THE FOAL. 247 



must be released therefrom or it will be suffocated; if the cord is 

 not properly ruptured it should be ligatured (tied) with string or 

 catgut ill two places; the one about two inches from the body of 

 the foal, and the other one inch from that again, and severed be- 

 tween the two; the membranes should be ruptured and carefully 

 removed thereafter, leaving the mare to cleanse the body by lick- 

 ing; but if she shows an}^ disinclination for this, sprinkle the body 

 of the foal with a small quantity of salt or oatmeal in order to ex- 

 cite the attention of the dam and induce her to fulfill her maternal 

 duties; it is desirable, also, to examine carefully the natural open- 

 ings of the foal, such as the anus, mouth, vulva, etc., and if these 

 do not exist, produce artificial ones by puncturing the parts with 

 a sharp knife and keeping the orifice open by plugging same with 

 medicated wool to prevent union of the parts. If the foal when 

 born does not appear to have any life or animation, it is probable 

 the act of breathing has not been properly established, but to 

 induce this several experiments may be tried; for instance, some 

 cold water poured on the top of the head; rubbing the limbs with 

 considerable friction; tickling the nostrils with a feather; remove 

 the mucus from the mouth with a damp sponge, after which an 

 attempt may be made to artificially inflate the lungs with air by 

 means of a pair of bellows carefully passed up one nostril while 

 the other is closed by pressure over the side of the nose. Should 

 the mare refuse to cleanse the foal, it should be carefully washed 

 with a warm sponge, dried with soft cloths, and thereafter kept 

 warm, the milk of the mare being hand drawn and given to the 

 foal; if by reason of temper or inexperience the foal is not allowed 

 to suck, the mare must be put under restraint, and the foal be 

 coaxed to utilize the teats, after which, as a rule, the foal will find 

 the udder of its own accord and the mare takes kindly to it and 

 fulfills her maternal functions without further compulsion. 

 Within a few hours of the birth, after the foal has partaken of its 

 first meal of milk, it should have an abundant evacuation of the 

 material collected in the intestines during its intra- uterine period 

 of existence; should this not take place, and the anal orifice bemg 

 quite certainly clear, then some remedial measures should be 

 adopted or troublesome infantile constipation will ensue; probably 

 the best remedy is a small dose of a mixture of liquid honey and 

 castor oil in equal parts, in all amounting to a quarter of a pint; 



