288 BOVINE OBSTETEICS 



Should this fail, then embryotomy is continued. First 

 that half of the pelvis is removed from which the leg was taken 

 off. For this purpose the hand or spatula is passed under the 

 skin previously split, skinning the sacrum and loins. The sacro- 

 iliac articulation is cut with the probe-pointed sharp hook or 

 sliding bistoury. Next the symphysis is severed with the 

 chisel or cut with the sharp hook, finger knife or saw. 



When now a cord is passed through the oval foramen, this 

 half of the pelvis can be extracted. An assistant drawing on 

 the hind leg pulls the loins of the calf outside the vulva, the 

 withers being in front of the pelvic inlet. 



The hind leg is skinned, the skin incision is prolonged on 

 the inside a little beyond the pubis, so that this incision runs 

 into the one of the hind legs previously removed. The skin 

 is separated with the hand and the balance of the pelvis and 

 loins removed. An assistant fixes both skin flaps outside the 

 vulva, so that the hand operates entirely below the skin. 



Now the abdominal and thoracic contents are removed 

 with the hand. 



After this has been done, one fore leg is removed at the 

 shoulder. This is performed as follows : The skin is sep- 

 arated on one side with the hand, or the long spatula, across 

 the ribs anteriorly beyond the shoulder, tearing with the hand 

 or probe-pointed sharp hook the muscles of the shoulder. 



Nex' the scapula is curved and the fore leg is extracted 

 by one man. Some operators cord the neck of the scapula, or 

 even the humerus. In the latter instance it may happen that 

 when the scapular muscles are not completely severed, the 

 humerus breaks, or that the scapula does not follow in the 

 direction of the pelvic canal, but becomes vertical, interfering 

 with the extraction of the leg. 



After the removal of the fore leg, the skin, still adhering 

 to the fetlock, is circumcised. The other fore leg is removed 

 in the same way. The ribs are cut with the sharp hook or 

 finger knife along the sternum from the first to the last rib, also 

 the union of the ribs with the spinal column, finally removing 

 the thoracic wall. 



