VETERINARY OBSTETRICY. 
IT 
almost immovably fixed ; and even the ribs and other parts have 
been found to be altered in shape by the pressure they have re- 
ceived. If it is merely bent back in any of the above positions 
we should try to draw it into its proper situation with the hand, or 
by passing a cord around the jaw to pull at, by which means we 
shall sometimes succeed ; but if from extreme pressure, caused by 
the contraction of the uterus on the foetus and on the hands, which 
sometimes is so great that we cannot endure the benumbing pres- 
sure, we must try to introduce hooks into the orbits or different parts 
of the head, whereby we shall have greater power to draw. If 
we do not succeed, our assistants must pull at the legs a little, so as 
to enable us to pass a cord around the neck, as near as possible to 
the head ; after which the legs must be left alone, and a person 
must force back the front of the thorax, whilst others pull at the 
cord around the neck : another should try to take the pressure off 
the head by forcing his hand between it and the uterus, and, if pos- 
sible, to lay hold of the nose with his fingers, or pull at the head 
by the hooks. If these plans do not answer we must remove one 
of the fore legs ; after which we must pull at the other leg, and get 
the chest as near as convenient ; when we must cut through the 
costal cartilages and remove the thoracic and abdominal viscera ; or 
we may empty the thorax and abdomen quite as well by making 
an incision between the two anteriormost ribs, and then dividing the 
costal cartilages. After having done so, it will be found that the 
ribs will overlap each other, and that the foetus will be very much 
lessened, and that the remainder of it may sometimes be extracted 
by pulling at the leg and neck, even in this doubled position. Some- 
times we may succeed quite as well by removing both of the fore 
legs, whereby we shall have more room to get at the head, so as to 
bring it into its proper position, after which we may remove the 
body by hooks and cords. We may also draw the foetus forward 
by one leg, the other having been removed, so as to bring the neck 
within reach, which we must divide ; after which, the body may 
be allowed to recede so as for us to lay hold of the neck with 
hooks, and so draw the head out. After having extracted the head 
we may remove the remainder of the body by inserting crotchets 
into the ribs or about the spine, or, if possible, we may get hold of 
the hind legs and extract the foetus, as in a breech presentation. 
I can well imagine a case that might occur, where, the head may 
be so far bent back and the fore legs presenting, and it might be 
possible for us to lay hold of the hind legs ; if so, I should advise 
them to be brought forward and the feet and fore quarters forced 
back, and the foetus extracted as in a breech presentation. 
Several instances are on record, both in the mare and cow, 
where foetuses have been extracted in this position by force, without 
VOL. XIX. D 
