268 



Anatomy and Physiology of the 



vation of the life of the mother is of the first consideration, and 

 we must not hesitate to use instruments to facilitate our manipu- 

 lations. A hook attached by a hinge-joint to a steel rod, and 

 which has at the other end a cross- handle, removable at pleasure, 

 is the most useful instrument which can be employed. The 

 operator, taking the hook in his hand and carrying it towards the 

 orbit, directs his assistant to advance or draw it backwards, as he 

 may find it necessary, so as to aid his efforts to place it within the 

 orbit. After having adjusted the head, the legs by means of the 

 cords are to be brought up, and delivery accomplished in the 

 usual manner. 



The second form of false presentation that I shall describe is 

 shown in the annexed sketch, fig. 7. It will here be seen that 

 the head of the calf is protruding from the labia ; in other words 

 it is born, while the fore-legs and the rest of the body of the 

 animal still occupy the vagina and uterus. The first remark 

 to make is, that at the commencement of labour this was a pre- 

 sentation of the head within the vaginal passage, unaccompanied 

 with the simultaneous advance of the legs, a condition of things 

 of not unfrequent occurrence. Occasionally it will happen in 

 this presentation, when the pelvis is large and the parturient 

 pains very strong, that the head will be forced out; but far 

 more frequently, its being born depends on the misapplied efforts 

 of those who are called to give assistance to the cow. Farmers 

 and others are too apt to imagine, when an examination proves 

 the head of the foetus to be located in the vagina, that by applying 

 force and bringing it through, delivery will be effected ; but it 

 should be always remembered, that in mares and cows, and even 

 in ewes, unless the lamb is very small and the pelvis of the ewe 

 of full dimensions, it is impossible for this to be done. In a head 

 presentation the operator should first place a cord, with a running- 

 loop, on the lower jaw of the fcetus, next exercise force sufficient 

 to return it into the uterus ; afterwards adjust the legs, then 

 bring up the head by drawing at the cord on the jaw and proceed 

 to deliver. Should he be called to a case like the one figured, 

 no attempts to return the head, or to draw away the foetus, as I 

 have before stated, ought to be made, as these will be altogether 

 futile. The fcetus must at once be sacrificed that the life of the 

 mother may be saved. Let an incision be made through the skin 

 from the pole to the muzzle, and another from the gullet to the 

 end of the lower lip ; dissect the skin on either side from off the 

 head so as to unite the upper and lower cuts, and then detach the 

 skull from the trunk at the occipital joint. Having done this, 

 attach a cord to the incised skin, and put back the neck into the 

 womb ; feel for, and place in, their proper position the fore-legs, 

 then bring up the neck and deliver. 



