182 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



soon as the fore feet are pushed forward clear of the brim of the 

 pelvis, traction is made on the hind feet so as to bring the thighs into 

 the passage and prevent the reentrance of the fore limbs. If it 

 prove difficult to push back the fore limbs a noose may be passed 

 around the fetlock of each and the cord drawn through the eye of a 

 rope carrier, by means of which the members may be easily pushed 

 back. 



EMBRYOTOMY. 



This consists in the dissection of the fetus, so as to reduce its bulk 

 and allow of its exit through the pelvis. The indications for its adop- 

 tion have been furnished in the foregoing pages. The operation will 

 vary in different cases according to the necessity for the removal of 

 one or more parts in order to secure the requisite reduction in size. 

 Thus it may be needful to remove head and neck, one fore limb or 

 both, one hind limb or both, to remove different parts of the trunk, or 

 to remove superfluous (monstrous) parts. Some of the simplest opera- 

 tions in embryotomy (incision of the head in hydrocephalus, incision 

 of the belly in dropsy) have already been described. It remains to 

 notice the more difficult procedures which can be best undertaken by 

 the skilled anatomist. 



Amputation of the head. — This is easy when both fore limbs are 

 turned back and the head alone has made its exit in part. It is more 

 difficult when the head is still retained in the passages or womb, as 

 in double-headed monsters. The head is secured by a hook in the 

 lower jaw, or in the orbit, or by a halter, and the skin is divided 

 circularly around the lower part of the face or at the front of the 

 ears, according to the amount of head protruding. Then an incision 

 is made backward along the line of the throat, and the skin dissected 

 from the neck as far back as possible. Then the muscles and other 

 soft parts of the neck are cut across, and the bodies of two vertebrae 

 (neck bones) are severed by cutting completely across the cartilage 

 of the joint. The bulging of the ends of the bones will serve to indi- 

 cate the seat of the joint. The head and detached portion of the neck 

 may now be removed by steady pulling. If there is still an obstacle, 

 the knife may be again used to sever any obstinate connections. In 

 the case of a double-headed monster, the whole of the second neck 

 must be removed with the head. When the head has been detached, 

 a rope should be passed through the eyeholes, or 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. 



