DISEASES OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 208 
through an artificial opening in the skin, and tied firmly around 
‘the skin, to be employed as a means of traction when the missing 
limbs or the second head have been brought up into position. 
Amputation of the hind limb—This may be required when there 
are extra hind limbs or when the hind limbs are bent forward at hock 
or hip joint. In the former condition the procedure resembles that 
for removal of a fore limb, but requires more anatomical knowledge. 
Having noosed the pastern, a circular incision is made through the 
skin around the fetlock, and a longitudinal one from that up to the 
groin, and the skin is dissected from the limb as high up as can be 
reached, over the croup, if possible. Then cut through the muscles 
around the hip joint, and, if possible, the two interarticular liga- 
ments of the joint (pubofemoral and round), and extract the limb 
by strong dragging. 
Amputation of the fore limbs——This may usually be begun on the 
fetlock of the limb projecting from the vulva. An embryotomy 
knife is desirable. This knife consists of a blade with a sharp, 
slightly hooked point, and one or two rings in the back of the blade 
large enough to fit on the middle finger, while the blade is protected 
in the palm of the hand. (See Plate XIII, fig. 4.) Another form 
has the blade inserted in a mortise in the handle, from which it is 
pushed out by a movable button when wanted. First place a noose 
around the fetlock of the limb to be amputated, cut the skin circu- 
larly entirely around the fetlock, then make an incision on the inner 
side of the limb from the fetlock up-to the breastbone. Next dissect 
the skin from the limb, from the fetlock up to the breastbone on the 
inner side, and as far up on the shoulder blade as possible on the 
outer side. Finally, cut through the muscles attaching the limb to 
the breastbone, and employ strong traction on the limb, so as to 
drag out the whole limb, shoulder blade included. The muscles 
around the upper part of the shoulder blade are easily torn through 
and need not be cut, even if that were possible. In no case should 
the fore limb be removed unless the shoulder blade is taken with it, 
as that furnishes the greatest obstruction to delivery, above all when 
it is no longer advanced by the extension of the fore limb, but is 
pressed back so as to increase the already thickest posterior portion 
of the chest. The preservation of the skin from the whole limb is 
advantageous in various ways; it is easier to cut it circularly at the 
fetlock than at the shoulder; it covers the hand and knife in making 
the needful incisions, thus acting as a protection to the womb; and 
it affords a means of traction on the body after the limb has been 
removed. In dissecting the skin from the limb the knife is not 
needful at all points; much of it may be stripped off with the fingers 
or knuckles, or by a blunt, iron spud pushed up inside the hide, 
which is meanwhile held tense to render the spud effective. 
