386 
EXTRACTION OF A MAL-FORMED CALF. 
Examination . — I was informed that, on opening her, the uterus 
was found to be very badly ruptured. The hind parts of the calf 
were much contracted, and diminished in size. The anus was im- 
pervious. The os femoris on the near side, just below the cervix, 
and the tibia on the left side, were fractured by extracting the calf. 
Each of the hind extremities, before they were fractured, must 
have been lying under the belly or against the sides, and from 
their having been in this posture, the ligaments of the anterior 
parts of the stifles had become shortened and contracted ; and the 
femor and tibia formed almost a straight line, there not being the 
least flexure at the stifle joints. The hock-joints were pretty well 
in their natural position, but both the stifle, hock, fetlock, and 
pastern joints were so firmly braced together, that they were com- 
pletely fixed, and immovable, and would not bend backwards, side- 
ways, or forwards, in the least. On examining these joints, not 
the least union of the cartilages or bones had taken place ; only a 
shortening of the ligaments of the joints generally, not permitting 
the usual flexures of the parts. From the contraction at the stifle 
joints the legs were almost straight, forming only a curve by the 
metatarsal and pastern bones being drawn a little anteriorly. 
Observations . — This is a very instructive and rare case. I 
remember meeting with a somewhat similar one some years ago, 
an account of which I published in the 16th vol. of The Vete- 
rinarian, page 487 ; but in that instance the hind parts were 
large and full-grown. Here they were diminutive. This case 
proves to us the necessity of ascertaining what size the hind parts 
are, and whether the joints are inflexible; for, had he known this, 
of course the best plan would have been to pass a cord round the 
hind extremities, between the stifles and the body, and to have 
drawn it out in this position. 
He must have well known, even when getting the feet up, that 
the fetlock joints were inflexible, and also that there must have 
been something wrong in the other joints, from the great difficulty 
there was in bending and getting the hind legs out, by hearing the 
tibia and os femoris break. Had the os femoris only have broken 
where it was, and the other leg been got straight out, perhaps all 
might have ended well : as it was, it is highly probable that the 
uterus was ruptured by the end of the fractured tibia being 
wedged in and abutting against its neck. 1 know of one instance 
where the neck of the uterus was ruptured in two places for two 
or three inches in extent, merely, in every probability, from the 
excessive contraction of the uterus on each hip of the calf, when it 
“ stuck fast” in that position. 
