498 OBSTETRICAL OPERATIONS. 



Mare pain and exhaustion, to divide the gastrocnemii tendons, and so 

 straighten the limbs. 



"With the Cow the case is not so serious, and the Calf may be de- 

 livered alive. Eetropulsion of the hind-quarters and hocks is absolutely 

 necessary ; this can be effected by persistent effort and the exercise of 

 patience, the pushing forward being done by jerks in the intervals of strain- 

 ing, until the foetus has been removed some distance from the brim of 

 the pelvis. Eaising the hind-quarters of the Cow is very serviceable in this 

 measure. Then the tibia is placed in a horizontal direction, the pastern 

 or shank is corded — as with the fore-limb, and the hock being kept as 

 far away as possible from the inlet, and towards the maternal flank, 

 the lower part of the leg is carried backwards by cord and hand until 

 it is in the canal. In doing this the operator uses the point of the 

 calcis to push the hock, the body of the foetus being kept obliquely, and 

 care being taken that the points of the hocks do not damage the uterus, 

 by covering them with the palm of the hand — a procedure which must 

 also be adopted with the hoofs. 



Wlien the hind-limhs are retained in the viatcrnal ahdominal cavity of 

 the Mare, the case is quite as serious as when the hocks present ; but in 

 the Cow it is not so formidable, and a similar procedure must be 

 adopted as in the hock presentation. The body of the foetus is pro- 

 pelled forward as far as possible, and the tibia is flexed on the femur, so 

 as to bring the hocks up towards the inlet ; this is not very diflicult if 

 the foetus can be readily moved, for the hand can be then passed to the 

 stifle and the limb drawn towards the pelvic cavity, when, seizing the 

 tibia, this is flexed on the thigh. A cord may be passed round the 

 thigh and brought down to the hock, or as near it as possible, in par- 

 ticularly difficult cases ; and in propelling the buttocks into the uterine 

 cavity the assistant steadily pulls the cord, the hand of the operator 

 not only pushing, but also guiding the direction of the lower part of the 

 limb and preventing injury to the uterus, until the hock has reached 

 the inlet, when the leg should be extended in the manner before 

 described. In this diflicult and fatiguing operation, a repeller used by 

 a second assistant will be found most valuable. 



CHAPTEE III. 



Mechanical Means for the Extraction of the Foetus. 



Mechanical means for the extraction of the foetus are required when 

 the expulsive efforts of the parent, and perhaps the hand of the obste- 

 trist, are insufficient to produce delivery. These means are employed 

 to efi'ect change in the position of the foetus, or to apply force sufficient 

 to overcome the resistance offered by the obstacle to birth ; they com- 

 prise a number of articles, the chief of which are cords and hands, 

 halters, crotchets or hooks, a.ndi forceps of various kinds. The uses and 

 advantages of these we will now notice. But before doing this, we 

 must again point out the great advantage, should the " waters " have 

 escaped, and the genital canal and interior of the uterus be dry and 

 tenacious, of moistening these parts well before resorting to mechanical 

 operations. 



