218 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



eases only, it is true) cause it to become everted and to protrude 

 in this condition from the vulva. 



A second resort is to seize the dependant part of the afterbirth 

 between two sticks, and roll it up on these until they lie against the 

 vulva; then, by careful traction, accompanied by slight jerking move- 

 ments from side to side, the womb is stimulated to expulsive contrac- 

 tions and the afterbirth is wound up more and more on the sticks 

 until finally its last connections with the womb are severed and the 

 remainder is expelled suddenly en masse. It is quite evident that 

 neglected cases with putrid membranes are poor subjects for this 

 method, as the afterbirth is liable to tear across, leaving a mass in 

 the womb. During the progress of the work any indication of tear- 

 ing is the signal to stop and proceed with greater caution or alto- 

 gether abandon the attempt in this way. 



The third method (that with the skilled hand) is the most promptly 

 and certainly successful. For this the operator had best strip and 

 dress as for a parturition case. Again, the operation should be under- 

 taken within twenty-four hours after calving, since later the mouth 

 of the womb may be so closed that it becomes difficult to introduce 

 the hand. The operator should smear his arms with carbolized lard 

 or vaseline to protect them against infection, and particularly in 

 delayed cases with putrid membranes. An assistant holds the tail to 

 one side while the operator seizes the hanging afterbirth with the left 

 hand, while he introduces the right along the right side of the vagina 

 and womb, letting the membranes slide through his palm until he 

 reaches the first cotyledon to which they remain adherent. In case 

 no such connection is within reach, gentle traction is made on the 

 membranes with the left hand until the deeper parts of the womb are 

 brought within reach and the attachments to the cotyledons can be 

 -reached. Then the soft projection of the membrane, which is attached 

 to the firm fungus-shaped cotyledon on the inner surface of the womb, 

 is seized by the little finger, and the other fingers and thumb are closed 

 on it so as to tear it out from its connections. To explain this it is 

 only necessary to say that the projection from the membrane is cov- 

 ered by soft conical processes, which are received into cavities of a 

 corresponding size on the summit of the firm mushroom-shaped cotyle- 

 don growing from the inner surface of the womb. To draw upon the 

 former, therefore, is to extract its soft villous processes from within 

 the follicles or cavities of the other. (PI. XIII, fig. 2.) If it is at 

 times difficult to start this extraction it may be necessary to get the 

 finger nail inserted between the two, and once started the finger may 

 be pushed on, lifting all the villi in turn out of their cavities. This 

 process of separating the cotyledons must be carefully conducted, one 

 after another, until the last has been detached and the afterbirth 

 comes freely out of the passages. I have never found any evil result 

 from the removal of the whole mass at one operation, but Shaack 



