169 



are beut back the head must be noosed and tlio limbs brought up as 

 above, one after the other. It is usuallj' best to employ the left hand 

 for the right fore-limb and the right hand for the left fore-limb. 



FORE-LIMB TURNED BACK FROM THE SHOULDER. 



In this case, on esploration by the side of the head and presenting 

 limb, the shoulder only can be reached at first. (Plato X, Fig. 4.) By 

 noosing the head and presenting fore-limb these may be drawn for- 

 ward into the pelvis, and the oiled hand being carried along the shoul- 

 der in the direction of the missing limb is enabled to reach and seize 

 the fore arm just below the elbow. The body is now pushed back by 

 the assistants i)ressiug on the head and presenting limb or on a repel- 

 ler planted in the breast until the knee can be brought up into the pel- 

 vis, after which the procedure is the same as described in the last par- 

 agraph. 



HEAD BENT DOWN BETWEEN THE FORE-LIMBS. 



This may be so that the poll or nape of the neck with the ears can be 

 felt far back between the fore-limbs, or so that only the ujiper border of 

 the neck can be reached, head and neck being bent back beneath the 

 body. With the head only bent on the neck, noose the two presenting 

 limbs, then introduce the hand between them until the nose can be 

 seized in the palm of the hand. Next have the assistants push back 

 the presenting limbs, while the nose is strongly lifted upward over the 

 brim of the i^elvis. This accomplished it assumes the natural position 

 and parturition is easy. 



When both head and neck are bent downward it may be impossible 

 to reach the nose. If, however, the labor has only commenced, the limbs 

 may be drawn upon until the operator can reach the ear, by dragging 

 on which the head may be so far advanced that the fingers may reach 

 the orbit; traction upon this while the limbs are being pushed back may 

 bring the head up so that it bends on the neck only, and the further 

 procedure will be as described in the last paragraph. 



If the labor has been long in progress and the foetus is jammed into 

 the pelvis, the womb emptied of the waters and firml^^ contracted on its 

 solid contents, the case is incomparably more difQcult. The mare may 

 be chloroformed and turned on her back with hind parts elevated, and 

 the womb may be injected with sweet-oil. Then, if the ear can be 

 reached, the correction of the mal-presentation may be attempted as 

 above described. Should this fail one or more sharp hooks may be in- 

 serted in the neck as near the head as can be reached, and ropes at- 

 tached to these may be dragged on, while the body of the foal is pushed 

 back by the fore-limbs or by a repeller. Such repulsion should be made 

 in a direction obliquely upward toward the loins of the mother so as to 

 rotate the fostus in such a way as to bring the head up. As this is ac- 

 complished a hold should be secured nearer and nearer to the nose, with 

 hand or hook, until the head can be straightened out on the neck. 



