DISEASES OF CATTLE 



387 



consisting of one ounce of ginger given with a quart of sweet oil 

 will prove advantageous. If the afterbirth remains, it is neces- 

 sary to remove the membrane by hand. This should be done 

 within twenty-four hours after calving, since the mouth of the 

 womb may be so closed that it becomes difficult to introduce 

 the hand. The operator had better dress as suggested for difiS- 

 cult parturition (p. 334). The arm should also be greased as 

 suggested for that operation, as otherwise the operator may 

 become infected from the decaying membrane. It is a good 



Fig. 101. — Red Polled H'ekd. Owned by Frank Hartlin, Strasburg, Ohio. 



plan to wind the free portion of the hanging membrane around 

 a small stick and roll up until it reaches the vulva. An assistant 

 should hold the tail and membrane to one side while the operator 

 introduces the greased arm which he passes along until the places 

 of attachment are reached. These places of attachment will 

 be found to resemble mushroom-shaped bodies and are detached 

 one by one by pushing the hand between the membrane and 

 the womb and slipping the membrane from the heads of these 

 bodies, taking care not to rupture the womb. As the membrane 

 is released, the assistant should keep rolling it up on the stick. 



