212 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



2. Certain pelvic fractures ac juired during gestation and 

 producing pelvic constriction on account of callus formation. 

 In those cases where stenosis only decreases the pelvic dimen- 

 sions about one-third, embryotomy is preferable to artificial 

 abortion. The same refers to pregnancy in the very young 

 female. 



3. MetrorrhayiajV/hxck is the result of placental hemorrhage 

 during pregnancy. Violent iiterine hemorrhages in the cow 

 usually are caused by rupture of large blood vessels, so that 

 our only means consists in artificial abortion and subsequent 

 ccatraction of the uterus ; but in most cases artificial parturi- 

 tion is too slow to save life. 



4. Great weakness of the mother toward the end of pregnancy 

 in the seventh or eighth month, in consequence of which death 

 of the parent and calf may be safely concluded should termina- 

 tion of gestation be waited for. In such a case the calf is 

 sacrificed to save the cow. 



5. Osteomalacia. — This treatment has occasionally yielded 

 good results. 



6. Prolapsus vagince and dislocatio uteri. — Prolapsus vaginae 

 in the second half of pregnancy may take such dimensions, and 

 with the animal lying down the os uteri protrudes beyond the 

 vulva, and rupture of the uterus must be expected from the 

 severe throes. This danger can usually be obviated by raising 

 the hindquarters, by daily exercise and nutritious food and by 

 admini.stering agents quieting abdominal pressure. In serious 

 cases, and in the last month of pregnancy, parturition may be 

 produced artificially (St. Cyr and Violet). 



Procedure. — Many methods applied in human obstetrics 

 are useless in the cow. The procedure consisting in mechani- 

 cal dilatation of the cervical canal by boring movements with 

 the oiled finger, gives no results, even when frequently re- 

 peated. In the eighth month this method may give good 

 results. 



One of the best means is the puncture of the foetal en- 

 velopes and partial evacuation of the foetal waters ; but it has 

 the disadvantage that the calf is born dead. As a rule, this is 



