DIVISION OF THE SACRO-ISCHI AT1C LIGAMENT. 21 
profession as a body. I therefore proceed to describe, as 
concisely as I am able, the particulars relative to it. 
About the middle of last September, I was requested to 
attend a valuable cow, 5 years old, of the Hereford breed, 
the property of a farmer residing a few miles from Ludlow, 
that could not parturiate. The messenger informed me that 
he was afraid something was wrong with her, as she had had 
two or three calves before, and hitherto calved without any 
assistance. It was also several hours since she first showed 
any symptoms of calving, and her body had become very 
much swollen. I immediately returned with him, and took 
such instruments as I thought might be required. I found 
the animal lying upon her side, the abdomen much dis- 
tended, and the vital powers evidently greatly exhausted. I 
had her raised so as to enable me to make an examination 
per vaginam , when I found the calf dead, its legs protruding, 
and the head bent backwards upon its side — a most unfavor- 
able position for extraction. I endeavoured to reach the ear 
or orbit, but was unable to do it. I, however, succeeded, 
after great difficulty, in placing a cord round the neck and 
both its fore legs, and with the aid of several persons made 
an effort to remove it ; but, from the size and unnatural pre- 
sentation of the foetus, coupled w T ith the narrowness of the 
pelvic outlet, I was perfectly unable to do so. I then came 
to the conclusion that the only means of saving the life of 
the animal, was to resort to the above operation. From what 
the messenger had informed me respecting the size of the 
abdomen, I was induced to take with me a trocar, thinking 
I should find it useful to give exit to the gaseous eliminations. 
It, however, proved of far greater service to me in another 
way ; for, in the absence of any other instrument to perform 
the operation I had determined on, and which is the subject 
of this paper, I introduced it between the ischio-rectal fascia 
and the sacro-ischiatic ligament, and then withdrew it, thus 
forming an opening, into which I passed a probe-pointed 
bistoury, and, having my other hand on the outside, I com- 
menced dividing the ligament until I had quite severed it, 
which I could very easily ascertain by feeling the point of 
the bistoury under the skin. Very little hemorrhage super- 
vened. I now attempted to remove the calf, which I found 
I had very little difficulty in doing. I then gave the cow a 
diffusible stimulant, consisting of 
Sp. Ammon. Aromat., §iss., 
in Aqua, Oj, 
in order to remove the tympanitic condition of the 
