Care of the New-Born Animal 557 



first object, therefore, of a care-taker or watcher of new-born ani- 

 mals is to see that they begin breathing promptly and that any 

 impediments to this act are removed as quickly as possible or that 

 any other necessary means which might insure the prompt estab- 

 lishment of respiration are employed. 



It should be immediately seen that the nostrils of the fetus are 

 free, so that air may readily enter the lungs ; if portions of the 

 fetal membranes cover the nose they should be removed ; if mu- 

 cus has collected in the nostrils, it should be taken away prompt- 

 ly. In a litter of new-born pigs we noted that there was difficult 

 respiration, although the nostrils were not blocked. Upon post- 

 mortem examination of some of these, we found that a clot of 

 firm mucus was lodged in the larynx. It is quite possible that 

 such a condition sometimes exists in other young animals, and 

 should have the attention of the care-taker. In many cases, per- 

 haps, this mucus could be dislodged by manipulating the tongue — 

 by alternately drawing it forward and then allowing it to retract. 



In some cases the fetus has apparently been strangled to some 

 extent during birth, owing to the inhalation of fluids because of 

 interruption of the umbilic circulation, in which instancejt may be 

 advisable to drain out some of the fluid by suspending the young 

 animal for a few moments by the hind legs or by placing it in a 

 position with its head declined. If, however, the fetal circula- 

 tion is good, any fetal fluids which may have been inhaled are 

 promptly absorbed and cease to have danger for the young animal. 



In tardy birth there may occur suspended animation because 

 of a too long delayed respiration. According to some writers, 

 the principal stimulus in establishing respiration is the shock 

 which the new-born receives from being expelled from the uterus, 

 where the temperature has been 105 to 108 F., to the exterior, in 

 the cold, dry air. The importance of this in the arousing of 

 respiration is not very clear clinically, and there seems to belittle 

 difference in this respect whether a fetus be born where the 

 temperature is at zero F, or 90 to 100° F. It seems, how- 

 ever, that the dashing of cold water upon the fetus or vigorous 

 stroking of the chest will arouse the act of respiration in some 

 cases. Generally, we should probably attribute the induction of 

 respiration to the reflex influence of the venous blood upon the 

 central nervous system. In order to arouse this reflex, it may be 

 of advantage to place the animal with its head in a declining 



