426 
VETERINARY OBSTETRICS. 
VETERINARY OBSTETRICS. 
By Mr. Youngiiusband, V.S., Greystoke, Cumberland. 
Mr. Editor, — In relating the following case, I will not 
take up much of your time, but, as there seems to be a little 
dearth of practical results, it possibly may find a place in your 
journal. On May 2d, 1854, a veterinary acquaintance of mine, 
whose name I forbear to mention, was called upon to attend 
and assist a mare in difficult parturition. To make short, I 
will not enter into particulars. When he arrived at his 
patient’s, he found her with severe labour pains, the head and 
fore feet presenting; at the same time, one of the hind feet and 
leg, as far as the hock, presented itself also ; and I suppose to 
attempt to extract it in a position like this, w r as considered 
useless, or almost amounting to an impossibility : so embry- 
otomy was tried ; but, either from a w ant of confidence 
in the operator, or that steady perseverance which such 
cases require, the operation was suspended, and my 
friend requested I might be sent for. When I arrived, 
I found that the head, neck, one fore leg and shoulder 
had been removed, and then, somehow or other, the case 
had been abandoned. Being thus far proceeded w ith, I made 
an examination, per vaginam, to feel if I could satisfy myself 
as to the relative position of the other hind leg ; but the 
passage was so completely blocked up w ith the body of the 
foetus, that I found it w r as of no use persevering, so I w as 
obliged to succumb, and rely upon conjecture. The foetus 
being so far advanced, and so firmly impacted in the passage, 
to push it back, so that the hind leg might again be returned in 
uternm , and to attempt to draw 7 it away in this position, w ith, not 
improbably, the foot and leg in utero lodged against the brim 
of the pelvis, I coincided with my coadjutor w r ould be of no 
avail ; so I took my knife, slit open the skin of the remaining 
fore leg and shoulder, and, by a little perseverance, soon had 
the limb in a state (as I imagined) to be drawn aw r ay. I now 
fixed a strong cord to the limb, confided it to my assistants, 
telling them to pull, while I was engaged in separating the 
remaining portion of the interscapular muscles ; but they w r ere 
loathe to use that force which w 7 as required to draw 7 aw 7 ay the 
shoulder (because for want of room I could not make that 
separation of parts, otherwise I w r ould have done it.) But I was 
not thus to be foiled, and J encouraged them to use their 
strength freely, as I w as confident we w r ere accomplishing our 
task. So they did pull, and freely, and to our great surprise, 
