702 DISEASES AND ABNORMALITIES OF THE YOUNG ANIMAL. 



of the skin may also be useful in this direction. Direct electric stimu- 

 tion of the phrenic nerve might be attempted. Artificial inflation of 

 the lungs should not be tried until the mouth and fauces have been 

 cleared of mucus; this may be effected by suction, which has a very 

 beneficial action otherwise. Indeed, some authorities prefer aspiration 

 to inspiration or blowing into the mouth ; and Albert^ has restored 41 

 out of 47 cases of apparently dead animals by aspiration or suction. 



Transfusion of blood by the umbilical vein might prove useful ; between 

 one-half and a litre of blood should be sufficient for a Foal or Calf, 

 according to Franck. The fumes of ammonia or some other powerful 

 volatile irritant may be applied to the nostrils. A few drops of brandy 

 might also be poured into the nostril. 



CHAPTER II. 

 Umbilical Haemorrhage. 



HAEMORRHAGE from the umbilical cord does not appear to be a very 

 common accident ; nevertheless, it does sometimes occur, and in some 

 cases so copiously as to cause death. It ensues immediately afterbirth, 

 rarely after some days ; and it may continue for a short or long period 

 — producing more or less debility, or even dissolution. The haemorrhage 

 is generally due to imprudence in cutting the umbilical cord too near the 

 abdomen, or to laceration of the vessels of which it is composed, during 

 difficult parturition, when violent traction tears it close to the abdominal 

 ring ; in very rare instances it may be due to a varicose condition of the 

 vessels. Zundel alludes to a predisposition to umbilical haemorrhage — 

 a kind of hemophilia. In one or two instances the bleeding has been 

 induced by either the mother, the young creature, or its companions 

 sucking or pulling at the remains of the cord. 



In the Foal the haemorrhage may take place from the artery, as that 

 vessel is firmly attached to the umbilical ring ; with Euminants it takes 

 place from the vein, because of the existence of the ductus Arantii, and 

 the retraction of the artery within the abdomen. 



Trcatvient. 



When the bleeding is trifling and not likely to continue long, little, if 

 anything, requires to be done ; but when it is copious and continuous, 

 active and prompt treatment must be adopted. 



If the cord is extremely short, astringents — as alum, tannic acid, etc. 

 — maybe tried, or such haemostatic agents as the sesquichloride of iron, 

 nitrate of silver, etc., or even the actual cautery in a fine point. If, 

 however, the cord is sufficiently long, it is better to apply a ligature ; 

 this will check the bleeding, and the cord will slough away in four or 

 five days. In applying the ligature, however, the operator must be 

 careful not to include a poi-tion of intestine within it; and when there is 

 much infiltration of the cord, as sometimes happens, the serum should 

 be got rid of, as much as possible, by squeezing with the fingers or 

 scarification, in order that the ligature may exercise sufficient com- 

 pression. 



Artificial respiration is sometimes required when syncope or asphyxia 

 is present, and this alone often causes the haemorrhage to cease. 



The transfusion of blood may be urgently demanded in extreme cases. 

 1 Renke's Zeiischri/tfur Staatsarzneikitnde, vol. xxiii,, p. 279. 



