630 Veterinary Obstetrics 



is very short, and the head is usually within reach, so that the de- 

 viation may be corrected with more or less facility. With the 

 foal this deviation is quite frequently due to a deformity of the 

 neck, known as wry-neck, in which case the neck has been 

 extremely bent during a great part of its intra- uterine life and the 

 head rests far back in the foal's flank, where it is difficult or im- 

 possible for the obstetrist to reach it. Even if it can be secured, 

 it may still be almost impossible to correct the deviation because 

 of the deformity. In case of the calf, the tentative plan of cor- 

 recting the deviation almost a!lways succeeds, and should be ap- 

 plied. In many instances, in the foal, the correction of the de- 

 viation is so improbable that it may be injudicious to attempt it, 

 but we should rather proceed at once to embryotomy. Even if 

 such a foal be extracted alive, it would still be worthless because of 

 its deformed head and neck. Judgment must be used, and a ten- 

 tative plan not carried too far, exhausting the strength of both 

 obstetrist and patient in an attempt to accomplish something 

 which must eventually be abandoned and another plan sub- 

 stituted. 



Already we have had occasion to suggest that the obstetrist 

 should carefully husband his strength. There is still an abun- 

 dance of work for him, and the overcoming of dystokia not in- 

 frequently proves a herculean task and leaves him in the end 

 quite exhausted from the severe ordeal. We would not, how- 

 ever, over-emphasize this strain upon the physical powers of the 

 veterinary obstetrist, as some writers have done, and have him 

 believe that this work is extraordinarily trying or dangerous. 

 We have not found that it offers any markedly greater difficulties 

 than other surgical procedures. When the veterinary obstetrist 

 promptly attends a case, he usually has time to plan his work de- 

 liberately and to carry it out without extraordinary haste. There 

 come crises in these operations, as well as in others, where a man 

 must act quickly at a given point in order to accomplish his pur- 

 pose, but as a general rule there is every reason for deliberation 

 and careful planning of every portion of the work. 



A great source of strength and efficiency to the veterinary ob- 

 stetri.st is ambidextrousness, which can be acquired by any one 

 with proper practice. When the operator can use each hand and 

 arm with equal facility, his efficiency is more than doubled. It 

 is usually the hands and arms, not the body, which really be- 

 come fatigued during obstetric operations. 



