570 ACCIDENTS AFTER PARTURITION. 



is visible. This is seized either by the hands, or by means of a towel, 

 or wisp of hay or straw, and gently pulled at — particularly when the 

 animal strains — twisting it at the same time, until the whole mass is 

 removed from the uterine cavity. 



This traction is not likely to be productive of much injury to the 

 Mare, Sow, or Bitch, as the adhesion of the placenta is not great, and 

 is usually limited to a few points ; it is, therefore, as a rule, generally 

 and quickly successful in these animals. 



With the Cow, however, it is not so, owing to the numerous and often 

 strong attachments of the placenta, and its fragile texture, which renders 

 it easily torn if too much force be employed; if it does not give way, and 

 the traction is immoderate, then there is risk of irritating the uterus, 

 tearing away the cotyledons, or producing partial or complete inversion 

 of the cornua, or even of the entire organ. Should the placenta give 

 way, this may lead to greater difficulty in removing what is left of it in 

 the uterus. 



For these reasons, some practitioners discountenance this mode of 

 abstracting the placenta ; but there can be no doubt that if the traction 

 is moderate and judicious, the membranes not very adherent to the 

 interior of the uterus, and a good part of them beyond the os, the 

 operation is quite justifiable and will be successful. When, however, 

 the resistance is marked, or the membranes begin to tear, it is better 

 to desist. 



Deneubourg recommends the following method, as better than em- 

 ploying the hands : The protruding umbilical cord is seized between 

 two pieces of wood, the length and size of an ordinary walking-stick, 

 and rolled round them until they are close to the vulva ; there, by a 

 slight and gentle circular movement, the portion engaged in the vagina 

 produces a kind of titillation which induces the animal to stretch as 

 in micturition — an act it nearly always accomplishes, and during this 

 period the membranes are rolled round the pieces of wood as they are 

 detached, which usually occurs in about six days, when the whole is 

 removed. When resistance is experienced, and anything is found to 

 tear or rend, it is evident that adhesions still exist, and the rolling 

 must cease ; but then, by a kind of jerking movement from side to 

 side, there is communicated to the uterus a series of shakes more or 

 less energetic, according to the state of the organ. Deneubourg says 

 that there need be no hesitation in employing a certain amount of 

 force in practising these movements : " We may act strongly, but 

 gently." Great success is said to have attended this method. 



But, after all, it is doubtful whether the more scientific and surgical, 

 if old plan — that of direct extraction by enucleation of the cotyledons 

 — is not preferable. This method consists in passing the hand into 

 the uterus, and detaching or enucleating the cotyledons, one by one, 

 so as to destroy the adhesions between the maternal organ and the 

 foetal envelopes, when the latter can be taken away. 



When this extraction should take place will depend upon circum- 

 stances. It will generally be found that it will not be successful before 

 the third day, as the cotyledons are too closely and firmly united to 

 allow their disunion without injurious force, which may bring about 

 inversion of the uterus, or laceration of the maternal cotyledons, and 

 consequent haemorrhage. About the third day is generally a favourable 

 period, as the cervix is still sufficiently relaxed to pass the hand through 

 the OS into the uterus: while disintegration between the foetal and 



