THE GENERATIVE APPARATUS. 187 



consideration her high nervous organisation, and the 

 activity of her uterine movements. Her food is not liable 

 to contamination with ergot or other ecbolics. Also she 

 owes this comparative immunity to her multiparity, 

 whereby each part of the uterus acts as a semi-independent 

 foetal nourisher. Thus one foetus may die and decompose 

 without necessarily disturbing the others, and expulsion 

 of live progeny may take place after severe operation on 

 one of the uterine cornua. These multiple foetuses are of 

 small size and, as compared with those of herbivores, 

 imperfect development. However, abortion does occur ; 

 thus Fleming relates a case in a small extremely fat 

 bitch, which resulted at a late period of gestation from 

 frequently ascending and descending a steep staircase. 



Delayed Parturition occurs in the case of a dead 

 foetus or when inertia uteri is present. The former state is 

 most frequent in cases of hernia uteri, as has been already 

 described. The latter also has been dealt with. Some 

 discussion has taken place with regard to the value of 

 ergot of rye as an ecbolic in canine practice. The 

 balance of evidence tends to prove that six to eight grains 

 of this agent administered every half hour to a medium- 

 sized bitch in which the uterine contractions are beginning 

 to fail, proves most useful. Of course it is not admissible 

 in cases of mechanical impediment, and should be resorted 

 to only under professional supervision. The flagging 

 powers of the bitch may be supported by brandy and beef- 

 tea, frequently administered, in doses ranging from a 

 dessertspoonful to a teaspoonful. 



Operative Interference seldom is required. Embryo- 

 tomy is difficult and seldom needed, for when the foetus is 

 within reach it can usually be extracted by mild traction 

 after adj ustment. Those foetuses which lie in the depths of 

 the horns of the womb are far out of reach until moved 

 from their position into the body of the organ, and even 

 there they are barely accessible ; when the young animal 

 becomes impeded in its passage through the vagina, the 

 forceps, crochet, and other implements may be resorted 

 to. If the head is too large and incompressible, as it is 



