ItECTIFlL'ATluX OF VJIESEXTATIOXS AND I'oslTloXS. 495 



gives to ail assistant, while he presses the neck forwards and to one 

 side, raising the nose by means of the cord and hand when there is 

 sulVicient room. 



An exaggerated and more difficult form of this condition is the head 

 and neck flexed beneath the chest, but it can be remedied if the labour 

 has not been protracted. The lower jaw should first be corded, the 

 cord being pulled by an assistant while the operator pushes the body 

 back until the head is somewhat relieved, when the propulsion ceases, 

 and the hand seizes the lower part of the head and raises it and the 

 forehead ; and so pushing away the body and guiding the head alter- 

 nately, the latter is brought into the canal. ^Vhen, however, the 

 practitioner is not called in — which is usually the case — until after the 

 waters have escaped some time, attempts have been made at delivery by 

 amateurs, the genital passage is dry, and the uterus is applied close on the 

 foetus, then adjustment of the head and neck is a serious atlair ; as the 

 prolonged straining and pulling have put the head farther beyond reach 

 — pushed even beneath its abdomen ; so that the tips of the fingers can 

 scarcely touch the nose, much less grasp it, while the contractions of 

 the uterus — closely enveloping the fojtus — paralyse the arm, whicli has 

 to be bent downwards in search of the head. In such a case retropul- 

 sion is futile, and the first thing to be done is to inject a large quantity 

 of strained hnseed-jelly, or some other mucilaginous fluid, into the 

 uterine cavity, to compensate for the absence of the waters — unless it 

 be decided to place the animal on its back, which is decidedly advan- 

 tageous in this embarrassing case, when the injection should not be 

 administered until the animal is cast. Having had the passage well 

 lubricated and the uterus separated from the foetus, this may now have 

 the fore-legs secured l)y cords, and the front-part of the body pushed 

 forward, downwards, or sideways, so as to reach the head, which may be 

 seized by the ears, orbits, or lips, until the neck of the lower jaw can 

 be grasped and corded, when, with steady manipulation and traction, 

 the head and neck can be adjusted. Pulling at the limbs, then pushing 

 the body forwards, so as to effect displacement of some kind, will often 

 assist the operator when the head is beyond his hand. Such cases in 

 the Mare are nearly always impossible to rectify, and even in the Cow 

 they are most formidable, and not always satisfactory in their termina- 

 tion. 



Whcyi the head is bent npicards ami backwards — the opposite condi- 

 tion to the last — somewhat similar measures must be adopted. The 

 fore-limbs should be corded, as well as the neck of the lower jaw if it 

 can be reached. Then the body is to be pushed away from the brim of 

 the pelvis — employing mucilaginous injections, if necessary, before 

 attempting this, and by means of the hand in the uterus and alternate 

 traction on the head-cord and retropulsion, the foetus can generally be 

 got into a proper position for delivery. 



A somewhat frequent misdirection is tlie head bent round to one side 

 — extending to the shoulder, or even as far as the chest or flank. When 

 only slightly inclined to one side, reposition is easily effected by seizing 

 the lower part of the head, raising it upwards and bringing it round to 

 the genital canal. It must not be forgotten that the hand employed to 

 bring the head round must correspond to the side on which it lies : for 

 instance, if the head is bent to the right, then the left hand must be 

 used to manipulate with. 



When the head is as far back as the elbow, even, it may often be 



