LABORIOUS AND DIFFICULT PARTURITION. 205 
other in an easier manner ; but this was not done without a 
great deal more labour, more time, and more anxiety than I 
had anticipated ; all which arose from a malformed and con- 
tracted state of the limb. Those two members being removed, 
the contents of the abdomen were withdrawn ; after which, 
we expected to have an easy removal of the remaining portion 
of the foetus. But not so : for after a difficult attempt to 
fix a cord around the remaining hind part, I at last succeeded, 
and being now much exhausted, I waited awhile to refresh 
myself, offered the cow some warm gruel, of which she freely 
partook, having all this time, and under such trying circum- 
stances, kept upon her legs, a most favorable position for us. 
Again we renewed our labours, — and labour it was, for we 
progressed very slowly, if at all, towards accomplishing our 
end ; for, from malformation and other causes, we could not, 
with all our force, bring the remaining portion of the foetus 
into the bones of the pelvis. I now had recourse to turning, 
which, after a long-protracted and laborious struggle, was 
brought to a happy issue. I then desired my friend to try to 
raise the fore-legs and feet; but he being unable to do so, I 
had to take my post again, and, with the greatest difficulty, 
succeeded. I next tried to bring the head into a right posi- 
tion ; but this was not to be done. So we fixed strong cords 
to each fore-leg, a strong hook with cord attached to the 
breast, and by dint of pulling — and pulling it was — succeeded 
in bringing a portion of the carcass into the bones of the 
pelvis ; but here again we were baffled, all our united strength 
not being able to stir it an inch, notwithstanding there were 
three of us, and none of the smallest. The cow was now 
down, and getting weak. At this period, after so much toil 
and anxiety, and so little hopes of success, I almost shrank 
from my task, telling my employers that I had very little 
hopes of succeeding or accomplishing the extraction ; and, 
moreover, that the cow, in my opinion, would certainly die ; 
to which opinion they quite assented. After standing and 
viewing our patient awhile, and discussing the subject, we 
agained renewed our labour ; but with no better success. Thus 
we ended again. The cow was now apparently exhausted, 
we offered her a little warm gruel, of which she partook 
sparingly. We were now on the point of departure, as we 
had been beat in every attempt, when the owner remarked, 
“We will just make another trial; — things cannot be worse; 
— there is a chance.” Now, as we considered the cow’s dis- 
solution inevitable, we would, for the praise of extraction, try 
again. So to it we went. We gave another pull, a strong 
pull, and a pull altogether; and, by most unmerciful pulling, 
