DVSTOKIA DUE TO THE IIEAIK 



419 



head is soon found, and recognised by the ears, eyes, and often the 

 muffle turned towards the shoulder (Fig. 13-i) — with this Bovine foetus, 

 in fact, the greater part of the head in the majority of cases lies against 

 the shoulder. 



With the Foal, it is only too often otlierwise. The much longer 

 neck of this creature and the more violent uterine contractions of the 

 Mare, generally result in the head being pushed towards the side of the 

 thorax, the altdomen, or even the Hank or croup, where it cannot be 

 reached. This ditliculty is greatly increased if the abdomen of the 

 mother is very pendulous. Occasionally this is also the case with the 

 Cow, though it is i-are that in this animal the ears, or even the eyes, 

 cannot be reached by a fairly long arm (Fig. 13o). If the animal, be it 

 Mare or Cow, chances to be lying, and the deviation is only to the 



Fig. 134. 



ANTKHIOR PBE3EXTATIOX, DoRSO-SaCK.VL POSITION: LaTEKAL DEVIATION OK THK 



Head towakds the Shoulder. 



shoulder, it is most difficult to reach the nose of the foetus should it be 

 inclined to the side on which the parent lies — i.e., if the Mare is on the 

 left side and the deviation of the Foal's head is to the right. 



The head may be raised as high as the back, or lie as low as the under 

 part of the chest or abdomen. The fcetus is usually in the first (or 

 dorso - sacral) position, though the deviation may also occur in the 

 second (dorso-pubic) or third (dorso-ilial) positions ; in the latter posi- 

 tion the neck may be bent upwards — the head towards the maternal 

 sacrum, or doicnnards — the head resting on the floor of the uterus. 



This complication is not only a very frequent, but, as has been said, 

 a very serious one for the obstetrist, and it may be truthfully asserted 

 that birth is not possible without his assistance ; indeed, it has been 

 well remarked that " it taxes all his strength, patience, and ingenuity." 



29 



