580 PARTURITION, 



and if not able to give birth, in a few minutes, there is nearly 

 sure to be some difficulty calling for human interference. 



One of the few cases in which mechanical assistance is not 

 required is when the constricted portion of the uterus (os uteri) 

 has not dilated with the other necessary physiological acts by 

 which birth of a foal is accomplished. This condition, so frequent 

 in woman, is but rare with mares, and the animal should be 

 kept as quiet as possible, while the accoucheur waits to be of 

 assistance. If the water-bag has long ))rotruded, its contents 

 escaped, labour pains been frequent and forcible without further 

 result, a careful and above all quiet examination should be made ; 

 no noisy or demonstrative person, or one more than necessary 

 being allowed in the box. 



The behaviour of a mare at such a time cannot be reckoned on 

 with any degree of certainty, and although I, among hundreds of 

 others, have given assistance to foaling mares without precautions 

 for personal safety, it is folly to place oneself in unnecessary 

 danger. 



Hobbles of the kind used for mares at service time do not prevent 

 a mare from getting up and down if put on properly, yet give the 

 accoucheur confidence and enable him to take up attitudes favour- 

 able to his work. A cold hand should not be introduced, but 

 placed in warm water with some glycerine in it for choice. If the 

 operator's manner is soothing and voice reassuring the mare will 

 probably permit an examination with no more resistance than that 

 habitually met from the pressure, which so soon paralyses the 

 arm of one who attempts the part of accoucheur in the larger 

 animals. As a result of this exploration, the position of the 

 foetus will probably be determined, and the difficulty perhaps over- 

 come, by nothing more than straightening out a leg that is doubled 

 up. There are cases of difficult labour, however, which, though 

 easily disposed of in books, defy all the efforts of the experienced 

 practitioner. 



Presentation of the hind feet (Fig. 153) instead of the head 

 can scarcely be considered abnormal, as it is frequent, and not 

 necessarily more difficult of delivery. 



The deviation from Fig. 152 (p. 577), which gives us the most 

 trouble, is where the head is turned back, in which we include a 

 neck long enough to permit of the chin being found somewhere 

 near the hip, while the fore legs may have been dragged at by 

 someone with more zeal than discretion. In order to secure the 

 head and bring it up, some pressure against the chest is required, 

 which can be exerted at the moment we have got the fingers into 

 the nostrils or orbits. This can be done with the obstetric crutches, 

 now sold and made to use with a number of other instruments as 



