436 
DIFFICULT PARTURITION IN COWS. 
ceeded in reaching the foot, then, by flexing the fetlock, and 
keeping firm hold of it, the assistant all the while pulling the rope, 
the leg was brought into the proper position. The same plan was 
taken with the other leg, and extraction performed with still less 
difficulty. It is very material in these cases to get hold of the foot, 
and flex the pastern. No possible harm can come to the uterus, 
as the anterior part of the pastern is that from which it receives 
most pressure, and the spongy substance which always adheres to 
the foot effectually protects the uterus from the hoofs. 
Two days after the above case, a cow, belonging to Mr. Young, 
of Bonnyrigg, was seen. She was of considerable size, and had 
passed off, as they said, “ half a hogshead of water.” The tail 
was presenting, and, as the cow was insured, I was immediately 
sent for. I found the fore feet and hind parts, the hind legs, in 
the same position as in last case. These I, in the first place, 
tried to put out of the way, but found it impossible. 
It occurred to me there was some malformation ; and, therefore, 
to save the cow, I thought it best to sacrifice the calf by taking off 
the hind legs. I made an incision above the head of the femur, 
passed my fingers through the muscles, and around the bone below 
the acetabulum. Thus I carried a small cord with a running eye 
round it, while an assistant, pulling the cord, enabled me with a 
short scalpel to force the head of the femur out of its socket, and 
by pulling a little more to separate the remaining muscles and 
ligaments, when the leg was readily brought away. The same 
plan was pursued with the other leg. 
A small rope was passed round before the ilium, and after the 
calf was far enough delivered the abdomen and thorax were emptied 
of their contents, and the remainder extracted without much diffi- 
culty. 
The fore legs were found to turn backwards along the sides, the 
feet emerging near the tail, from which they could not be turned 
into the natural position. In performing this operation a short 
stout scalpel is necessary : a practitioner who can use both left and 
right hand will find an advantage. Both cows did well. 
About three weeks ago I was sent for by Mr. Hunter Dalhousie, 
Chester, to a cow that had lost the power of her legs. She had 
fallen down in the field the night before, and could not be got 
home. 
The account given was, that she had been rather unwell, and 
scarcely able to go for three or four days previous; but as she had 
not gone past her time of reckoning, calving was not thought of, 
and particularly since the udder had, within twelve hours, much 
diminished in size. The cow seemed otherwise prepared. 
On examination I found the uterus protruding backwards, the 
