NON-INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND DEFECTS OF THE 

 NEW^-BORN ANIMAL. 



I. Asphyxia of the New-Born. 



Asphyxia is not rare in the new-born, and may proceed from 

 a variety of causes. If the mother has suffered from some malady 

 which interferes with aeration of her own blood, just prior to 

 parturition, the fetus must necessarily suffer in a somewhat simi- 

 lar manner. For example, if a mare in advanced pregnancy is 

 suffering from pneumonia, hydrothorax, or other disease which 

 interferes with her respiration, the foal, during this diseased con- 

 dition of the mother, necessarily suffers more or less for want of 

 oxygen. 



If for any reason the fetal placenta becomes detached from the 

 maternal placenta before the fetus has sufficiently emerged from 

 the genital tract to breathe, and parturition is in any way de- 

 layed, asphyxia must necessarily result very quickly. Especially 

 in the mare, where the adhesion between the fetal placenta and 

 the uterus is very slight, the placenta may become partially or 

 wholly detached before the fetus is expelled, and may even be 

 expelled ahead of the fetus, causing in either case, a fatal 

 asphyxiation. 



During parturition, if the fetus moves slowly through the birth 

 canal, especially when in the posterior presentation, and the 

 navel cord becomes tightly compressed between the wall of the 

 fetal chest and the pelvis of the mother in a manner to interrupt 

 the circulation, the delivery must be very quickly concluded or 

 fatal asphyxia results. The navel cord may become entangled 

 about one of the limbs or the head of the fetus, and the circula- 

 tion thus be interrupted. 



In one instance of asphyxiation in pigs, we observed upon 

 post-mortem examination a firm clot of mucus occluding the 

 glottis and causing, immediately after birth, diflScult respiration 

 accompanied by dyspnoeic sounds. 



It is only rarely that any efforts which the attending veteri- 

 narian may be able to exert will successfully overcome suspended 

 animation due to asphyxia of the new-born. Usually the asphyxia 

 has proceeded too far before the extraction of the fetus, and any 

 1035 



