154 THE MANAGEMENT AND DISEASES OF THE DOG. 



" It has been long known to the human accoucheur, but 

 by him is not employed save under certain conditions. A 



Fig. 19. 

 The Crotchet. 



piece of stout steel wire constitutes its substance. The wire 

 about twelve inches long, is flattened at one extremity, and 

 both ends crooked and made perfectly smooth or blunt, the 

 flattened hook being the larger of the two. For the dog, the 

 instrument must, of course, be proportioned to the passage 

 into which it is to be introduced, and as the pup, in conse- 

 quence of the weakness of the abdominal parietes in the bitch, 

 often is felt lying below the level of the symphysis, a dip or 

 lateral bend is given to the hooks. 



" So simple is the crotchet, which ought to be highly pol- 

 ished, in order to secure its being perfectly smooth. It .is 

 first warmed and greased, then introduced with the index 

 finger of one hand, while the other guides the instrument 

 into the womb. The foetus is to be first felt, and this is the 

 more readily done if an assistant supports and compresses 

 the abdomen. When the finger has ascertained that the pup 

 is favorably placed, the hook (and I generally use the flat- 

 tened extremity of the instrument) is to be pushed forward 

 and then retracted, until the operator is aware that a firm 

 hold has been obtained. The purchase being secure, the 

 finger is to be employed to keep the foetus from escaping, by 

 pushing it against or towards the point of the crotchet, and 

 holding it there. Traction is now made steadily, and in the 

 . proper direction ; and the assistant at the same time, by 

 manipulating the belly, facilitates the delivery of the bitch, 

 which should be in a standing position — not upon its back. 



"The directions are not very complex, but they must not 

 on that account be disregarded. By introducing the finger. 



