CATTLE DURING PREGNANCY. 517 
hind extremities. If the cow has only been recently in labour, 
and the head has made but trifling progress, affix a cord to the 
leg and another to the lower jaw, then return the foetus, and 
get up the other leg. This will be readily effected by an 
assistant introducing a metallic semicircle and rope, with a 
moveable whalebone staff : its course will be guided by the 
hand of the operator, until it encircles the limb to be brought 
forward. The whalebone director is then to be removed, and a 
noose run from one end of the rope to the other, by which 
means the leg will be permanently secured, and easily got into 
a situation for delivery. Should, however, the head have pro- 
truded beyond the vagina, the life of the foetus ought undoubt- 
edly to be sacrificed, as great risk to the cow would be incurred 
by endeavouring to bring it away in that position. The safest 
and correct course will, therefore, be to remove the head, dissect- 
ing back the skin as before described : if found necessary, the 
leg is also to be removed. This is to be accomplished by 
carrying an incision from the inside of the arm to the fetlock, 
reflecting back the integument, separating the attachments of 
the shoulder, and the appliance of a steady traction ; the other 
leg is then with facility brought into a favourable position, and 
the remainder of the foetus readily extracted. 
A breech or tail presentation is also of frequent occurrence, 
and is commonly attended with some little difficulty. This is 
especially the case if the legs are extended far under the ab- 
domen ; the necessity of some mechanical contrivance is then 
most fully experienced. The mode of proceeding under such 
circumstances will be carefully to pass the crutch before spoken 
of into the uterus, against the buttocks of the calf ; an assistant 
should then be directed steadily to push it forward, when the 
throes of the parent will frequently bring the hocks within 
reach. If this should not be the case, the ropes and metallic 
semicircle should be advanced by means of the whalebone 
director, and each of the legs secured; the assistant should still 
keep up a certain amount of pressure with the crutch, while 
the operator gradually passes his hand from the hock to the 
fetlock of each leg, and succeeds in getting the feet into the 
vaginal passage, when the delivery will be speedily accom- 
plished. I have in several cases succeeded, after some trouble, 
in bringing the calf away with its hocks flexed; but this should 
only be attempted in a full-sized, roomy cow, and before the 
parts have become bruised and swollen by a protracted labour. 
The calf is sometimes turned on its back. The difficulty 
experienced by the operator in these cases will materially de- 
pend upon the time the cow has been in pain. The two fore- 
legs should be secured, and a cord affixed to the lower jaw, and 
