IN DIFFICULT PARTURITION. 
263 
about for some time ineffectually, he left her, declaring it to be 
impossible for any man to calve her. Having cutoff one of the 
legs as high up as the hock, the other was left hanging out of 
her, and so it continued until my examination, which was a 
month from the first birth, and three weeks from the last effort. 
A most loathsome spectacle presented itself, and there was 
great and offensive discharge from the generative organs. She 
was sadly emaciated and hide bound, and refused her food. 
The uterus appeared quite insensible, and contracted not in the 
slightest degree when I pulled the foetus. It being then nearly 
dark, I did not persist in my labour, but sent the following me- 
dicine to be given the next morning: pulv. secale cornut. ^ss, 
oatmeal ^iv, to be divided into two powders ; one to be given at 
eight o’clock, and the other at ten o’clock, in a pint of warm ale. 
At the same time l informed them that I should be there at 
twelve o’clock. 
On my arrival I found the medicine had been given, and that 
she had been straining a good deal since the last dose, but had 
now ceased. I repeated the dose, and in about ten minutes the 
efforts were renewed, and I could readily introduce my hand 
and arm, and with little difficulty, as you may readily suppose 
from the terribly decomposed state of the foetus, I separated 
the extremities from the trunk, which was afterwards easily ex- 
tracted. The following treatment was then pursued. The parts 
were well washed with a weak chloride solution, and a draught 
was given composed of pulv. opii 3 j, ant. tart. 3 ij, solut. chlor.soda 
^j, and aq. tepid Ifej. 
29 th . — She strains a little. The appetite is good ; pulse 65. 
Repeat the drink. 
30M. — She has left off straining, her appetite is good, the 
bowels in a natural state ; pulse 58. Repeat the draught. From 
this time she began rapidly to recover. 
I send this, Messrs. Editors, because scattered through the 
pages of The Veterinarian I observe great difference of 
opinion amongst some of your best correspondents as to the 
efficacy of the drug used ; some speaking greatly in favour, 
others saying that no dependence is to be placed on it. I must 
admit, that I have at times given it without effect ; at others I 
have been witness to its admirable power in recalling the 
uterus to action. I consider this as a most important case. The 
uterus, that had from the constant irritation of an offensive body 
(for so you may term a dead foetus) become completely ex- 
hausted, was roused again to contract, and assist in expelling 
its burden. Therefore, although not always having the desired 
effect, which, I think with the editor of the Farmers’ Series, 
