PARTURITION CASES. 
393 
morning of the 12th symptoms of parturition were coming on, and 
one of his veterinary surgeons urged very strongly that I should 
be sent for immediately , as he candidly said that he had not had 
sufficient experience in such difficult cases, and did not wish to 
risk so valuable an animal’s life. Another veterinary surgeon was 
also in attendance ; but he not being able to get the head or leg 
into its proper position, also now agreed that 1 should be sent for, 
which accordingly was done. As I before stated, I arrived there 
about 9 P.M., and found that the foal had been forcibly extracted 
in the false position in which it lay ; and that the mare was in a 
very dangerous state, sighing, with cold sweats, and wandering 
about the box, having both legs and ears cold, with scarcely any 
pulse to be felt either at the jaw or chest. Brandy and stimulants 
were freely given, but without avail, for about three o’clock the 
following morning she died. 
Post-mortem examination . — The internal coats of the uterus 
were one mass of sanguineous congestion; and the muscles and 
parts surrounding the pelvis were completely engorged with ex- 
travasated blood, evidently caused by the rupture of bloodvessels 
in the act of foaling. All other parts were perfectly sound. 
Observations . — It is but seldom that mares require assistance 
during parturition ; but when they do, their cases are frequently 
found to be very difficult ones, so that what is done for them must 
be done quickly ; for when once pains fairly come on, our patients 
generally make short work of it, and either force the foetus out as 
presented, or they may rupture the uterus, or produce death by 
hemorrhage, or exhaustion by violent uterine action. In this case 
the mare had not arrived at the full period of utero-gestation, and 
most probably the parts were not fully prepared for foaling. Sup- 
posing they were, the only plan would have been to have placed 
the hobbles on her, so as to have kept her quiet, and prevented her 
injuring herself and others ; and this would have enabled the ope- 
rator to have slipped back the fore-leg that was presented, which 
would have made more room to get the other leg up, which should 
have been removed in a similar way ; then there would have been 
but little difficulty in getting the head up, and extraction thereby 
would have been rendered easy and safe. Should the mare prove 
in high condition, and very resolute, I should not hesitate to bleed 
and give anodynes. I should also try chloroform (which I never 
have done), all of which might assist us in righting the foetus. 
In the cow these presentations are very common indeed ; but 
even in them there is often great difficulty in getting the head into 
its proper place without removing one or both of the fore- legs ; but 
then what a difference there is in our patients. The one, tolerably 
calm at intervals, possessing patience and perseverance in assist- 
VOL. XXIII. 3 G 
