DISMEMBERING OF THE FCETUS 

 (EMBRYOTOMY). 



History. — According to Thomassen, Columella is supposed 

 to have been the first one who mentioned embryotomy, in the 

 seventh volume (sheep-breeding) of his work. 



Already in the year 1597 Colerus, in his treatise on breed- 

 ing and diseases of the domestic animal, advises to call a shep- 

 herd in dystokia of sheep, so the young may be delivered as a 

 whole or in pieces. 



Eberhard, physician at Zeist (Holland), in 1793 gives in 

 his work a method how to perform embryotomy. He enjoyed 

 instructions in 1778 under Kersting at Kassel. Fromage men- 

 tions Texier senior in 1806, that he I'epeatedly removed a fore 

 leg of emphysematous calves by forcibly pulling the leg off the 

 body. 



Le Francq van Berkhey first mentions two obstetricians 

 who dismembered the calf subcutaneously, viz. : J. Blanken 

 and J. Liluwen. They used a spatula and a short finger knife. 



G. Wit reports that the practitioners P. Knip, father and 

 son, at Beemster, North Holland, first employed the curved 

 spatula to skin the head. Both of these obstetricians were 

 famous in Northern Holland on account of their dexterity in 

 embryotomy. The father performed 1,400 embryotomies from 

 181] to 1855, the son 500 in 15 years. 



Knip and son became so dexterous in embryotomy by first 

 practicing it on dead calves by introducing the arm into the 

 hole through which the urine of the stable was discharged. 

 The calf was lying in the stable, while the obstetrician, after 

 subcutaneous removal, withdrew the various parts through 

 that opening. 



Skellett in 1811 removed the head and fore legs of a calf 

 without injury to the parent. 



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