.VA/J'/:k'SKXT.lT/itX on MA/J'OSITW.V OF THE FiETU^. 42.') 



GROUP II. 



DYSTOKIA FROM MALPRESKXTATION OR MAr.roSITIOX OK THK 



Fa<:Tus. 



Though the impediments to birth in the human female are not infre- 

 quently due to the fcutus being in sucli a position that it cannot pass 

 through the pelvic canal, yet it is very questionable whether, in animals, 

 this cause of dystokia is not much more common, much more com- 

 plicated, and very much more dillicult to be rectified. In woman the 

 ditiiculty in this case chiefly occurs when the axis of the foetus does 

 not coincide with that of the uterus — when, for instance, the head or 

 the breech cannot pass through the pelvic inlet, and the presentation 

 is more or less oblique or transverse. It is exceedingly rare "indeed 

 that the neck or limbs offer an obstacle to birth. 



With the Calf and Foal the case is very different. These creatures 

 have the neck and limbs long and very flexible, and even the body 

 itself is comparatively long and readily curved in any direction. The 

 consequence is that the limbs or neck may be bent under, to one side, 

 or above the trunk ; while the latter may be flexed in such a manner 

 AS to become quite distorted. 



The Cow is the animal of all others which suffers most frequently 

 from dirticult parturition, and several of the causes which give rise to 

 this dirticulty are not met with in the females of other species ; this is 

 no doubt chiefly owing to the fact that, among uniparous creatures, this 

 has proportionately the narrowest pelvis, and therefore deviations of 

 the head and limbs, or any unusual presentation or position of the 

 body, which would be of little moment in the case of Solipeds, lead to 

 trouble. As for multiparous animals, the young are generally so small 

 when compared with the genital canal, that they can generally pass 

 through it in presentations and positions which would be most difficult, 

 if not impossible, in Solipeds, and more so in Bovines. 



For these reasons, we have a great number of more or less com- 

 plicated malprcsentations and positions, wliich give rise to varying 

 degrees of dystokia, some of them of a very formidable kind. 



It will therefore be readily understood that, even when the axis of 

 the young creature's body coincides with that of the uterus and pelvic 

 canal, and the latter is normal in dimensions, birtli may not be possible 

 without assistance ; and this establishes a wide difference between the 

 obstetrics of the human, and the Equine and Bovine species. Added 

 to this, the veterinary surgeon has the difliculties before mentioned to 

 contend with — powerful and often irritable animals ; a long genital 

 canal and deep uterus ; uterine contractions so energetic that they 

 fatigue and paralyse the hand and arm ; the disadvantages of position 

 in the parturient animal ; the late period at which professional assist- 

 ance is sought for ; and the damage that may have been inflicted by 

 amateurs and empirics. 



Considering the frequency of the causes of dystokia, and their often- 

 times serious character, they deserve the most careful study in order 

 that they may be successfully overcome. 



The following synoptical table shows the various causes of fcetal 

 •dystokia dependent on abnormal presentations and positions : 



