4 THE FEMALE GENEEATIVE OEGANS. 447 



stages stimulants are required. Uterine hasmorrliage is 

 generally termed " bloody flux/' There may be slight 

 haemorrhage before parturition, Ante-partum Bleeding, 

 due to the sudden separation of the foetus from the 

 maternal membranes or to injury ; it often is not of 

 importance, but sometimes it indicates that the foetus is 

 dead. After birth bleeding may take place from the 

 cut end of the cord ; it does not last long and is unimpor- 

 tant. The peculiar depravity of appetite of cows in-calf leads 

 them to devour all sorts of extraordinary things ; the foetal 

 membranes will often thus be transferred to the rumen. 



When called in to a case of calving, the practitioner 

 will find that he has to do with a case of normal peesen- 

 TATION or abnormal. In the normal form the owner has 

 generally adopted such measures as his experience sug- 

 gests. Sometimes his anxiety has led him into appre- 

 hension when the birth is simply prolonged. In this 

 the foetus is in its proper position, but in consequence 

 of imperfection of the throes is not expelled. In such 

 cases a stimulant may lead to the desired effect, or, in 

 move extreme instances, the careful administration of 

 ergot of rye may be tried. The latter agent should never 

 be given unless there is no impediment in the passages 

 and the os uteri is relaxed. Often mechanical assistance 

 is required. The passages of the generative organs, and 

 the OS uteri especially, having been found, lubricated, and 

 relaxed, the hand is passed into the uterine cavity. It is 

 thus enabled to determine with a certain degree of accuracy 

 the nature of the contents and their position. The parts 

 of the foetus are very slippery, the fluids are passed in 

 considerably quantities, and the room for working is con- 

 fined, hence the extraction of the foetus is not so easy as 

 it seems. Looped cords, forceps, hooks, crutches, and 

 other instruments, are required to assist in parturitions, 

 and the number of appliances now used is very considerable. 

 In all these cases the main aim must be to support the 

 strength of the patient and to restore or keep the calf in 

 its natural position and then to overcome every impediment. 

 It is important never to lose control over any part which 



