202 DISEASES OP CATTLE. 



AMPUTATION OP THE HIND LIMBS. 



This is sometimes demanded on the one extended limb when the 

 other can not be brought up and delivery can not be effected; also in 

 case of monsters having extra hind limbs; in cases where the calf is 

 dead, putrid, and bloated with gas, and in some cases of breech 

 presentation, as described under that head. 



When the limb is extended the guiding principles are as in the case 

 of the fore limbs. The skin is cut through circularly above the fet- 

 lock and slit up to beneath the pelvic bones on the inner side of the 

 thigh. It is then dissected from the other parts as high as it has been 

 slit on the inner side and to above the prominence {trochanter major) 

 on the upper end of the thigh bone on the outer side of the joint. In 

 this procedure the hands and spud can do much, but owing to the 

 firmer connections the knife will be more frequently required than in 

 the case of the fore limb. The muscles are now cut through all 

 around the hip joint, and strong traction is made by two or three men 

 on the limb. If there is still too much resistance, a knife is inserted 

 into the joint on the inner side and its round ligament cut through, 

 after which extraction will be comparatively easy. This accom- 

 plished, it will often be possible to extract the fetus with the other 

 leg turned forward into the womb. If the calf is bloated with gas, it 

 may be necessary to remove the other leg in the same way, and even 

 to cut open the chest and abdomen and remove their contents before 

 extraction can be effected. In the case of extra limbs it may be pos- 

 sible to bring them up into the passages after the presenting hind 

 limbs have been removed. If this is not practicable, they may be 

 detached by cutting them through at the hip joint, as described under 

 "Breech presentation," page 194. 



Another method of removing the hind limb is, after having skinned 

 it over the quarter, to cut through the pelvic bones from before back- 

 ward, in the median line below, by knife, saw, or long embryotome 

 (PL XX, fig. 1), and then disjoint the bones of the spine (sacrum) 

 and the hip bone (ilium) on that side with embryotome, knife, or 

 saw, and then drag away the entire limb, along with all the hip bones 

 on that side. This has the advantage of securing more room and 

 thereby facilitating subsequent operations. Both limbs may be re- 

 moved in this way, but on the removal of the second the operator is 

 without any solid point to drag upon in bringing away the remainder 

 of the fetus. 



DIVISION ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE BODY. 



In cases of extra size, monstrosity, or distortion of one end of the 

 body it may be requisite to cut the body in two and return the half 

 from the passages into the womb, even after one-half has been born. 

 The presenting members are dragged upon forcibly by assistants to 

 bring as much of the body as possible outside. Then cut through the 



