20 
VETERINARY OBSTETRIC Y. 
distinguish the fore legs from the hind ones, and those of one 
foetus from what belonged to the other. The head had only half 
protruded, and the fore legs of the foetus that had the best position 
were not farther advanced than those of the second. The efforts 
of the mother operated equally on both of them, and the labour 
was making progress. 
That I might not make any mistake afterwards, I attached 
threads of different colours to the legs of the one and the other. 
With one hand 1 endeavoured to force back the foetus which pre- 
sented all four legs, while with the other hand I attempted to draw 
forward the one whose two fore legs alone were to be seen ; but I 
was unable to accomplish my purpose. When I pushed back the 
foremost one, the hinder one presented itself, and vice versa. I 
thought, however, that I could take advantage of this ; and placing 
cords around the legs of the one that was in a natural position, and 
giving them to two assistants, and seizing the one whose four legs 
presented, grasping the anterior legs in one hand and the posterior 
ones in the other, and pushing them back with considerable force, 
while my assistant endeavoured to pull the other forward, and the 
cow fortunately helping us at the moment with a more than usu- 
ally violent effort, our object was accomplished. When the chest 
of the one that was drawn forward reached the brim of the pelvis, 
1 was compelled to quit my hold of the other, and withdraw my 
hand ; but I had forced the other sufficiently back, and there was 
room for the first to be expelled. 
The four legs of the other immediately presented themselves 
again. I fixed two cords around the hind legs, and gave them to 
my assistants. * T seized the fore legs above the knee, and bent 
them, and pushed them backward, while my assistants pulled at 
the hind legs : the croup presented itself and the labour was pre- 
sently accomplished. The first calf was the smallest, and died the 
same da}^ : the second was reared. The mother was kept in the 
stable for a few days, and then dismissed. 
I once recollect being sent for, a distance of six miles off, to assist 
a cow to calve. It was a breech presentation ; but before I arrived 
a person in the neighbourhood, expert in these matters, had ex- 
tracted the calf, and was gone into the house to get some refresh- 
ment, where I also went without seeing the cow. Soon after, he 
left, but I was desired, ere I returned, to see the cow, and on going 
into the cow-house I observed that she looked very full, and 
strained more violently than appeared requisite for expelling the 
placenta. I therefore suspected that there was another calf in the 
uterus, and, on placing my fist to the side, I easily detected it. It 
was a head presentation, without the feet ; but the latter I soon 
got into their place, and she speedily calved. 
