PARTURITION IN A DONKEY. 
429 
to be carefully dieted. Through proper attention on the part of the 
owner, and the treatment used by me on such occasions, little con- 
stitutional disturbance took place, suppuration was established, 
and the swelling which might naturally be expected to take place 
was kept subdued. In fine, a few weeks made the mare conva- 
lescent, and, at the time of writing this, she appears to be as 
healthy as possible. 
Case II. — One day, paying a visit to the above patient, my 
advice was requested concerning a donkey which had been unwell 
for four or five days. On visiting the beast I at once saw it was 
a case of protracted parturition, with, possibly, a false presentation, 
as a portion of placenta was seen hanging out from the vulva. I 
next proceeded to make an examination, when I found that the two 
fore legs and feet had fallen down, and that one hind leg was pre- 
senting, the head turned back upon the shoulder, and the breast 
pressing forward. By a little dexterity I soon placed the fore feet 
in a right position, but I did not so easily succeed in reducing the 
head. The passage being short, 1 had no great difficulty in exa- 
mining the position of the head, yet I could not move it from its 
place of impactment. Being completely foiled, and having no in- 
struments with me suitable for the purpose, I scarcely knew how 
to proceed; but, being near a blacksmith’s shop, I went and got a 
small round rod of iron, two-and-a-half feet in length, and caused 
a short hook to be turned at the end, made it as smooth as circum- 
stances would permit, returned to my patient, and besmeared the rod 
and my own arm well with lard. I introduced my hand and arm, 
pushed back the hind foot, while an assistant kept hold of the fore 
ones; elided my instrument along the under part of my arm until it 
reached the point of my fingers, which I had resting upon the head, 
and by a little manoeuvering got it firmly fixed in the socket of 
one of the eyes. In this operation I found great benefit from 
having made the rod of sufficient length, so that I could maintain 
it steady with my other hand. After this I easily succeeded in 
bringing the head forward, and, from the parts being well dilated, 
found little difficulty in the extraction of the foetus, which was 
dead, and in a state of decomposition. 
Now the history of the case is this. A few days before my 
seeing her it was thought that she was labouring under an attack 
of strangury, and was treated for the same, from which treatment 
she appeared to get relief; but still, at intervals, she shewed symp- 
toms of uneasiness, such as bowing her back, standing with her 
hind legs wide apart, straining as if she wanted to void something, 
and in this state she continued for two or three days. I am not 
sure when the portion of placenta made its appearance. Still the 
animal was left to work its own cure, no person seeming to under-* 
VOL. XX. 3 L 
