of the mother. 



When, however, traction will not etl'ect delivery because of the size 

 of the head, and the mother is becoming exhausted, the cranium must 

 be punctured — an easy operation when the presentation is anterior, but 

 more ditVicult when it is posterior. 



The puncture may be made by means of a bistoury, a scalpel or 

 ordinary knife, or, which is preferable, a somewhat large trocar and 

 cannula, curved if possible. The most fluctuating part of the tumour 

 should be penetrated, and the fluid having escajDed, the cranial parietes 

 collapse, or give way to pressure ; the head is thus greatly reduced in 

 size, and delivery can be completed. 



Rainard recommends the puncture to be made on the side of the 

 cranium ; and should it be necessary to still further reduce the size of 

 this part by bone-forceps or other means, the side will be found most 

 suitable. In the posterior presentation, the back of the head may be 

 punctured, and the weight of the young creature's body, hanging 

 beyond the vulva, will sulliciently steady the head for tliis purpose ; 

 but in the anterior presentation, traction sliould be made by means of 

 the cords while tlie cranium is being opened. 



Rainard informs us that C'onte, being called to assist a ^lare in foal- 

 ing, found a posterior presentation, and luiving diagnosed hydrocephalus, 

 he was able by version to convert it into an anterior presentation, when 

 the head was easily punctured. 



Embryotomy has been recommended in such cases ; but beyond 

 reducing the size of the head, if that is the only obstacle, there is no 

 necessity for resorting to further breaking up of the body of tlie foetus. 

 Indeed, it will be found that, in ordinary cases, patience and judicious 

 manipulation will often enable the obstetrist to dispense with cranio- 

 tomy. 



Ascites, Anasarca, and Hydrothorax. 



"Ascites" (fluid in the abdominal cavity) and "Anasarca" (fluid 

 beneath tlie skin), either partial or complete, do not appear to be such 

 frequent diseases of the fcjctus as hydrocephalus, the cases recorded 

 being comparatively few. 



Anasarca has been observed in the Foal, Calf, and Kid, and ascites 

 chiefly in the Calf. These pathological conditions have generally been 

 confounded. 



With regard to ascites, it appears that in all the recorded observa- 

 tions, thefu'tus was in what we have designated the " natural presenta- 

 tion and position " ; though in some cases these were complicated — 

 the head being turned back on the left side or all the limbs presented 

 with the head. 



Sometimes the fcetus has ceased to live before the full period of preg- 



