DISEASES OF THE GENEEATIVE OEGANS. 193 



Plate XIII, fig. 3.) With an anterior presentation (fore feet and 

 nose) this presents an insuperable obstacle to progress, as the dis- 

 eased craniunris too large to enter the pelvis at the same time with 

 the fore arms. With a posterior presentation (hind feet) all goes well 

 until the body and shoulders have passed out, when progress is sud- 

 denly arrested by the great bulk of the head. In the first case, the 

 oiled hand introduced along the face detects the enormous size of 

 the head, which may be diminished by puncturing it with a knife or 

 trocar and cannula in the median line, evacuating the water and 

 pressing in the thin, bony walls. With a posterior presentation, the 

 same course must be followed; the hand passed along the neck will 

 detect the cranial swelling, which may be punctured with a knife or 

 trocar. Oftentimes with an anterior presentation the great size 

 of the head leads to its displacement backward, and thus the "fore 

 limbs alone engage in the passages. Here the first object is to seek 

 and bring up the missing head, and then puncture it as above sug- 

 gested. 



Ascites, or dropsy of the abdomen in the foal. — The accumula- 

 tion of liquid in the abdominal cavity of the fetus is less frequent, 

 but when present it may arrest parturition as completely as will 

 hydrocephalus. With an anterior presentation the foal may pass as 

 far as the shoulders, but behind this all efforts fail to effect a further 

 advance. With a posterior presentation the hind legs as far as the 

 thighs may be expelled, but at this point all progress ceases. In 

 either case the oiled hand, passed inward by the side of the foal, 

 will detect the enormous distension of the abdomen and its soft, fluc- 

 tuating contents. The only course is to puncture the cavity and evac- 

 uate the liquid. With the anterior presentation this may be done 

 with a long trocar and cannula, introduced through the chest and 

 diaphragm, or with a knife an incision may be made between the 

 first two ribs and the lungs and heart cut or torn out, when the 

 diaphragm will be felt projecting strongly forward, and may be 

 easily punctured. Should there not be room to introduce the hand 

 through the chest, the oiled hand may be passed along beneath the 

 breast bone and the adbomen punctured. With a posterior presen- 

 tation the adbomen must be punctured in the same way, the hand, 

 armed with a knife protected in its palm, being passed along the side 

 of the flank or between the hind limbs. It should be added that 

 moderate dropsy of the abdomen is not incompatible with natural 

 delivery, the liquid being at first crowded back into the portion of 

 the belly still engaged in the womb, and passing slowly from that 

 into the advanced portion as soon as that has cleared the narrow 

 passage of the pelvis and passed out where it can expand. 



General dropsy of the fetus. — In this case the tissues generally 

 are distended with liquid, and the skin is found at all points tense 

 36444°— 16 13 



