Pelvic Constriction 679 



fetus is so small that it might safely pass the pelvic canal. 

 In such instances, if it is clear that normal birth cannot ta,ke 

 place, and the mother is prized aside from her power to breed, 

 the question of inducing artificial abortion should be considered. 

 If it seems that the life of the mother can thus be rendered more 

 safe than by permitting the fetus to remain and develop until the 

 normal time of parturition, then the operation should be per- 

 formed. 



Artificial abortion may be induced in a variety of ways. 



a. It has been stated that artificial abortion may be brought 

 about by the administration of ergot, savin and other drugs. So 

 far as we have been able to learn, however, this plan of bringing 

 about the expulsion of the fetus has not been successful in doniestic 

 animals, and the only cases recorded which have apparently 

 succeeded are those where the life of the mother has .been greatly 

 imperiled' through the toxic action of the drug. It seems that 

 these medicines are as likely to kill the mother as the fetus. 



b. Irritation and Dilation of the Cervix Uteri. The hand 

 may be introduced into the vagina and one or more fingers or 

 the entire hand forced through the os uteri into the cervix of 

 the uterus, thereby producing an irritation which may cause 

 expulsive efforts and expulsion of the fetus. It seems, how- 

 ever, that this plan possesses no reliability. While in some in- 

 stances it may produce the expulsion ' of the fetus, in others 

 it may not. 



c. In the larger animals we may readily carry the preceding 

 operation further and, introducing the hand through the cervix, 

 separate the fetal membranes from the maternal placenta, thus 

 inducing uterine contractions with considerable certainty, 

 especially in the mare. 



We may render this still more certain by puncturing the fetal 

 envelopes. If we introduce the hand through the cervix, as 

 already described, and then force one or more fingers through 

 the fetal envelopes and permit the fetal fluids to escape, the fetus 

 will ordinarily be expelled within 48 hours, providing the uterus 

 is in healthy condition. As we have already noted on page 424, 

 rupture of the fetal membranes and escape of the liquids may 

 fail to induce expulsion of the fetus in amniotic dropsy. 



d. Vaginal irrigation with cold water, continued for 15 minutes 

 every three hours, is said to bring about expulsive efforts and 



