642 Veterinary Obstetrics 



the obstacles to its birth. Necessarily embryotomy involves the 

 sacrifice of the life of the fetus, if it is still living, and the object 

 of the operation becomes limited to the preservation of the life 

 of the mother. It is a comparatively common operation in the 

 larger animals, but is virtually inapplicable in the smaller ones. 



Embryotomy possesses certain dangers, such as injuries to the 

 maternal organs, from a slip or misdirection of an instrument or 

 from the projection of a severed fetal bone which may wound or 

 penetrate the uterus or other parts. Not infrequently it involves 

 a long and tedious operation, which may greatly exhaust the 

 .strength of the patient. 



For the operator, embryotomy frequeatly means a protracted 

 and disagreeable operation, with danger of wounds from instru- 

 ments, injuries from the mother, or infection in case the fetus is 

 putrid. Nevertheless embryotomy is one of the most common 

 and valuable obstetric operations, and requires, for its proper ap- 

 plication, thorough study, supplemented by extensive and prac- 

 tical experience. 



The performance of embryotomy may involve any portion of 

 the fetal body, and presents the greatest possible variations 

 according to the presentation and position. The veterinarian 

 must have a thoroughly practical knowledge of the anatomy of 

 the fetus and the resistance of tissues and parts. Embryotomy 

 may be necessary or advisable in every presentation and position 

 which the fetus may assume, whether it be normal or abnormal. 

 We shall deal with the question as related to the removal or 

 destruction of certain portions of the fetal body, and leave the 

 application of these to be considered under the various forms of 

 dystokia. 



We shall consider the technic of the various embryotomy 

 operations, as they may be demanded in the four fundamental 

 presentations, in the order we have already described on page 

 537- 



A. The Anterior Presentation. 



a. Amputation of the Head. Decapitation. In the anterior 

 presentation, with one or both fore limbs retained and the fetal 

 head engaged in the pelvic canal or protruding from the vulva, 

 repulsion of the fetus is generally necessary in order to correct 

 the deviation of the limb. In many cases the repulsion of the 



